Colossians

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Colossians 4:5-6 Be Wise In Your Conversation

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6

Paul is bringing his letter to the Colossian church to an end. He finishes with telling the people to be careful in the actions and their words with outsiders.

Outsiders are the people who are outside the church. They are the people who do not believe in Jesus. Every believer is to be careful in how they act around these outsiders.

Watching the news and seeing how some believers act with non-believers, it does not show much wisdom. Many believers will slam non-believers and cut them down continually. They will berate them for their sinful acts. They will ridicule them for their beliefs (such as belief in evolution). They will shun them and have absolutely nothing to do with them.

Jesus did not do this. He was accused of eating with the tax collectors and sinners.

As a believer you must seek out opportunities to be a witness for Jesus. Being a witness is more than just pointing out sins and pointing to Jesus. It is reaching out in love and caring for a person, helping them as you point them to Jesus.

When you speak to them, it should not just be words of condemnation. There should be a lot of grace with truth. The non-believer lives like he does because that is all he knows to live like. He does not know any other way to live. Show them the life God can provide. Show them the love and mercy God has.

The world will give you opportunities to tell them why you live like you do and believe like you do. Seek those opportunities. Be ready to answer them with the love and grace of God.

Your speaking should be like that of Jesus. When Jesus spoke to non-believers He was gentle and kind. When He spoke with those who claimed to believe, but did not serve God, He was very harsh.

Does your conversation with others match that of Jesus? God will give you wisdom if you ask for it. Be wise in your talking.

I pray today that God will give you opportunities to touch the lives of non-believers; that God will give you His wisdom in what to say and do; that your conversations will be like those of Jesus; and that God will draw many to Jesus through you.

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Colossians 3:23-24 Do Everything For God

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

In these verses Paul is speaking directly and specifically to slaves. Although today most people are not slaves in the same sense of physical purchase and ownership, most everyone is a slave to someone. There is someone that they have to answer to and obey, whether it is a parent, boss, or some other authority, there is usually someone who is in control.

Paul is telling the people to work with all their heart. This is working with the best of your ability, not cutting corners, and not complaining.

Many people in the workplace like to cut corners on getting things done. They like to show up five minutes late or leave five minutes early because they know that the time clock works in fifteen minute increments. Others will stop working and talk for twenty minutes on a fifteen minute break. Some will work slower than they are actually able to work. All of these and many other ways are cheating the boss.

God wants you to work for that boss or obey that authority as though it was Jesus standing there telling you what to do. Every good thing that you do will be rewarded by God someday. The struggles and hardships that you endure working on this earth will get you an inheritance in heaven some day.

This work is not to gain you salvation or favor with God. It is showing your love for God and for others. It is doing the right thing. Do it whether someone sees you or not, because God is watching you and sees all that you are doing or not doing. Do it out of sincerity of your heart and obedience to God.

How do you obey those over you today? Do you cheat, lie, or cut corners? Or do you do the right thing every time, all the time?

I pray today that God will give you the strength to do the work that needs to be done; that you will do everything you do for Jesus; that you will know that God will reward you some day; and that God will draw many to Jesus through you.

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Colossians 3:13 A Life Of Forgiveness

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

People everywhere continually makes mistakes in how they deal with other people. There is always a person who will do or say the wrong thing to another person.

The world likes to look at situations where they have been done wrong and find away to punish that person or to get vengeance on that person. Many will just cut the person off and end the friendship or relationship. Others will try to cut the person down around others or get the person in trouble. A few will physically try to harm the person for the wrong done.

Paul is showing a different way, the way Jesus did it. That is you should forgive the person.

This verse starts out stating that you must bear with that person. The person who did something wrong may be a believer or not a believer, but either way he is either a child of God who knows it, or is a lost child of God. God has made that person and wants that person to know and be like Jesus.

If the person is a believer, the area she hurt you in may be the area she is struggling with and God is working on fixing. You must have patience as God works in her life.

