We will be looking at Ch. 1:1-14, with emphasis on vs. 10-14 [my concentrations]:
10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins.Now that doesn't sound so bad, eh? I didn't think so.
The discussion questions, though, might be painful. [grimace]
1.) Re: V. 10 What do you envision a “life worthy of the Lord and pleasing Him in every way,” to be? For yourself and your personal talents, how do you see this coming about in your own life?The questions are pretty personal, but ya know, the elder and wife combo in our group, plus Charlie Brown and I, as leadership, feel that our group has been pretty flaky and VERY superficial. If we are going to have growth as a community of believers, we gotta start getting real, and disclose the struggles, and eases - one person's ease is another person's encouragement, after all - in our lives. Besides, people can share as deeply or as shallowly as they want, all we ask for is audience participation, ya know?
2.) Re: V. 10 What good works are going on in your lives that we, as a group, could pray about to bear good fruit in you?
3.) Re: V. 11 In what ways do you personally need to be “strengthened” in the knowledge of God, and for what situations in your life do you need “great endurance and patience” right now?
We will be compiling the answers from our group into prayer requests to share amongst ourselves over the next few weeks, and I got to thinking, if ya'll as readers would like to join in, go for it, and I will share with our group for prayer!
Singing, "Love is something if you give it away [clap, clap], You've got to give it away, Give it away, Love is something if you give it away [clap, clap], You'll end up having more!"
Hey, sorry for the cheeseball in me, but it's what struck me - how easily we can - to quote my man Toby Mac - "spread this love like dandelions" with the help of different media.
So, gulp, now for my answers:
1.) Re: V. 10 What do you envision a “life worthy of the Lord and pleasing Him in every way,” to be?
Remember when teachers used to say, "You get an 'A for effort?'" I think the Lord works this way too. He's not out for perfection, just a good honest try on our parts. I think that the attempt to please Him is harder as we are immature in our faiths, but as we grow more mature, this attempt to please Him gets easier, I think?
For yourself and your personal talents, how do you see this coming about in your own life?
I'm really contemplating writing, as the Lord has blessed me with that ability. Sharing the work He's done in me, what He has to offer (EVERYTHING!), and just generally communicating with the world at large. I also think that the profession I've chosen - human services - particularly for the homeless, is a working compliment to my abilities to relate to people most people don't and the example Christ has set before us.
2.) Re: V. 10 What good works are going on in your lives that we, as a group, could pray about to bear good fruit in you?
I am planning on applying to the MPA program (actually, they STILL have my application from last year - miracle of miracles - and all I need to do is pay the $50 application fee before 10/15 for spring enrollment) and attend PT while working PT - all in an effort to further the causes I believe in - social justice for all, affordable health care, etc, etc. It's a big step, and I just pray that this is His will for me, and if not that He makes it abundantly clear!
3.) Re: V. 11 In what ways do you personally need to be “strengthened” in the knowledge of God, and for what situations in your life do you need “great endurance and patience” right now?
As always, I need to be prodded to be IN the Word of God more than I am. I feel like I get it really well when it comes to kingdom work, but maintaining my faith and getting closer to Him via prayer and study? Well, that's always a bit more difficult.
As for situations where I need great endurance and patience - there are a few:
- recently my brothers and I had words about my youngest brother stepping in to discipline my kids. My concern was the lack of age and incident appropriate discipline, as well as the overwhelming perception that his action was rooted more in anger vs. teaching disciplines.....and, I didn't communicate those concerns very calmly
- I really feel like our church is under a significant spiritual attack, particularly our families/marriages. I feel like I need endurance as people confide various things in me, and patience - as well as wisdom - to know when/what to speak.
- And, add me to that last category specifically. During the last weeks of the count, I found myself very HAM-centric and not so God-centric in my interactions with Charlie Brown (and honestly, I think he's probably due for the SAME confession) - (the emphasis was to say that was about the only area in life where I was self-centered these past few months) and in so doing, found myself relating far more than I should with another man. Nothing illicit, just enough to make myself aware that I'm treading thin ice. I need endurance to withstand that ever so subtle temptation. And add to it that I flubbed our finances, yet. A G A I N; while Charlie Brown has been patient, there is still MORE strain. We need to re-connect and endure this valley as we climb out of it, only to summit another peak experience in our marriage. Knowing that is 3/4 of the battle - add the prayers of ya'll plus our group's to it, and well, we've practically got it made, eh?
Well folks, that's me, and do I feel better! - whatsabout you's?
hello-
ReplyDeleteJust stopped by to learn some things about Colossians :)
Yeah, I think taking our strengths and using them in service to God certainly is "try" #1. You are blessed in that you recognize some of your strengths. There are those still searching... Then there is that "every way" thing. To me "every way" goes beyond the obvious because God goes beyond the obvious with each of us.
I don't only mean in His blessing but also in our hidden talents...those blessings that are back-ups and addendums to the obvious. It is that old Peter stepping out of the boat. I imagine that Peter never listed "water walker" on any of his resume's and he was a fisherman.
Then there is our very own Lord and Savior...'is there any other way?' The Cross even at the end of what must have seemed a full life was still part of "every way".
I think questions #2 & #3 are designed to make us be at least aware of our "boat" and "garden" moments or their possibilities.
There certainly has been a lot of talk about the nature of the knowledge of God. Unfortunately, it seems some have lost the understanding or secret to obtaining knowledge. But just from verse 10 it certainly seems that knowledge is part of a cycle that has as part of it: knowing basically what pleases God; doing what pleases God; doing it to the point that our effort is in some way 'complete'; growing in knowing what basically pleases God ... a cycle.
Being a confidant (sounding board) for those in a congregation is a very difficult undertaking. I try my best to concentrate on the "board" aspect of it...as in black board. We sure can get ourselves stressed and stretched if we allow it to be a "sounding sponge". It is good to erase the board daily...even though some of the chalk shows through...it still keeps me sane and honest- to every one and in "every way". :)