GOSPEL PAIN

Colossians 2:1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. (NIV)


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Paul is not ashamed of his personal struggling as a servant of the gospel. Everything which is worthwhile will involve some kind of suffering (the word used here is 'agona'). Examinations, athletics, construction and school teaching - they all have rewards when done excellently, but they will all involve struggle and suffering. Much time is sacrificed, skills are painfully refined, outcomes are clarified, strategies are devised, problems are anticipated; and everything is committed to the task irrespective of the cost - because the outcome is important.

Gospel ministry has added dimensions, and is a spiritual battle. Although it is ultimately God's work, He uses our bodies, hearts and minds ... which will take the strain and pain. In addition even Paul was struggling with his old sinful nature (Romans 7:14-25): he was conscious of Satan's attacks (2 Corinthians 2:11), his missionary travels brought him into conflict with people and exposure to many dangers (2 Corinthians 11:23-29): his prayers for the believers were intense and draining (Colossians 1:9): and he accepted that suffering was a normal part of authentic faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:29-30). But why did he advertise his struggling? He wanted them to understand that the sufferings of Christ were so valuable that any struggle in making Him known is supremely worthwhile (Romans 1:16).

Our struggles can never atone for our sins; they are the privileged mark of those who share in God's family business. However, many Christians prefer the easy lifestyle options offered by the world, embraced by the flesh and orchestrated by the devil. For them the 'hope of glory' is an insurance policy, their commitment is to themselves and their principal objective is pleasure (or at least, the absence of pain). Every other legitimate call on their time and energy (family, work, money) is given priority above serving Christ. But wherever sacrifice is real, service for Christ becomes genuine: and the value of the cross becomes transparently wonderful. So, you see, your spiritual priorities are directly measured by your willingness to sacrifice yourself for them. It is time to assess what should really matter!

Prayer:
Dear loving Lord. Thank You for all You have done for me. Thank You too for those who have taken time and trouble to help me come to Christ, and to grow in my faith. But I am ashamed that my practical gratitude is so poor. Although You have sacrificed so much for me, and others have freely given love to me, I often avoid any struggle for You or those You want to reach with Your love. Forgive me for such wrong priorities, and help me to determine to serve You better, as I change my priorities to fit with Your agenda for my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

SHARING THE MYSTERY WITH EVERYONE

 

Colossians 1:27  To them [the saints] God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (NIV)
 

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God's plan of salvation was shrouded in mystery until Jesus came. It was a half-understood secret which the Israelites thought was exclusive for them alone. God, was their God; and they thought that He would only speak to them; even though He had already told Abraham that 'all peoples on earth will be blessed through you' (Genesis 12:3). But part of the 'mystery of salvation', was that salvation through the death of Christ would be for all, Jews and Gentiles alike.

It was not that Gentiles had to become Jews in order to be confident of a glorious future with God. No. God's plan was that both Jews and Gentiles should see their future in Christ. Indeed, Jesus said that real hope for an eternity with God is only found in Him. The Jews had looked for their Messiah, but did not recognise that their own Scriptures perfectly described the life and death of Jesus. On the other hand, the Gentiles had no interest in the God of the Jews, but He was very interested in them! The amazing truth is that every person who stops to listen to the gospel, irrespective of religious or cultural background, will all have the opportunity to receive Christ: and with Him, the hope of glory.

Although some think that all Western people are Christians, that is not true. Alas, very many are not; and at the same time many millions with totally different religions and social backgrounds have found the hope of glory when they heard the gospel and received Christ. So Jesus is for everybody. To some people that is still a mystery, but you can always let them into the secret! Let them watch www.crosscheck.org.uk: tell them how Jesus found you. It is your privilege, as a believer in Jesus Christ, to unwrap the mystery of Christ to your family, friends and colleagues and encourage them to reach out to Him and be saved. Today is the best day to start!

Prayer:  Glorious Lord. Thank You that Jesus came to save everybody, irrespective of their race, colour, religious background, social status, education, gender, wealth, intellect, language or country. Thank You that His blood is still the atoning sacrifice for all my friends, family and colleagues, those I meet while travelling and those in my community. Please help me to desire their salvation and to share the Good News of Jesus with them. May the hope of glory be much bigger in my heart than the fear of rejection. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
 

DISCLOSING THE MYSTERY

 

Colossians 1:25-26  I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fulness -- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. (NIV)
 

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Paul was commissioned to proclaim what had previously been a mystery. During all of the Old Testament period, God was preparing His people for the arrival of Jesus. The laws showed them what pleased and angered God, and the sacrifices provided temporary permission to worship God. But nothing was permanent or complete until Jesus came to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world.

Paul and the other apostles preached from the Old Testament, because it was respected and contained so much about Jesus Christ. Before Jesus, the Scriptures were a mystery, but after Jesus died and rose again, the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to see that Jesus was central to explaining the mystery. And so their preaching was full of how Jesus Christ fulfilled the laws and promises of the Old Testament. That was important, because Jesus was never presented as a new religious leader: rather, He was preached as the completion of God's revelation of Himself to humanity, and its sacrificial Saviour. Augustine of Hippo said, "The New is in the Old concealed, the Old is in the New revealed". Like Paul, he preached Christ from the Old Testament.

Alas, today, too many people like to wallow in the uncertainty of mystery; however that is an evil temptation when the clarity of Jesus can be known, enjoyed and shared with others. Others respect the Old Testament for its wise sayings, but have not been alerted to the fact that it speaks of Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:14-16 speaks of such people: "... their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." So although they cannot see Christ in the Old Testament, they can see Him when He is shown to be the centre of those Scriptures and they turn to Him! Today is a good day to pray for friends and colleagues who might honour the Old Testament, but do not yet know Jesus. Pray for an opportunity to show them Christ in the Old Testament (perhaps start with Isaiah chapter 53), because as you explain Christ, He will take away the mystery so that they can see Him clearly.

Prayer:  Eternal God. Thank You for revealing Your plan of salvation through all of the Old Testament: for embedding the truth of Jesus' life, death and resurrection in those Scriptures. Please help me to understand the teaching of the law and the prophets with fresh eyes, and see the character of my Saviour there. I pray for those of my friends and colleagues who do not know Christ personally and cannot yet see His place in Your plan - even though they claim to respect the Old Testament. Help me to show them Christ in all the Scriptures and enable them to see that He is the fulfilment and centre of salvation and the door into eternal life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

SUFFERING FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL

 

Colossians 1:24  Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. (NIV)
 

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This verse has often been misunderstood. Some think it means that that Christ's work on the cross was insufficient to achieve salvation. Not so. The sacrificial work of the Lord Jesus Christ was complete, perfect and sufficient to pay for all the sin of the world (Hebrews 10:12-14). So, what does this verse mean?

Clearly the Apostle Paul had suffered much in proclaiming the gospel (2 Corinthians 11:23-28), but none of his sufferings added anything to the finished work of Jesus Christ. So what did Paul mean by saying there was something 'lacking' in what Christ did? As the redemptive purpose of the cross was complete in itself, the only thing that was lacking was people knowing about it. That is why Paul suffered so much. His suffering came because he proclaimed Christ crucified, preached the gospel and urged people to repent and submit to Jesus. However, if he had not done that, people would never have known, they could not be saved and the church could not grow (Romans 10:13-15).

Sharing the gospel continues to be a hazardous task, simply because those who are in rebellion against Christ hate to be reminded of the truth that they are fighting against God. So their easiest solution is to try to get rid of the messengers of the gospel. That is why Paul was repeatedly attacked. However, the gospel is such a wonderful message, and salvation is such a wonderful deliverance, that God's people still want to tell others so that they may also be saved and be a part of the eternal church of Jesus Christ. So, if you encounter opposition, hostility or other persecution for the sake of the gospel you should be encouraged. It means that the gospel message is starting to be heard and that people are reacting. Although it may seem that everybody is against you, some people are actively and eagerly listening to find out how they may be saved. Then all the suffering will be worthwhile for you and for Christ.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father. I am very grateful for the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ for me. Thank You that His death alone has brought me to salvation. I also thank You for those people who have taught me the gospel, enabling me to come to faith in the Lord Jesus who laid down His life for me. Thank You too for the sufferings of men and women through the ages who did not hold back from proclaiming Christ, even though they may have suffered and, in some cases, lost their lives: but the church grew because people heard and believed the gospel. Forgive me when I have kept silent because I have been afraid. Help me to follow Your lead and learn how to speak boldly about my Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Saviour of all those who hear and believe the gospel. In His Name. Amen.
 

JESUS - THE CENTRE OF THE GOSPEL

 

Colossians 1:23b  This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (NIV)

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The gospel is good news: that is what the word 'gospel' means - "Good News!" Everything that Jesus said and did is unknown unless somebody brings the Good News. Although the life and death of our Saviour was physically located in the Holy Land, the benefit of His sacrificial ministry will come to everybody ... but first they need to hear and believe the Good News (Romans 10:14-15). The task of the Apostles was to start proclaiming the gospel, in as many places as possible (Romans 15:20) until the gospel has become universally known. Through their inspired writing, their gospel ministry continues in many languages up to the present time. Everybody who helps to explain the gospel, serves the Lord.

To become a 'servant of the gospel' is much more than a philosophical idea. God personally commissioned Paul (Acts 26:16-18) for the task; and he chose to submit to be a servant of Jesus Christ and His gospel (Romans 1:1). Wherever courageous believers proclaim Christ, the church grows and the Lord is glorified. They may attract ridicule, and persecution, but they do it, persevering in sharing the gospel, because they are being obedient to the Lord of the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20).

The dynamic of gospel ministry is simple. Every believer is called to explain their faith (1 Peter 3:15), so that those who understand and obey the gospel call will be saved. So wherever the Christian goes, he or she is a mobile gospel container. But the gospel is not a secret to be kept locked up in the container; it is intended to be released everywhere because it is globally applicable. So it is our privilege and responsibility to release the gospel into the office, hospital, factory, transport hub, construction site, publishing house, lawyers' chambers, social club, sports venue, music festival and holiday resort. If every believer did that the Word would soon spread and the salvation purpose of our Saviour, who died for the sins of the world, would be well served.

Prayer:  Dear Lord. Thank You for the Apostles whose gospel proclamation and writing have enabled me to hear and believe the gospel. Thank You for those people who served You by telling me about the sacrifice of Jesus and His love for me. Forgive me for hiding Your light, so that those around me cannot see the Saviour of the world or know how to access His grace. Please help me to be aware of the treasure I carry with me every day; to work, community activities, sports venues, holiday locations and among my family. Open my eyes to see many people for whom Christ has died, yet are ignorant of the gospel and unsaved. Help me to let the gospel out, so that it will do its own work and I will be a good servant of Jesus Christ. In His Name. Amen.
 

 

 

Colossians 1:21-23  Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation - if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. (NIV)

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Conversion, from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God, is a huge change: from aliens to citizens; from enemies to allies. Before conversion, everybody is outside of God's kingdom, opposed to it in thinking and actions, and personally rebellious against the sovereignty of God. After conversion, born-again believers are welcomed because they are reconciled to God, and are counted as holy, sinless and blameless. The change is only possible through Christ's personal sacrifice of His physical body - accepting the punishment due to all who have rebelled against God.

Does that mean that all sinners are saved? No. Many do not want to be saved, they see no need. Some want to be saved through their own good works, and not through the grace of God alone. Some start to believe but have no interest in holding onto Christ as their only Saviour; they want to design their own salvation package - including Jesus but not excluding everything else. Although reconciliation is available to them, they resist His exclusive Lordship, and continue to alienate themselves from God. In their minds, that is quite acceptable (even though it is repugnant to God) but their behaviour demonstrates that they are not on God's side. Although the love of God and the sufferings of Jesus enable enemies of God to be reconciled to Him - many think they know better. For them holiness is unnecessary, deep roots of faith are restrictive: and the hope of being welcomed by Christ when He returns has no priority compared with human ambitions for self-satisfaction. What a tragedy!

But what blessing for those who are trusting, learning more, practising holy living and learning to relate with the Lord who loves them. If you know you are reconciled, live in harmony with Him. If you trust Him, invest everything in Him. If you have started in faith, be determined to keep trusting despite adverse circumstances. Put your roots down deep into His grace, and reject every alternative. If Christ has made you His friend, demonstrate the relationship in the way you behave. If you know you have been reconciled at such a great cost, worship Him, thank Him, love Him, and serve Him. Never forget that the gospel you have believed is the only information which tells people how to be reconciled with the holy God - so tell your friends and colleagues, and share it with them (www.crosscheck.org.uk)!