While you are having that patience, you must be willing to forgive. This forgiveness is also the forgiveness that Jesus gave you. When you repented of your sins, Jesus cast them out as though they were never there. God no longer remembers the wrong you had done.

When you forgive someone, then forgive them from the heart. Don’t bring up the past. Don’t remind them of the wrongs done. Show the love and mercy of God to that person. You are supposed to be like Jesus, kind, gentle, humble, patient, loving, and forgiving.

Are you holding a grudge against someone? Do you still remember a past hurt that someone did to you years ago? Let it go and forgive them. Let God heal you. Let God take care of the wrongs done. Live a life of forgiveness as Jesus did.

I pray today that God will strengthen you to forgive those who have hurt you; that God will fill you with His love and mercy for others; that you will have the patience of Jesus; and that God will use you to draw many to Jesus.

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Colossians 3:2 Where Are Your Thoughts?

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2

In life there are many things to think about. Getting up in the morning most people start thinking about what they will wear for the day. As they start eating breakfast their mind may start to think about work or the tasks at home that day.

The big focus of many people deals with the problems in their lives. They are concerned about their health, or their job, or their retirement. They are trying to figure out how to make things better. In these, and many other things, people are focused on how to get a certain position, or certain items, or a certain dollar amount.

While none of things are necessarily bad, all of them are temporary. They are the things of this earth. While it is great to have a large bank account, it will not help you when you die. Having the things of this world are only good for a short time.

If you are a person who has chosen to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus you have been changed. Jesus has taken away your sins and made you a child of God. As a child of God you are now sitting at the side of the Father with Jesus (Colossians 3:1).

With this in mind, your mind should be with God where you are seated.
What is God thinking about? His mind is on how to save every person from their sins. His focus is on how to make every person perfect so they can be with Him. His focus is to have a close relationship with every person.

When you go to the store are you more focused on getting something, or being a witness to someone as you get that item? When you go to work, are you more focused on just getting a paycheck, or is your focus on being His witness as you earn that paycheck?

Do not stop life, but in your life keep your focus on what God wants. Strive to be more like Jesus. Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly and was a perfect witness to every person around Him. Keep your mind focused on the things of God more than the temporary things of this earth.

I pray today that you will know the mind of God; that God will reveal His heart to you; that you will seek the things of God; that you will be content with the things of God; and that God will show you how to be His witness daily.

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Colossians 2:18 Don’t Be Disqualified

“Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.” Colossians 2:18

Being a spiritual person is an acceptable thing in the world. People do not mind a spiritual person. Go through the stores and nearly every store will have some stuff with angels. There will also be books on being spiritual and getting in touch with spiritual forces. While there is nothing wrong with angels or being spiritual there is a missing factor in all of it…Jesus.

Even in the church there are many people who appear to be spiritual. They know the Bible and can quote it very well and they are always there when the church doors are open. They speak of visions they have or of past experiences with God from twenty years ago. However, they are living a deception. They have no real relationship with Jesus. There is no fruit in their lives. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are missing. The fruit of their labor for God is missing.

People like this appear to be godly, but in reality are just living a false lie. They don’t know how to talk about Jesus to someone. They are not doing any service for the kingdom of any value.

Paul is telling you to be careful around people like this. Do not become like them. It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of a vision or talk of angels, but what is God doing today?

It is easy to discuss to great detail about doctrinal beliefs, but what does Jesus want today?

There is a saying that talk is cheap. This shows true in this type of person. In the Bible God uses angels and visions, but neither are the focus. The focus is always on God and on Jesus.

What is your life focused on today? Are you being deceived? Are you deceiving yourself and others?

Find your reality and life in Jesus. Focus on Jesus and what He wants for you and for others. Don’t be disqualified chasing after dreams and spiritual things.

I pray today that you will know Jesus in a closer way; that you will not be led astray following false worship; that you will not live a false spirituality; that God would show you what He wants of you; and that you will be a witness for Jesus.