Setting – Prayer and our conduct toward others
Content – Verse 1 is lingering from chapter 3, “Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.” All levels and interactions of relationships have responsibility in Christ. We all have a Master/Father in heaven that we are accountable to.
As believers we are to (v. 2a NASB) “Devote yourselves to prayer”. “Devote” or “Continue” in prayer. Pray is something that we are to be devoted to doing, rather than something of convenience or when needed. And while we are devoted to prayer we need to (v. 2 NASB) “keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;” We need to be focused while in prayer and always having a heart of thankfulness. Paul requested the Colossians to prayer for him as well, praying that he might be able to further preach the gospel (v. 3 NASB) “praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned” He was imprisoned for the same thing he wishes to do more of. Furthermore, he wants God to help him clearly articulate the gospel message (v. 4 NASB) “that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak”
Application – Paul’s mission in life was to spread the gospel. We know this because of his prayer requests from others, “so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ”. Do we have the same passion and focus in honoring Christ? Are our prayer requests those of how we can serve Christ better and more? Prayer easily reveals where our heart is at. We know if we are heartfelt about something we pray about. We can see this when we pray for an ill loved one; we become fervent in prayer. “Fervent”: 1. having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm; 2. hot; burning; glowing.
It’s pretty simple, what do our heartfelt prayer requests consist of? Are they “me” focused or “Christ” focused? Matt 6:12 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Once we realign our purpose, or rather our heart, we are to be devoted to prayer. “Devote”: to commit by a solemn act. We need to be committed to prayer and when praying be focused and thankful.
Content – Verse 1 is lingering from chapter 3, “Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.” All levels and interactions of relationships have responsibility in Christ. We all have a Master/Father in heaven that we are accountable to.
As believers we are to (v. 2a NASB) “Devote yourselves to prayer”. “Devote” or “Continue” in prayer. Pray is something that we are to be devoted to doing, rather than something of convenience or when needed. And while we are devoted to prayer we need to (v. 2 NASB) “keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;” We need to be focused while in prayer and always having a heart of thankfulness. Paul requested the Colossians to prayer for him as well, praying that he might be able to further preach the gospel (v. 3 NASB) “praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned” He was imprisoned for the same thing he wishes to do more of. Furthermore, he wants God to help him clearly articulate the gospel message (v. 4 NASB) “that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak”
Application – Paul’s mission in life was to spread the gospel. We know this because of his prayer requests from others, “so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ”. Do we have the same passion and focus in honoring Christ? Are our prayer requests those of how we can serve Christ better and more? Prayer easily reveals where our heart is at. We know if we are heartfelt about something we pray about. We can see this when we pray for an ill loved one; we become fervent in prayer. “Fervent”: 1. having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm; 2. hot; burning; glowing.
It’s pretty simple, what do our heartfelt prayer requests consist of? Are they “me” focused or “Christ” focused? Matt 6:12 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Once we realign our purpose, or rather our heart, we are to be devoted to prayer. “Devote”: to commit by a solemn act. We need to be committed to prayer and when praying be focused and thankful.
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