Bible League: Living His Word And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.Paul's prayer for the church at Colossae was that they would have spiritual wisdom and understanding of God's will for their lives. God's will is revealed in a number of ways. It is revealed through the Bible, through Bible-based preaching, through our consciences, through circumstances, and any of a number of other ways. In order to recognize and know what is being revealed is God's will, however, our mental faculties must be "spiritual." That is, they must be empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit. Without the work of the Holy Spirit we would not recognize or know God's will for our lives. Instead of having spiritual wisdom and understanding, we would only have the spiritual blindness and ignorance that comes from Satan (II Corinthians 4:4). That's why Paul prayed for the church. He knew that preaching and teaching would not be sufficient in and of themselves to do the job. The Holy Spirit had to open up the minds of the individual members of the church. If the Holy Spirit opens up their minds, then Paul says several things will happen: First, they will be able walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and pleasing to Him. Spiritually blind and ignorant people cannot walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and pleasing to Him. They do not acknowledge or respect His will, so how could they? Second, they will be able to bear fruit in every good work. Spiritually blind and ignorant people cannot bear fruit. Apart from the Spirit of Christ Jesus, they can do nothing (John 15:5). What they do may seem high and mighty, but it will not advance or enhance the Kingdom of God. Finally, they will be able to increase in the knowledge of God. Spiritually enlightened people will not only know God's will for their lives, they will also come to know God Himself. Their knowledge of the divine person will increase. They will come to know God personally. Paul's prayer is a powerful prayer. Why not pray it for yourself and your loved ones on a regular basis? Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 79, 80, 81 Psalm 79 -- They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 80 -- Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 81 -- Sing aloud to God, our strength! Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 8:1-18 Romans 8 -- No Condemnation for those in Christ Jesus; We Are More than Conquerors NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment.”Insight Jesus says that those who believe in him have (not will have) everlasting life. Challenge To receive eternal life is to join in God's life, which by nature is eternal. Thus, eternal life begins at the moment of spiritual rebirth. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Satan hindered us.Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil, it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience, that Satan hinders us. From all points of the compass, all along the line of battle, in the vanguard and in the rear, at the dawn of day and in the midnight hour, Satan hinders us. If we toil in the field, he seeks to break the ploughshare; if we build the wall, he labors to cast down the stones; if we would serve God in suffering or in conflict--everywhere Satan hinders us. He hinders us when we are first coming to Jesus Christ. Fierce conflicts we had with Satan when we first looked to the cross and lived. Now that we are saved, he endeavours to hinder the completeness of our personal character. You may be congratulating yourself, "I have hitherto walked consistently; no man can challenge my integrity." Beware of boasting, for your virtue will yet be tried; Satan will direct his engines against that very virtue for which you are the most famous. If you have been hitherto a firm believer, your faith will ere long be attacked; if you have been meek as Moses, expect to be tempted to speak unadvisedly with your lips. The birds will peck at your ripest fruit, and the wild boar will dash his tusks at your choicest vines. Satan is sure to hinder us when we are earnest in prayer. He checks our importunity, and weakens our faith in order that, if possible, we may miss the blessing. Nor is Satan less vigilant in obstructing Christian effort. There was never a revival of religion without a revival of his opposition. As soon as Ezra and Nehemiah begin to labor, Sanballat and Tobiah are stirred up to hinder them. What then? We are not alarmed because Satan hindereth us, for it is a proof that we are on the Lord's side, and are doing the Lord's work, and in his strength we shall win the victory, and triumph over our adversary. Daily Light on the Daily Path Matthew 22:42 "What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David."Psalm 24:9,10 Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! • Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah. Revelation 9:16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 1 Peter 2:7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone," 1 Corinthians 1:23,24 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, • but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Philippians 3:8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, John 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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