Prayer:  Gracious God. Thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ which has reconciled me to You. I am amazed at Your love and thank You for helping me to trust You. Please help me to invest everything into my life with You and to reject everything which competes with You. Help me to put my roots down deeply into You, Your truth and Your grace so that I may become firm and steady in my faith. And please refresh my understanding of the importance of sharing the gospel with others. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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JESUS - THE FULLNESS OF GOD

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (NIV)


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For those who think that Jesus was merely a good teacher, these verses will come as a shock. The Son of God contained all the fullness of God. Everything that identifies God was in Jesus Christ. So the great divine characteristics of perfect love, absolute authority and infinite power were and are in Jesus. Jesus was not just a spokesman or representative of God (like a prophet), or an educator of God's ideas (like a teacher), or a demonstrator of good living (like a mentor): all the fullness of God was and is His rightful property.

Jesus is also the reconciler. Being perfect God and perfect man, He had the ability and right to reconcile us to God: as Colossians 1:22 says, "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation ...". Without a body, God could not die (which was why Jesus Christ was born as a human being): and without the sacrificial death of a perfect substitute, everybody would have to suffer for their own sins (which is why 1 Corinthians 5:7 says, "... Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed"). Reconciliation is in God's nature, but is only possible when rebellion is ended and the legacy of sin is removed. So, God prepared a body and filled it with Himself, so that He could be punished to death for all our sins - in order that we might be reconciled and have peace with God.

Many people think they can impress God with their good deeds. But they forget that their bad actions, words and thoughts stand against them, and can never be 'outweighed' by acts of charity or piety. Without Jesus there is no reconciler between sinful humanity and holy deity. But, as 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "... God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." It goes on to say, "And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation". That means that the wonderful news of peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1) is no longer a secret. The Lord expects those who have His peace to announce it to others! Start again today in the workplace, the community and wherever you travel. You are the Lord's messenger of hope; somebody is waiting for you to tell them about Jesus, the fullness of God.

Prayer: Dear Lord. I am amazed at how wonderful Jesus is, and that in Him all the fullness of the Godhead lives in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). I am sorry when I have treated Him lightly, or failed to announce Him to my friends and colleagues. Please help me to take in what it meant for Him to sacrifice Himself for me; the pain He endured to bring me peace with God. Help me to worship Him, meditate upon Him and advertise Him to those who have no certain peace or confidence of Your love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

JESUS - NUMBER ONE

Colossians 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (NIV)
 

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Jesus is Number One! Already in this chapter, Paul has described Jesus Christ as the 'image of the invisible God' (v15), 'Firstborn over all creation' (v15), 'Creator of everything' (v16): now Christ is presented as 'Head of the church' (v18), 'Firstborn from the dead' (v18); and later the 'Fullness of God' (v19) and the 'Reconciler of all things' (v20). There is no doubt that Jesus takes the highest place in every way.

The church is 'the called-out people': called by God, out of the kingdom of darkness, into the light with Jesus. This group of people is not a democracy; every single member of the church is under the authority of Christ, and can only function when connected with the head (using the analogy of the human body - Ephesians 4:15-16). He alone has the right to say what is right, and how His purposes are to be carried out - now and for ever, because just as Christ was the first to be raised from the dead, so all His people will also be raised to life, fore ver.

Every human grouping naturally has a 'pecking order' of authority and power. But Jesus had said such a style must not characterise the church: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you." (Matthew 20:25-26a). It should be obvious to us (but often is not!) that if Christ is Number One, then nobody else can be. In religion, Jesus cannot be one of a number of prophets or inferior to another Deity. In the world, whatever the authorities think, Christ is higher than them all. And personally we can never be superior to Him in any way. The greatest wisdom the world can find is to recognise Jesus as supreme. The greatest wisdom the church can show is to submit to its Head and not to seek its own glory. And at a personal level, at work and in the community, we need to let Jesus take the prime place in our lives. Then the world will see that He is Number One because we have stepped down from that position to love and serve Him. That is the Christian's daily challenge and struggle against the demands of self. Take up the challenge again today!

