October 21-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:1-3, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
Observe what it is saying.
In writing to the Colossians, Paul speaks that he is an apostle of Jesus because of God’s will. This wasn’t a position he sought or chose for himself. God instils His gifts and calls us to our positions in the body of Christ. As he often does, Paul included Timothy, a spiritual brother in the faith. “To God’s holy people” is another way of saying “saints.” They are full of faith and live out that faith in a manner worthy of the Lord. He greets them with grace and peace which are two of God’s great heavenly gifts. Grace allows us to be redeemed. Peace is the status of our redemption. Paul gives the encouraging message that he offers thanks when he prays for them. If we want to be an encouragement to others like Paul was, first let them know you pray for them. Second, tell them that you are thankful for them.
Relate it to your life.
Prayers of thanksgiving bolster my faith and encourage the faith of those I pray for.
Do something.
“Father, I give You thanks for the brothers and sisters in the faith who read this devotional. Amen.”
October 22-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:4-6a, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you.
Observe what it is saying.
The reason Paul is so thankful for the Colossian Christians is their faith in Christ and their love for the Body of Christ. This faith and love come from the same source delivered to them in the message of the gospel and the eternal hope they have stored in heaven. Faith and love are the complete picture of our redemption in Christ. Our faith grows richer and deeper in Christ as we pursue Him with all of our hearts. At the same time our faith is growing so is our love for the church, the people of God. It’s impossible to have a personal faith in Christ without a love for His church. Such love is the primary fruit of our salvation, so, if we don’t want to be in fellowship with God’s kids, something is broken within.
Relate it to your life.
My growing faith results in my growing love for my brothers and sisters in the church.
Do something.
“Father, may my faith draw deeper in love for Christ and for Your church. Amen.”
October 23-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:6b-7, In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
Observe what it is saying.
I love Paul’s imagery of the gospel bearing fruit and growing throughout the world. Jesus spoke about this in a parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32) Just as a healthy tree grows and bears fruit so has the kingdom of God grown throughout the world. No nation or power can stop the supernatural spread of the gospel as it expresses itself in faith in Christ and love for one another wherever it goes. This is the same outpouring the Colossians experienced from the first day they heard the message and understood the full implication of the transforming power Jesus brings to individuals and communities. The true gospel supernaturally changes lives, communities, and the world.
Relate it to your life.
The glorious gospel that changes my life is quietly changing the world in ways we don’t even know.
Do something.
“Father, may the gospel continue to spread and infiltrate people and places around the world. Amen.”
October 24-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:7-8, You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul revealed that Epaphras was the Colossians’ first evangelist. Paul has the highest regards for him calling him a dear fellow servant and faithful minister of Christ. He was used by God to light the fire of spiritual renewal in this city which was built on a major trade route in the southwest corner of modern-day Turkey. The Apostle Paul had spent two years planting a church in Ephesus, and in Acts 19:10 we learn that, radiating from that center, “all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.” Epaphras may have been one of Paul’s converts and went out as a witness and planted the church in Colossae. This is the organic supernatural spread of the church when Spirit-filled people show and share the gospel with others. Who was your first evangelist? Who are you being an evangelist to?
Relate it to your life.
I should never diminish God’s ability to use my witness to bring the gospel to an individual or a city.
Do something.
“Father, use me as an evangelist of the gospel that sends your saving grace around the world. Amen.”
October 25-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:9-11, For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continually prays for the Colossians to go deeper in their discipleship. He asks that they will: 1. Be filled with the knowledge of God’s will that comes through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. 2. Live worthy of the Lord and be pleasing to Him in every way. 3. Bear fruit in every good work. 4. Grow in the knowledge of God. 5. Be strengthened with God’s power to patiently endure the many challenges of life. These are five key areas of spiritual growth that we can pray for one another so that together we can grow in our faith, be effective disciple-makers, and bring much glory to God. Who are you praying for to go deeper?
Relate it to your life.
My prayers for others should include not only asking for their physical needs but also for spiritual depth.
Do something.
“Father, I ask these five spiritual points will take root for all who read this devotional. Amen.”
October 26-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:12-14, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul’s prayer continues for the Colossians where he joyfully gives thanks because they have been qualified to inherit the kingdom of God with His holy people. The promise of being in God’s kingdom forever should be the most compelling reason for our thanksgiving and celebrating each other. Paul tells us the reason for such joy is that we’ve been rescued from the powers of darkness, including, sin, guilt, and death. Not only have we been rescued, but we have been brought into the Son’s kingdom that God loves. It’s there we have been redeemed and forgiven of our sins. When we fully appreciate what our redemption has done, then, we, too, will have such exuberant joy for ourselves and others.
Relate it to your life.
I must never lose the deepest appreciation for the joy of my salvation.
Do something.
“Father, I can never say thank You enough for the heights to which I have been redeemed. Amen.”
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:1-3, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
Observe what it is saying.
