SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 12/26/2016 10:30 PM
My Worship Time Focus: Introduction to Colossians 1:9-11
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Colossians 1:9-11
Message of the verses: “9 For
this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for
you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all
spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10
so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in
all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge
of God; 11 strengthened with all power,
according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and
patience;”
We will be looking at these verses over the next few days to see how Paul has prayed for the Colossian believers and will find out that in this first part of his prayer which goes from verse nine to eleven that he will be praying that they will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.
It is interesting that in many of Paul’s letters he prays for the ones who he is writing to, and in this case we see that after Epaphras had brought Paul the news of the problems that the Colossians were going through, a problem that could lead to some difficult sinfulness if not stopped that Paul is first of all attacking the problem through prayer. Also in many of Paul’s letters towards the end of them he will ask the recipient of the letters to pray for some specific needs in his life, so prayer in the beginning for those he is writing to and then prayer for Paul at the end of the letter.
The internet is a marvelous way to get news around the world in seconds, but think about Paul in a time when it was even difficult to travel long distances could pray for the Colossian people and many others right from where he was at in prison. Prayer goes faster than the internet can take information from one place to another, and God really wants us to pray for others.
Paul’s ministry was teaching the Word of God to others and also to pray for them. John MacArthur writes “While Paul obviously gives rich instruction to the Colossians; he also shares something of his prayers for them. Verses 9-14 are a sample of Paul’s ministry of prayer on their behalf. His passionate words contain two elements: petition (vv. 9-11), and praise (vv. 12-14).”
Paul knew that it was very important for others to pray for him as he went about his ministry, and this is something that we also should remember as we pray for others in our lives. I receive prayer letters from different missionaries and try to pray for the requests that they send out as doing this I can be a part of their ministry. I know people who have ministered around the world and so right here in my house as I pray for them God will hear my prayers for people I know in Canada or Turkey, or the United States, or Cambodia or Spain or Italy, or other places around the world.
The Bible is full of examples of God’s people praying for each other. John MacArthur gives the following examples: “
· Job prayed for his friends (Job 42:10).
· Moses prayed for Aaron (Deut. 9:20) and Miriam (Num. 12:13).
· Samuel prayed for Israel (1 Sam. 7:5, 9).
· David prayed for Israel (2 Sam. 24:17) and Solomon (1 Corn. 29:18-19).
· Hezekiah prayed for Judah (2 Kings 19:14-19).
· Ezekiel prayed for Israel (Ezek. 9:8).
· Nehemiah prayed for Judah (Neh. 1:4-11).
· Jesus prayed for His disciples (John 17:9-24).
· The Jerusalem church prayed for Peter’s release from prison (Acts 12:5).
· Paul prayed for Christians (e. g., Rom. 1:9-10; Eph. 1:16-19).
· Epaphras prayed for the Colossians (Col. 4:12).
Because prayer is so important, Paul starts his letter by sharing the nature of his prayers for the Colossians before he begins to teach them. Two elements compose the content of his prayer: petition (vv. 9-11) and praise (vv. 12-14).”
12/26/2016 10:58 PM
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