Prayer:  Sovereign Lord. Thank You that Jesus has been appointed as head over creation, the church and the grave. I know that nobody else has the right to be Number One in the world, the church and in my life. Please forgive me when I choose to ignore that fact, or when I allow other voices to drown out Your Word. Help me to honour Jesus as I accept His right to rule at home and at work. May my life demonstrate that I believe He really is Number One. In His Name. Amen.

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WHO IS JESUS?

Colossians 1:15-17  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (NIV)
 

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Faith in Christ, is just that: not faith in the church, or leaders or our own ability to follow religious rules - but trusting in the person of Jesus Christ. Of course, nobody can believe in Him unless they know who He is. Therefore it is critically important to know His identity, character, and authority. Today's verses explain all three.

Firstly, Jesus Christ lived on earth as the visible manifestation of God. He was, and is, God. Jesus said, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9). John 1:18 says, "No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." Hebrews 1:3 says, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." These are very big statements because they also deny many popular ideas people have about Him. So, Jesus was not just a man - but God in a human body.

Secondly, Jesus is the 'firstborn over all creation'. 'Firstborn' has two meanings: 'the first to be born', and 'the one who has superiority with full legal rights to deputise for his father and to inherit the estate'. Of those two meanings, the second only is intended, because before Christ's incarnation, He was already the creator of everything, so His Spirit was not created. Although He became a man, He had (and still has) the right of supremacy over the physical creation, angels and demons, and every authority structure. He personally sustains the complexity of the cosmos, and has intimate knowledge of every person and event, even ahead of time. So when Jesus spoke to demons they knew His authority and submitted: so did stormy sea, blind eyes, and loaves of bread. By His authority water turned into wine and the dead were raised to life. People who believe in Jesus are also changed; they become children of God.

When we say we believe in Jesus, we are admitting that we are sinners and that Jesus is our Saviour. Although Christ is over all creation, He personally submitted Himself to death, accepting responsibility for all our rebellion, so that we might be made clean for the presence of God. This Jesus was raised to life again and He now has the final word about everything. He is the supreme ruler over everything (Philippians 2:8-11). Is that the Jesus you believe in and worship? The Bible says that only faith in Jesus brings salvation and peace with God (Acts 4:12). If you are not trusting Him ... start today (www.crosscheck.org.uk). If you are trusting, don't keep Jesus a secret! He is wonderful: advertise Him to your friends and colleagues!

Prayer:  Father God. Thank You for Jesus. What a wonderfully amazing person He is: so big in every way, but so humble and kind in being willing to be sacrificed for all my sins. I am sorry when I do not honour Him as I should; when I do not live to please Him; when I am ashamed of Him and when I ignore Him. Please help me to appreciate the awesome greatness of my Saviour, to be grateful for what He has done for me, and learn to live so that He will be pleased and glorified. In His Name. Amen.

CHOOSE TO GIVE THANKS

Colossians 1:13-14  For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
 

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Wise parents teach their children to say, and mean, three important words. 'Please', 'sorry' and 'thank you'. Yet all of them are against our human nature. We would rather demand our rights than wait for somebody to be pleased to give; we resist admitting our failure; and feel that gratitude makes us indebted to others. In the previous verse, Paul the Apostle encouraged the Colossian church to live maturely, "... joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light" (Colossians 1:12).

Paul gives two major reasons which Christians should be thankful. Firstly, God has rescued us from Satan's captivity, paying for our redemption with the blood of Christ. Secondly, we have been fully welcomed into Christ's kingdom, because our sin (which barred us from coming close to Him) has been forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ. Grateful? If you are not, there is something seriously wrong! Without God's grace, we can only live in spiritual darkness, fumbling our way through life with fear of hell and no hope of heaven. Gratitude says a lot about people. It says that they are not proud, but willing to accept help; it say that they are not ashamed of being dependent; it says that they acknowledge they remain in the debt of others, which they can never repay except by saying 'thank you'.

