Colossians 4-5.31.22
SCRIPTURE:
Colossians 4:2-4
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
OBSERVATION:
Paul shared something that was vitally important to the Colossian Church; the need for prayer!
UNDERSTANDING:
Paul said, "Devote yourselves to prayer." This wasn't the first time he had exhorted the church to pray. He persistently persuaded them to pray for one another and he also entrusted them with the responsibility of praying for himself, especially that he might share the gospel with clarity and boldness. (Eph 6:19,20).
Being devoted means to give all or a large part of one's time or resources to (a person, activity, or cause).
Paul used the word 'devote' other times in Scripture as well. He encouraged the church to, "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." (Romans 12:12).
We certainly can't spend all our time on our knees, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude at all times.
LIFE APPLICATION:
The more time I spend with God, the more I realize how much more I need to depend on Him. When I pray, I am acknowledging my dependence on Him. The more I pray, the more I feel His presence. The more of His presence I feel, the more I want to please and obey Him.
I pray I will continually draw closer to God, and that I will be willing to empty myself of the substitute fillers that take up the space that God wants to fill. I pray I will please Him as I pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests while being alert, and keep on praying for all the Lord's people.
-Robin Orefice
Proverbs 26-5.30.22
Scripture
Proverbs 26:13 NLT
“The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
Observation
In these proverbs of King Solomon, Solomon speaks of the foolish and the lazy. He gives great examples of what foolishness and laziness looks like and the destruction it breeds in a person’s life. In this particular verse I chose today, Solomon speaks of a person’s laziness and how they will use any excuse in the book to get out of work. (Well, I was going to work out in the fields today, but I think I saw a lion out there. Yeah, there’s definitely a lion out there. I better stay inside today.) Really?! 🙄
Understanding
Quit being lazy! Your Father in Heaven is watching.
If there is one pet peeve that I have, it’s a person’s laziness. I mean I can’t stand it! I’m a civil service employee who belongs to a union and there is a lot of laziness going on around me…and the kicker is that some of them claim to be Christians! You know, I may sit around my desk and relax from time to time, but that’s only because I worked hard to get there. I have a motto that I tell the people I work with. “I work hard so I can be lazy.” I know it sounds weird, but I like to knock out all my work as fast as I can, so I can enjoy the later part of my day, and I am prepared if anything unexpected comes. But let’s face it, there are some people out there who are just flat out lazy. They depend on other people all the time to pick up their slack and all they do is complain about everything. Well, here is what the Bible says about laziness:
“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.”-Proverbs 10:4
“Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!”-Proverbs 14:23
The worst is when a person claims to be a Christian, but has a lousy work ethic. Christians are already under the microscope enough as it is. You have people watching every little thing we say and watching every little thing we do. They are waiting to pounce on us about anything so they can call us a hypocrite, and find any reason to lessen our faith. So why give them an opportunity?
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”-Colossians 3:23
Remember, God sees what we are doing. When we leave our house as Christians, we are carrying His name. So what kind of impressions are we giving people? Hopefully it’s being trustworthy, dedicated, and hardworking. Hopefully our work ethic can point others towards Christ who gives us strength.
Life Application
Father God I pray that You may bless me with the strength not only physically, but spiritually to do a great job for You today. May I be a help and not a burden to my employer and co-workers. May my attitude and work ethic rub off on those around me so I can point them towards the true source of it all…and that is You, Jesus. In Your holy and precious name I pray, Amen.
-Moses Gaddi
Proverbs 25 - 5.27.22
Scripture - What stood out?
PROVERBS 25:27,28
It is not good to eat much honey,
nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory.
A man without self-control
is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Observation - What does it say?
A proverb written by King Solomon.
Understanding - What does it mean?
I’m not sure when the transition happened but I distinctly remember being in my late twenties, all thoughts of being in the nba or a celebrity had finally faded from my heart, and I would sometimes think to myself “forget about working out to look good, instead work out so you can eat whatever you want as much as you want!” And so I did. Then I got married and gained 30 pounds in my first year of marriage and I quickly went back to working out to lose weight.
I have been very fortunate on my journey of relationship with Christ. Thanks be to God for I have been able to withstand a lot of the pitfalls placed on the side of the road. But of the few that have managed to find purchase under my feet is my love of food. Quantity. Not quality. I am not satisfied unless my stomach hurts. As in I feel like it’s about to burst. Thanksgiving doesn’t come once a year for me, it is as often as my body will allow!
Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?
A lamp on a stand. A city on a hill.
Lord, I am filled with remorse. Please forgive me for some of my poor choices. I don’t want to end up a broken city with no walls. Defenseless. Please help me to change. I want to be you light in the world. I want to be your lamp on a stand. I want to be your city on a hill. Today I would like to begin by making sure that no matter what my stomach is not so full it will burst. Especially when I get home from work and feel free to eat as much as I want. Help me God to do this for the next week. Help me to be a man of self control. All for Your Glory God and not my own. In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee