EARNEST PRAYER
Colossians 4:2
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
Personal Challenge
It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and let payer time slip out of our daily practice. Payer is our pipeline to God, which supplies us the fuel that we need to glorify Him. We need to keep that pipeline open and flowing through earnestness, vigilance, and a spirit of Thanksgiving. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
SERVING THE LORD
Colossians 3:23-24
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Personal Challenge
Living the life of a Christian, a follower of Christ, does not give us the permission to be lazy and negligent. We are called to do everything that we do heartily and is if it is something that the Lord specifically asked us to do for Him. This means everything. We serve, and represent our Lord so we must serve in a way that glorifies Him and not ourselves or others. Glory be to God!
THE ELECT OF GOD
Colossians 3:12-17
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Personal Challenge
All have been called by God to believe in His Son and to receive Jesus as their Lord, but not all have responded to that call. Those who have are His elect, His holy and beloved children. And with that response comes a responsibility to live His way. What is that way? Putting on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering with those that God brings into our lives. We are to bear with one another, forgiving them, letting go of our complaints against each other in that forgiveness. In all that we do, we are to put on love. We are to live our lives with the peace of God ruling our hearts being thankful. We have the word of Christ dwelling in us, giving us His riches. In His wisdom, not ours, we are to be teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with grace in our hearts. And finally, whatever we do in word or deed, we are doing it in the name of our Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Christ. If this is not happening in our lives, then maybe it is time to do a heart check to see if we really did respond to His call or have we been just playing at being His follower. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
GOD SHALL BE WITH YOU
Deuteronomy 31:23
Then Moses commanded Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be valiant and strong; for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land the Lord swore to them; and He shall be with you.”
Encouraging Words
The early church fathers taught that Joshua, the son of Nun, was a foreshadow of Jesus, the Son of God. Joshua was chosen by God to lead His people out of the desert of Sinai into the promised land. Jesus was chosen by God to lead His people, the followers of Jesus, into the eternal promised land, heaven. This promised land is here and now and those of us who follow Jesus, the Messiah, can experience it as heaven on earth. Jesus was valiant and strong as He fought the evils that had infiltrated the chosen people and were bolstered by the pharisees and zealots. Jesus stood up to the enemy of God and broke down the gates of his Kingdom of hell to set us of free from death and the bondage of sin. Glory be to God!
Saint of the Week
St. Ambrose of Optina
PUTTING OFF AND THEN ON
Colossians 3:8-10
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
Personal Challenge
Part of dying to the world and being raised in Christ is putting off our old selves and ways, and then putting on His ways. We are called to do away with anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy language in order to cleanse and purify ourselves. We are also not to lie to one another. Once we have done this, we are to put on our new selves, which are given to us by Him and reflect Him. Glory be to God!
PUT TO DEATH
Colossians 3:5
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Personal Challenge
If we have truly been raised with Christ into the new life that He has called us to, then we will need to continually put to death those things within us that will keep us from following in His footsteps. A list is provided in this verse of the obvious things to put to death but there are so many more, many of which are very subtle and damaging to our relationship with God and our neighbor. Have we become pharisaical in our false piety and our pride in how we follow the rubrics of our church? Have we become zealots in what we think is the "right" way to worship or practice our faith all the while biting our neighbor like venomous vipers? Do we manipulate and coerce those around us to see and believe our way as the right way? Following in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ means putting to death the things and ways of this world and being like Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!