Musicians practise on their instruments; lawyers practise their learned profession; carpenters practise their woodworking skills. Christians practise their faith first by giving thanks to God, and then demonstrate their thankful hearts by behaving in a way which pleases the Lord. If lips refuse to sacrifice pride and give thanks (praise is always sacrifice of self-interest ... Hebrews 13:15), the rest of the body is unlikely to behave with spiritual maturity. If we do not remember the magnitude of our rescue, and give thanks to the Lord, we will tend to go back to old ways and be trapped in dark ways again. If we do not remember what it cost Christ to forgive us, we will treat sin lightly. And if we do not value the privilege of being in His kingdom we will inevitably undermine it. The remedy is to give thanks with joy. Start now and practice several times a day until it becomes the habit of a lifetime!

Prayer:  Dear Lord. Thank You for all you have done for me; for the sacrifice of Christ to redeem me from the dark captivity of Satan, and for Your forgiveness enabling me to be welcomed into Your kingdom. I admit that I am slow to say 'Thank You', and I repent of my self sufficiency and lack of dependence on Your grace. Please forgive me these sins too. Help me to cultivate the habit of gratitude by choosing to thank You for my salvation and each kind provision with which you bless my life, and the lives of those I love. May my use of 'please', 'sorry' and 'thank you' be frequent indicators of my dependence upon You, and help me to live so that You receive glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
 

QUALIFIED FOR HEAVEN

Colossians 1:10-12  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
 

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Qualifications are important. Usually they mean that you have studied well, trained hard and are competent to do the job. And some think that we qualify ourselves for heaven by learning what to do, doing it well and proving our suitability for God's presence. But that is not so. Although Paul does not minimise the importance of pleasing the Lord, even our best efforts cannot qualify us for heaven: because that is a gift of God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 1:13-14).

However, Paul was concerned for the Colossian church to become mature in seven ways, and so he prayed for them. Firstly, to live with Christ-like integrity; secondly, to be spiritually productive; thirdly, to understand God better; fourthly, to become strong through his power; fifthly, to resist the temptation to give up, persisting through opposition; sixthly, develop the habit of joyful thanksgiving to God; and seventhly, to honour the Father whose grace alone has qualified them to take their place with all the people of God.

Although they are described in a list, and we may well attend to one at a time; they all need to be integrated into our lives and practised together. Such a lifestyle demonstrates that we honour the qualifying grace of God, understanding the wisdom of God (the way to live well in God's kingdom). Are you spiritually mature? You can use this list to check how well you are growing as a Christian, and identify those areas which need attention. Pray about them, and ask God to give you a desire to know His will in that area, and to do it. It will be a cooperative process: God will let you know what He wants and He will help you to want it too. Then He will help you to do it in a way that pleases Him. True disciples will accept God's wisdom, and then trust Him to help them as they put it into practice. So take the challenge today, identify the 'discipleship gaps' and take action ... it often helps to share it with another believer who can pray for you and monitor your progress.

Prayer:  Gracious God, my loving heavenly Father. Thank You for Your salvation plan which has qualified me to be a part of Your Kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your work in me, helping me to desire Your wisdom and to do it. Forgive me when I stubbornly insist on my own way and fail to please You; forgive me when I do not even care that my stunted growth makes you sad and decreases my usefulness in Your kingdom. Please help me to make a realistic assessment of my spiritual maturity, and long to grow more like Christ. In His Name. Amen.

LEARNING TO GROW IN THE GOSPEL

Colossians 1:9  For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (NIV)
 

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The birth of a baby is just the beginning of the process of growth to maturity. The infant has a wonderful new body and mind but does not know how to use or control it. In the same way, new Christians have all the potential of the life of God but are vulnerable until they have learned how to live as a mature adult.

Paul the Apostle knew all the dangers new believers would face. To be born again is wonderful, but to become mature takes time, training, correction and lots of encouragement. How was it going to happen, and who would help? Paul was so far away, under house arrest and unable to travel to this new church. So He did two things: first he prayed for them, and secondly he sent a letter (the Epistle to the Colossians), personally couriered by Tychicus who was accompanied by Onesemus (Colossians 4:7-9). At the same time, Paul ensured that the other two churches in the Lycos valley (in Laodicea and Hierapolis) facing the same issues, should also have the letter read there (Colossians 4:13-16).

So prayer, Godly instruction, organisation and logistics all came together to help the churches resist wrong teaching and learn how to grow mature in Christ. The message alone was not enough ... it had to be delivered by people who could be trusted. Of course, the background to all this communication was prayer. Paul trusted that God alone would guard them until the letter came and He was growing them in faith - so he prayed that the Holy Spirit's wise counsel would operate in the churches, and that they would allow Him to fill them with truth and discernment. However, prayer was only part of his responsibility. Paul also knew that he had a part to play: he was under God's authority to write a letter, and that letter was all part of God's work in their lives (and ours too!).

Self-centred Christians are a menace in the church. They do not seem to understand that in addition to receiving from others, they must also give in accordance with God's will. It all starts with prayer. Action without prayer is as bad as prayer without being willing to act. Yes, grace is all of God, but He chooses that His people are work colleagues in the gospel. Although they may know that principle, they remain inert. They have never really understood that they are designed to have a mature role in Christ's kingdom: instead they want to remain like spoon-fed infants. What a scandal! We cannot escape the Scripture that it is our responsibility to work with God so that the whole body of Christ grows up and functions maturely (Ephesians 4:15-16). So, who will you speak to about Jesus today, who will you write to, who might receive a forwards copy of this Word@Work? Pray about it, make the necessary decisions and do it; for His glory and the blessing of the church.

Prayer:  Dear Lord. Thank You that You are the greatest communicator, and reveal all that we need to know. Thank You also for those people You have used to teach, train, rebuke and correct me - so that I might grow up in my faith and become more useful to You. I am sorry when I have not helped others as I might. Please help me to see my responsibility to pray for people and then to communicate truth to them as guided by You. Convict me of the need to make decisions about this and to organise myself so that I can be truly useful to You in helping others. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

LIVING GOSPEL GROWTH

Colossians 1:6b-8  All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. (NIV)
 

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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages

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All biologists know that growth is one of the properties of living organisms. It usually occurs by cell division and multiplication, so that new cells are formed, the body increases in size and learns how to function effectively. The template for this behaviour is in the DNA which provides all the messages to tell the new cells how to function.

The gospel of God's grace is not sterile information but is vibrantly alive. It contains the message of salvation which, when grafted into the heart of those who believe it, will reproduce the eternal life of God in a human being. Wherever the gospel is explained, those who are hungry for truth will understand it. Wherever the seed of God's Word finds receptive soil it will germinate, grow and be fruitful. That is what happened at Colosse. Epaphras, who had been converted under Paul's ministry in Ephesus, took the message almost 200km east along the trade route, and preached the good news about Jesus there. Those who believed were born again by the Holy Spirit. They became the church (ecclesia - the 'called-out ones') and started living differently, because they had received the life of Christ.

In the same way that parents are excited at the wonder of a new life forming during pregnancy, so the Apostle Paul was excited to see how the gospel had produced the same life-changing effect in Colosse as it did wherever it had been preached. He commended Epaphras, calling him a 'faithful minister of Christ'. All he did was to deliver the message accurately; but its effect was profound, because it contained God's living Word. And the effect of the Holy Spirit's presence in these people was unmistakable!

Evangelism is not complicated. It is the simple task of delivering the truth about Jesus. In Paul's day the gospel travelled as people moved along trade routes; today it is transported wherever Christians go, and increasingly along the internet and email like Word@Work. Although some people are 'full time' evangelists, every Christian carries the vital seed of gospel truth. But most believers do not realise the potency of the truth in their hearts and minds. If you know what it is to be saved through the cross of Jesus, are you telling other people? If not, make up your mind that you will ask your friends and colleagues if you can tell them. If you need a little help, click on www.crosscheck.org.uk and watch the presentation together with them. Then see what God does as they start to engage with the truth!

Prayer:  My Lord and my Saviour. Thank You for saving me through the sufferings of Jesus on the cross. And I am grateful for the people who first told me and explained how I could become a child of God. Forgive me for the indifference, laziness or fear which has stopped me from telling others. Forgive me for listening to Satan's lies, telling me that other people can do it better or that I am too weak a believer to be a credible witness. Thank You that Your life is in the message, and its potency does not depend upon me. So help me to resolve to take the opportunities You provide to tell the gospel to my friends and colleagues. In Jesus' Name. Amen.