In writing to the Colossians, Paul speaks that he is an apostle of Jesus because of God’s will. This wasn’t a position he sought or chose for himself. God instils His gifts and calls us to our positions in the body of Christ. As he often does, Paul included Timothy, a spiritual brother in the faith. “To God’s holy people” is another way of saying “saints.” They are full of faith and live out that faith in a manner worthy of the Lord. He greets them with grace and peace which are two of God’s great heavenly gifts. Grace allows us to be redeemed. Peace is the status of our redemption. Paul gives the encouraging message that he offers thanks when he prays for them. If we want to be an encouragement to others like Paul was, first let them know you pray for them. Second, tell them that you are thankful for them.
Relate it to your life.
Prayers of thanksgiving bolster my faith and encourage the faith of those I pray for.
Do something.
“Father, I give You thanks for the brothers and sisters in the faith who read this devotional. Amen.”
October 22-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:4-6a, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you.
Observe what it is saying.
The reason Paul is so thankful for the Colossian Christians is their faith in Christ and their love for the Body of Christ. This faith and love come from the same source delivered to them in the message of the gospel and the eternal hope they have stored in heaven. Faith and love are the complete picture of our redemption in Christ. Our faith grows richer and deeper in Christ as we pursue Him with all of our hearts. At the same time our faith is growing so is our love for the church, the people of God. It’s impossible to have a personal faith in Christ without a love for His church. Such love is the primary fruit of our salvation, so, if we don’t want to be in fellowship with God’s kids, something is broken within.
Relate it to your life.
My growing faith results in my growing love for my brothers and sisters in the church.
Do something.
“Father, may my faith draw deeper in love for Christ and for Your church. Amen.”
October 23-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:6b-7, In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
Observe what it is saying.
I love Paul’s imagery of the gospel bearing fruit and growing throughout the world. Jesus spoke about this in a parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32) Just as a healthy tree grows and bears fruit so has the kingdom of God grown throughout the world. No nation or power can stop the supernatural spread of the gospel as it expresses itself in faith in Christ and love for one another wherever it goes. This is the same outpouring the Colossians experienced from the first day they heard the message and understood the full implication of the transforming power Jesus brings to individuals and communities. The true gospel supernaturally changes lives, communities, and the world.
Relate it to your life.
The glorious gospel that changes my life is quietly changing the world in ways we don’t even know.
Do something.
“Father, may the gospel continue to spread and infiltrate people and places around the world. Amen.”
October 24-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:7-8, You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul revealed that Epaphras was the Colossians’ first evangelist. Paul has the highest regards for him calling him a dear fellow servant and faithful minister of Christ. He was used by God to light the fire of spiritual renewal in this city which was built on a major trade route in the southwest corner of modern-day Turkey. The Apostle Paul had spent two years planting a church in Ephesus, and in Acts 19:10 we learn that, radiating from that center, “all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.” Epaphras may have been one of Paul’s converts and went out as a witness and planted the church in Colossae. This is the organic supernatural spread of the church when Spirit-filled people show and share the gospel with others. Who was your first evangelist? Who are you being an evangelist to?
Relate it to your life.
I should never diminish God’s ability to use my witness to bring the gospel to an individual or a city.
Do something.
“Father, use me as an evangelist of the gospel that sends your saving grace around the world. Amen.”
October 25-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:9-11, For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continually prays for the Colossians to go deeper in their discipleship. He asks that they will: 1. Be filled with the knowledge of God’s will that comes through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. 2. Live worthy of the Lord and be pleasing to Him in every way. 3. Bear fruit in every good work. 4. Grow in the knowledge of God. 5. Be strengthened with God’s power to patiently endure the many challenges of life. These are five key areas of spiritual growth that we can pray for one another so that together we can grow in our faith, be effective disciple-makers, and bring much glory to God. Who are you praying for to go deeper?
Relate it to your life.
My prayers for others should include not only asking for their physical needs but also for spiritual depth.
Do something.
“Father, I ask these five spiritual points will take root for all who read this devotional. Amen.”
October 26-Great Chapters of the Bible
Write out the Scripture.
Colossians 1:12-14, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul’s prayer continues for the Colossians where he joyfully gives thanks because they have been qualified to inherit the kingdom of God with His holy people. The promise of being in God’s kingdom forever should be the most compelling reason for our thanksgiving and celebrating each other. Paul tells us the reason for such joy is that we’ve been rescued from the powers of darkness, including, sin, guilt, and death. Not only have we been rescued, but we have been brought into the Son’s kingdom that God loves. It’s there we have been redeemed and forgiven of our sins. When we fully appreciate what our redemption has done, then, we, too, will have such exuberant joy for ourselves and others.
Relate it to your life.
I must never lose the deepest appreciation for the joy of my salvation.
Do something.
“Father, I can never say thank You enough for the heights to which I have been redeemed. Amen.”
Posted in Daily Devotionals