Day 19 - 21 Days of Prayer Devotional

21 Days of Prayer DAY 19 - Colossians 1:9-12 9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. CONSIDER THE CONTEXT Paul is writing to the Church in Colossae because of a false teaching that had come into the Church regarding praying to angels rather than praying with Jesus Christ as the emphasis. Paul authors this letter to the Colossians to remind them of who Christ is and the futility of believing anything other than the completeness found in Christ Himself. Adding to or taking away from the completed work of Christ is never a good idea and Paul doesn't want this Church to loose its momentum (fruit of good works for Christ) by being distracted and derailed on their journey to knowing Christ more fully. False teachings can so easily infiltrate our way of believing and when they do they always take the focus of our lives, efforts and results off Christ. Having God filled co-workers in Christ is one of the best ways to make sure that we don't fall for any falseness and keep our eyes clearly focused on Christ. CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS Before Paul begins his correction of the false teaching that threatens this Church from falling away from Christ, he reminds them of the mighty work God has done in their lives and the destiny they have by staying on track with Jesus. Look what Paul prays specifically when it comes to the Colossians - 1)Live a worthy life, 2)Please Him in every way, 3)Bear fruit in their efforts, 3)Grow in the knowledge of Christ, 4)Power, 5)Endurance and Patience and, 6)Joy and Thanksgiving. Not a bad list of things to want someone to have. Look at the result of these prayers being answered - a share in the inheritance of the saints! Paul is praying for big results for a people group that has gotten off track. He didn't abandon them or write them off because of their false beliefs. He works to remind them of the glorious promises Christ has written on their hearts and how coming back to Christ is the first step to a God-ordained destiny. So it is in our world today. So many things threaten our ability to grasp our God given destiny. Turning back to Christ is always the right answer to those who have been called according to His Name. CONSIDER THE PRAYER God, I want to know you better. I don't want to know about you - so many false teachings can come into play when I desire to know about you. I want to know you - to experience you - to know you are there all the time in my life. Lord help me to want what Paul is praying for here. I don't know what the inheritance of the saints fully looks like but I want to participate in that kind of blessing. Please open the eyes of my heart to see you better. Help my Church to connect me to others seeking the same in their lives. Help us all come to that place where we throw off all wrong thinking about you and settle into the beautiful simplicity of a walk with a Heavenly Father that loves us so much as to pave the way for me to Him through Jesus Christ. Thank you that my Church wants that for me and all who come into its doors. Help Coastline to be even more sold out on bringing the simple and freeing message of Christ to my community. Thank you for opening so many doors for me and my Church. Help us to live out Paul's prayer to the Colossians. Let Jesus reign in my Church and in my life. Amen.