Colossians 1:9-14 -- Only Getting Started With These Verses Today!

"Paul knew of the false teaching that was threatening the church, so he centered his praying on that problem.  In his prayer, Paul made three requests:

"He prayed for Spiritual Intelligence:  God wants us to know His will and understand it ... As we study His Word and pray, we discover new and exciting truths about God's will for His people ... He wants us to be controlled by His Spirit ... He gives us through the Spirit the wisdom and insight that we need."

"He prayed for Practical Obedience:  In the Christian life, knowledge and obedience go together.... I cannot work FOR God unless I am walking WITH Him, but I cannot walk with Him if I am ignorant of His will ... As we spend time with God, we get to understand Him and His will for our lives, and as we go out to obey Him, we learn more."

"He prayed for Moral Excellence:  Wisdom and conduct should always be related to moral character.  One of the great problems in our evangelical world today is the emphasis on spiritual knowledge and Christian service without connecting these important matters to personal character.  For example, some teachers and preachers claim to have God's wisdom -- yet they lack love and kindness and the other basic qualities that make Christian life beautiful and distinctive."

"The grace of our Christian lives is but a result of God's power at work in our lives.  Spiritual growth and maturity can come only as we yield to God's power and permit Him to work in us."

Father, I want You to have Your hands on the reins of my life.  Guide and direct me.  Use the Christian character You've been developing in my lifetime to help me become more like Christ.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford