Colossians 4:1-18 – July 30-31

The Bible is basically a compilation of love letters from our Father in heaven, His loving words breathed onto each page. Over the next several months, as we study the letters of the Bible, Galatians through Jude, I pray that You will experience His eternal love in new ways and that it will transform you. These letters were written by Christian leaders, most of them by Paul, to establish and grow the Christian Church. For us, they are filled with love and gold nuggets on living a Christian life. Join along in our study by reading today’s scripture, journaling on it using SOAP, then sharing how God spoke to you today. Below is the NIV version of today’s reading, then below that is a SOAP from our study leaders. The Comments section on our website is an open forum for sharing, requesting prayer, and asking questions.

Colossians 4:1-18

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

² Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. ³ And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. ⁴ Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. ⁵ Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Final Greetings

⁷ Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. ⁸ I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. ⁹ He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

¹⁰ My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) ¹¹ Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. ¹² Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. ¹³ I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. ¹⁴ Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. ¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

¹⁶ After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.

¹⁷ Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”

¹⁸ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

Pray, Pray, Pray | Rebecca Hoyt

Scripture

Colossians 4:2-3

Observation

My Bible talks about just as Paul had many “brethren” in Christ, we as Christian women have our  “sisters in Christ.” These can hopefully offer hope and encouragement to each other. Thank the Lord for women who have blessed your life in similar ways and pray for opportunities to be the kind of friend your “sisters” would likewise esteem. Determine to pray like Epaphras for friends who are maturing in their faith and vulnerable to a divided heart like Demas (Luke 16:13).

Application

In verse 2, it says continue earnestly in prayer. Prayer can be so powerful. Paul is asking for prayer. Today there are so many things that need prayer- our next president, our country, our sisters in Christ and sisters not yet in Christ, our husbands and children. Right now I’m in prayer over where to move next year, Christian school, and home schooling.  There was a saying I saw on facebook that just said “pray, then go to sleep.”

Prayer

Father, thank You for how throughout the Bible You talk about how important prayer is, how Paul is asking for prayer from other Christians. We need to pray for each other and ask others to pray for us. Thank You for showing me this verse at just the exact time I really need it. I pray for all our Bible study ladies, that we can find hope and encouragement in reaching out to each other when we need it.

 

Toxic or Forever| Guest Post

Scripture

Colossians 4:8

Observation

This verse I feel is about how God sends people into our lives for a reason. Like if I was going through a hard time, maybe He sends a friend to help me through it. He sends them into our lives so they can help us, and they are also maybe helping themselves by talking to a person who could end up being a very close person. At the same time, someone toxic could come into our life. Maybe it’s to show us that it’s going to be hard getting rid of that person, but at the end of the day, it will be worth it.

Application

With good and bad people whom God put in my life, it can teach me and others how to learn to let someone go or how to let someone in. But I have to be careful with that because I don’t want to let everyone into my life just in case they are toxic. God will help you figure out who should be in your life rather than who you should let go. In a personal experience, I let someone into my life who at that moment I thought was a good person, but she hurt me over and over; it got really bad, and I did some of the things she did and got into trouble.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

I ask that You help me and the people I care about find people that are going to help us in the long run, who will support us, build us up, and always make sure we are ok. But at the same time, lead us to people we should help and be a guide to. In all this I pray,

Amen.

The Discover One Thing main website continues to follow the Life Journal Reading Plan which covers the whole Bible in one year. Click HERE to check out today’s Discover One Thing post.