… through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
Summary: Getting God’s wisdom and understanding sounds good, but how much can we really handle?
Continue reading “Colossians 1:9c – Exploding Brains”Colossians 1:9b – Right and Wrong
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will …
Summary: The cure to Adam and Eve’s disease is Jesus, but to live a life that is pleasing to our Lord requires the knowledge of God’s will.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:9b – Right and Wrong”Colossians 1:9a – Paul’s Prayer
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.
Summary: When we think about why Paul is praying, it helps us realize how our prayers for others are important, too.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:9a – Paul’s Prayer”Colossians 1:7 – Two Servants
You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, …
Summary: Little is known about Epaphras, but Paul gives us enough clues to draw a revealing sketch of the man.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:7 – Two Servants”Colossians 1:6c – Something We Can See
… just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
Summary: The impact of God’s grace affects all of us personally, yet at the same time there are universal qualities to our human response to grace.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:6c – Something We Can See”Colossians 1:6b – What’s Under the Line?
In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—
Summary: Paul leads us into a review of what it means to love as God loves us.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:6b – What’s Under the Line?”Colossians 1:5b-6a – The Devil and the Details
… and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.
Summary: Paul has a lot to say about the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. Sometimes it is hard to sort out the gift from the wrapping paper.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:5b-6a – The Devil and the Details”Colossians 1:5a – A Different Kind of Real
… the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven …
Summary: Paul’s discussion about the source of “faith and love” causes us to wonder about this place called heaven.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:5a – A Different Kind of Real”Colossians 1:4b – Something to Think About
… and of the love you have for all God’s people—
Summary: Love changes us. The love God has for us opens our eyes to how God wants us to love others.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:4b – Something to Think About”Colossians 1:4a – Because He Is
… because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus …
Summary: Trying to define faith can challenge our sensibilities.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:4a – Because He Is”