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It’s Day 4 of 4 on our journey through the book of Colossians! I hope that as you read, reflect and respond you are growing more in love with our awesome LORD. (Just joining us? No problem! Here are the other WORD CHALLENGE LINKS: Day 1 / Colossians 1 – Day 2 / Colossians 2 – Day 3 / Colossians 3
After you finish your reading, take time to reflect and respond on a personal level with the LORD, then let’s discuss the verses that move us most and the lessons that God is challenging us with in His Word in the comments section below. I really love to hear from you. AND it fires me up when you guys encourage one another!
DAY FOUR
READ: Read Colossians 4
REFLECT: Pause to consider how this passage should affect the way you believe and behave. Pray. Journal. Worship.
MY THOUGHTS on COLOSSIANS FOUR:
So simple, yet so compelling: pray, watch, and give thanks. What a great reminder that I need to be purposed and present each day – in the moment with Christ, for Christ.
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2) Yes! This.
With all the shout-outs and requests that Paul gives to his buddies at the end, we see a beautiful picture of community and friendship. LOVE that. I cherish my friends and am so grateful that the LORD allows us to do life with one another.
“I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.” (Colossians 4:8) Sometimes we think that we have to do a really BIG thing in order to play a significant roll – in order to matter. SO not true. Paul shows us here that the simple act of ENCOURAGING the HEARTS of OTHERS is a beautiful and significant act of worship.
RESPOND by leaving a comment below. Post your favorite verses from Chapter 4 or share how today’s reading spoke to your heart and spurred you on toward Christ.
A WORSHIP RESPONSE:
Thanks for doing life with me! I love hearing how the LORD moves in you through this challenge. Please share in the comments section. 🙂
Warmly in Christ,
Gwen
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Just joining us? Here are the other WORD CHALLENGE LINKS: Day 1 / Colossians 1 – Day 2 / Colossians 2 – Day 3 / Colossians 3
Comments 31
Col 4 – find this chapter more difficult to get my head deep into it as it seems that Paul (even though he’s in prison) is giving personal greetings and closing exhortations in a matter of fact way or I’m just not totally getting it. Maybe this chapter is being scrutinized but he’s in prison and is still requesting prayer “to speak the mystery of Christ” which I am humbled by. After reading this chapter many times over I feel that 4:1 speaks to me mostly as it sums up behaviour in everything as we live because our God is in heaven and would want “all of us” to remember that. So glad that your blog Gwen is available to give some insight onto verses/chapters I’m not getting. Thanks for sharing life with me.
Wow Paul being in prison in chains and still is humble loving caring and looking out for his fellow men. There is nothing but love in his heart and no regrets or bitterness. Oh Lord make me humble in every circumstance and loving to even the ungrateful. I so enjoyed this short lesson. Thank you Gwen for your love and wisdom.
I do devote my self to prayer, it’s start me on my way and it keep everyone safe. my attitude is he is the prize and he is reason why I live. I will forever me grateful for his mercy and love. I am grateful for Gwen Smith for her many words of wisdom, and just her sharing words of encouragement. thank you Lord for everything.
Col 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have.
In the next month to come this verse sticks out to me because I will be doing missionary work for teenage unwed mothers and couple weeks later women in prison. I will have to keep my mind and heart open so I can show love and understanding along with patience like Jesus when he was with the Gentiles, unbelievers of the Jews and Romans. Some of these women have not found the love of God and all the gifts He provides to us, don’t believe in God and I bet some are angry about God because He did not answer their prayers the way they wanted Him too. I must remember to speak the truth when the time presents itself in a kind, loving manner and gently guide them to the well and let God do the rest.
May the Lord continue to open doors for the word and that many may come to know Him. I will try to be more diligent in prayer and spending time with Jesus, even in the midst of busy schedules. Thanks Gwen for this!! Bless you.
Pray without ceasing, pray believing and encourage one another as Christ encourages us daily through his word.
2 Pray, and keep praying. Be alert and thankful when you pray. 3 And while you are at it, add us to your prayers. Pray that God would open doors and windows and minds and eyes and hearts for the word so we can go on telling the mystery of the Anointed, for this is exactly why I am currently imprisoned.4 Pray that I will proclaim this message clearly and fearlessly as I should.
Lord, send me those who I need to add to my prayer list so that I can continually lift them up to you encouraging and strengthening them. Thank you, Lord for helping me proclaim your message clearly and fearlessly. Amen.
This pulled at my heart. I actually had to read this sentence twice. He said Wrestles in prayer for you! For me! Made me think about Jacob. If that doesn’t get me in my prayer closet. @prayconstantly
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,
Colossians 4:2 (MSG)- Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude.
I struggle with praying, especially with an attitude of thanksgiving. It is a daily struggle. I know that God has the best for me, but Satan loves to accentuate the things that cause me to stumble and lose my footing. God, I ask that You bind Satan and allow me to fully grasp gratefulness. Show me in the little ways how much You love me…and allow me to show You how much I love you. Amen.
Keep at it Erin! You will win this! Every day you are getting stronger because you sense the one that is putting his foot out for you to stumble and you have him scarred because he senses your will to live in Gods graces so tell satan every morning to keep his hands and feet to himself! On the days you feel yourself stumble remember who is beside you, the mighty one that will not leave or forsake you and who loves you , truly loves you even when you stumble and fall and He will be there to lift you up so you can go ya know what it’s ok I stumble because with Gods grace and love I can do it better tomorrow.
Thank you Gwen for the Colossians word challenge this week, I eagerly look forward to the next one ! Col. 4:2-6 Stood out for me today. I will strive to have my conversation always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that I may know how to answer everyone. My dear mom passed away 8 years ago, and she possessed this beholding trait.
Friday, Day 4. Gwen thank you for this challenge. I’m looking forward to more challenges .
It’s funny how we know things and then Wow! it finally truly clicks! Paul’s continuous concern and prayer for others just popped off the page for me. I pray that my heart will be full of love, care and encouragement for those around me.
Thanks for all your encouraging words. I found Colossians to be a very enlightening book. The verses 2 – 4 are what spoke to me today. Pray with more focus in a quiet time.
Verses 2 and 4 spoke to me today. I want to pray more and with an alert mind.
Happy Friday, yay day #4…
This is a prayer I have as well. I pray for grace-filled words that will draw others to the table of our Heavenly Father and the seasoning of salty truth to cause them to desire more.
Be wise in the way you act toward those who are outside ⌊the Christian faith⌋. Make the most of your opportunities. Everything you say should be kind and well thought out so that you know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5, 6 GWT)
These verses really show me that how I act around others, my behavior and attitude, is my witness. I need to be mindful of representing Jesus at all times.
Thanks for doing this with us!
Me too, all eyes of “pre-believers” are on us watching & waiting for us to stumble & fall.
Oh how my soul is humbled. “Remember my chains.” In his chains, along with his fellow prisoners for the cause, he writes to encourage the people and church at Colossus! He asks for prayer, not just for himself, but for all of the believers by name who share the prison cell, and who also send their greetings! WOW! There is so much to unpack in this passage…Paul’s final greetings…as though he sensed that time was short and he needed to include so much. I feel the weight of his words, and the love in his heart and I feel such gratitude for the life and legacy of the life Paul forged in the name of Jesus. I am humbled.
Ditto, he loved being a servant ergo slave for Christ.
Amen!
Col 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Prayer is the key to opening the door for God to work in our lives, praise Him! I pray that we can all be encouragers for Christ, to our fellow believers and to those who are yet to know Him. Colossians, especially ch 3, has become my “go to” for how I need to be on a daily basis. Thank you, Gwen, for your encouragement to get to know the scriptures more intimately. Have a great weekend!
Verse 2 caught my attention, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it, with thanksgiving.” Prayer is vital! I am to continually be in prayer, and I am to be watchful – for things I should bring in prayer AND for things for which to be thankful. Something that has struck me throughout the entire book this week is Paul’s focus on prayer and community. Satan has tried to tell me at times that all I can do is pray and that’s not enough or it’s too easy. In reality, prayer is the most powerful thing I can do for a fellow believer as I am taking their requests to the very throne room of the Almighty, and as for easy…Paul says several times in these chapters that he and others “struggle” in prayers for the Colossians. When I am truly interceding for a fellow believer and bearing their burden as I lay it before God, that is not always easy! I love these lines from James Montgomery’s hymn on prayer:
“Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters Heav’n with prayer.”
Amen
Loved reading thru Colossians these past 4 days with ‘fellow servants in the Lord’ vs.7 Iove the encouragement we find as we share together as sisters in Christ!!
vs.2 pray; be watchful and with thanksgiving! Love how Paul instructs us and then models this at the end in vs.18. He asks for prayer and to be remembered!
Living today with these instructions before me! Pray;watch;thankful
You are so right! I don’t think I every noticed that he instructs and then models by asking for prayer for himself – vulnerable leadership!
Great morning Gwen!!!! When I took the COMPASS class at church I read a scripture similar to 4:1 You slave owners must be just and fair to all your slaves. Always remember that you, too, have a Master in heaven who is closely watching you. This has really changed my attitude with any work that I do!!! Knowing the LORD is my MASTER in HEAVEN, WOW, I pray to remember so I can be pleasing in HIS eyes!
I also ask GOD to help me to share HIS WORD boldly . Verse 5 Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News. Be wise in all your contacts with them. 6 Let your conversation be gracious as well as sensible, for then you will have the right answer for everyone.
The LORD is at work! I pray for HIS disciples. We can make a GODLY difference when we let GOD do the work!
Have a beautiful day ladies!
Gwen, looking forward to whatever door that will open!
Much Love, Diane
One of the things that really caught my attention in chapter 4 was this verse- “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” Col. 4:5, NKJV. What this means to me is that I should be looking for the opportunities to be with the unbeliever, sharing the truths that God’s word has shed upon my life, and knowing for certain that it will be time well spent. Step outside your comfort zones and share the love of Christ with those around you; the time will be redemptive!
Yes!!! So true. Such a beautiful challenge. LORD – help us to live with eyes wide open to the opportunities You place in our path today! Amen
Amen & Amen