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About-Him.Com Devotional 05-07-2011 http://about-him.com/ Paul's Prayer for the Colossians, Continued Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; As our knowledge of God increases, we strive to know Him more closely and we become much more sensitive to the things of His Spirit. His word reveals to us, His eternal plan. We realize that the plan of redemption has been in place since eternity past. When the time was right, God moved upon a virgin and brought forth a child who would be called the Son of God (Gal. 4:4). Micah 5:2 tells us that this baby had existed before time even began. Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:23 tell us that His name would be called Emmanuel, meaning God with us. 1John 1:1 says He was the Word of Life which was from the beginning. John 1:1,14 called Him the Word, who was with God and was God. In the Old Testament, the Word was often manifested as the Angel of Jehovah and often as theophanies, which were appearances of the invisible God in human form (Ex. 3:2; Jos. 5:13, Dan. 3:25). At Bethlehem, The Word was made flesh and dwelled among us and we beheld His glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Scripture (Eph. 1:9, 3:4,9; Col. 1:26, 2;2) tells us this is a mystery, and I agree. I think we all agree that there is only one God (Ja. 2:19), and one Spirit (1Cor. 12:13) and one man Christ Jesus (1Tim. 2:5). I don’t know every aspect of this mystery, but when I read Revelation 1:8, Jesus introduces Himself as, “the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” No, I can’t explain it all. But Colossians 1:19 & 2:9 tells me that, “In Him dwells all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and Colossians 2:10 tells me that, “I am complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” As we learn of Him and try to comprehend the depths of His awesome holiness and perfection, we realize that we have a long way to go. As Paul said, we haven’t yet gotten a hold of Him who has gotten a hold of us. Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Our natural tendency is to somehow or another, impress this awesome One, who created the universe by the power of His word. If we can pray and fast more, knock on a few more doors, give more to the church, and so on, then perhaps we can get God’s attention. Actually God gave us His full attention when He seated us in heavenly in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6). The resources of heaven are at our disposal but they are only accessed by faith in the work of Jesus on the cross. It’s good to pray and fast and give to the church. It’s simply a matter of perspective. God gave each of us His full attention in eternity past. He knew the day, the time and place that we would simply believe and obey the gospel and He wrote our names in the Lamb’s book of Life (Rev. 13:8). That’s the key to it all: Believe and obey the gospel. After that, it’s no longer we that live, but it’s Christ living in and through us (Gal. 2:20), and the works that we do, we do not to get His attention but to further His kingdom. Text: Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; We are, strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power. We can’t do anything by ourselves, period. There is absolutely no comparison between the best that we can offer and His glorious power. When was the last time that we parted the sea, walked on water, and fed a multitude with a few loaves and fishes? We didn’t, but the possibilities are limitless when we are strengthen by the Spirit of God to perform a designated task for the furtherance of His kingdom. Our works are counted as hay, wood and stubble, which are destined to be burned up by the unquenchable fire of Jesus (Mt. 3:12, 1Cor. 3:12-15). The apostle Paul was at a very low point in his life when he asked the Lord to remove a thorn in his flesh which he described as a messenger of Satan, who was buffeting him. The Lord answered by not answering. Paul still had his thorn but he also had the promise of God that, my strength is made perfect in your weakness. Paul no longer asked for deliverance and was pleased to be strengthened with all might, according to the Lord’s glorious power. Paul said he was willing to suffer so that He might have the power of Christ resting upon himself and that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him. He didn’t mind, infirmities, reproaches, necessities (needs), persecutions, and distresses for Christ’s sake, for when he was weak and having to rely on the Lord, he was strong indeed (Php. 4:13; 2Co. 12:10). Text: Colossians 1:12 ¶ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (to be made able or qualified) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: We thank God that He has enabled and qualified us to be a partaker of our present inheritance in Christ Jesus. We are joint heirs (Ro. 8:17) with Him and we reign now as kings and priests to God (Rev. 1:6, 5:10). Yes, there is a lot waiting for us in heaven, but there is also a lot that we don’t take advantage of in this present world. The kingdom was prepared for us from the foundations of the world (Mt. 25:34). Because we belong to Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29). Because we are sons, rather than servants, we are heirs of God through Christ (Gal. 4:7). When we received the Holy Spirit, we received the blessing of Abraham. Note carefully, the blessing of Abraham is not necessarily this world’s riches, but rather the Spirit of Almighty God dwelling in us. Abraham was rich, but when he prophetically saw the day of Christ and rejoiced (Jo. 8:56), I believed that he esteemed that much more than all the riches of this world . Ephesians 1:14 refers to the indwelling Spirit as the earnest or down payment of our inheritance. Galatians 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Ephesians 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Text: Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: We were delivered from the power of darkness when we believed and accepted the gospel. At that time, something happened instantly, we were born of God. Yes, there is more required, such as repentance and water and Spirit baptism, but John 1:12-13 makes it quite clear that when we believed, we were born of God. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Text: Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins: We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity As such, we were unfit to stand before God (Ro. 3:23; Ga. 3:22). However, we were redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. To redeem something is to buy it back and in our case a unique price was required, i.e. sinless blood. Only Jesus could meet that specification and He gladly did so on our behalf. Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; At the cross, Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse in our place (Gal. 3:13). He offered Himself as an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor (Eph. 5:2). He gave Himself as a ransom for us (1Ti 2:6 ), that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Tit. 2:14). By doing so, He has perfected forever we that are sanctified (Heb. 10:14). As the song says, Our chains are broken and our sins wiped away. Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; There wasn’t enough silver and gold in the whole wide world to redeem us, it took God’s own blood (Acts 20:28), the spotless blood of Jesus. 1Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: It won’t be long until we join the saints of all ages, thanking Jesus for the price He paid for us. In the meantime, we’ll share in and take full advantage of our inheritance in Him. Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; I found this quote in today's newspaper. I believe that it is fits quite well with today's devotional . "if Jesus Christ can pick some believers, zealots and prostitutes, and these people can change the world, then we can do the same. We don't need anything more." - Steve King. Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@about-him.com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe@about-him.com
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