March 31, 2008 by extremelives
Colossians 1:9-10 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Prayer is the most demanding of all spiritual disciplines. Prayer is also the most rewarding of all spiritual disciplines. Unselfish prayer is the most difficult of all spiritual disciplines. The apostles mastered these three disciplines and never ceased to pray for others; and especially for their intimate spiritual development.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians and told them not to be ignorant of God’s will for their lives (Ephesians 5:17). He wanted them to have an intimate and rewarding walk with God. And, in his letter to the Colossians, he goes beyond just knowing God’s will for their lives: he prays that they understand the spiritual implication of God’s will for their lives.
Why? So they could walk worthy of the Lord and please Him in the tasks He planned for them before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 2:10). This involvement with God, according to His will and His planned works, would lead to an intimate and informative relationship with Him.
God wants all disciples to have an intimate and informative relationship with Him. He wants to lead us continually with His Spirit (Romans 8:1-17). But, it is we who fear such intimacy. So, we set about inventing all kinds of church programs, worship activities, events etc., which have the appearance of spirituality, but feed us little spiritually and keep us from prayer and studying God’s word. These indulgences often fail to produce something very basic; intimacy with the Father.
Our activities and programs seldom originate from intimacy with God, either on a personal or corporate level. They usually result from the consensual wisdom of men and woman in leadership who then bring their plans to God for His blessing rather than seeking His plans for the church. Church boards, committees etc., tend to want to control God rather then be God-controlled.
Paul calls individuals and assemblies to these three simple but costly endeavours: 1. Know God’s will for our lives and live in that knowledge wisely. 2. Seek after spiritual understanding not worldly religious understanding as we live in His will for our lives. 3. Exercising the first two will then result in walking as the Lord wants us to walk, individually and corporately. Then the world will see our good works and declare that we know Him and have an intimate relationship with Him.
Lasting intimacy with God will seldom, if ever, be found in the decisions of church boards, committees, activities, programs, worship services etc., but only while we hunger and thirst for righteousness, study God’s word and spend more time on our knees seeking His daily will for our lives.
Bob Chapman MA
**Award winning book 2007
Order: ISBN 1597815225
Also from your local bookstore
Posted in 1 Corinthians, 1 John, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Corinthians, 2 John, 2 Peter, 2 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, 3 John, Acts, Bible, Christianity, Colossians, Ephesians, Galatians, God, Hebrews, Holy Spirit, I Peter, James, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John, Jude, Luke, Mark, Matthew, New World Order, One World Government, Philemon, Philippines, Revelation, Revelations, Romans, Titus, apostle, charismata, church, community, confidential, conspiracy, culture, death, doubts, dreams, evangelist, evil, extreme lives, extreme living, failures, faith, fear, gospels, homosexual, life, lonely, man, men, morality, partners, pastor, personal, politics, preacher, private, prophecy, prophet, prosperity, relationships, religion, sex, sin, sn, social, spiritual, spiritual gifts, spirituality, stress, suicide, teacher, teenager, visions, woman, women | No Comments »
March 18, 2008 by extremelives
Due to preaching and teaching commitments in Singapore and India there will be no further postings on this site until the end of March.
Bob Chapman
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March 16, 2008 by extremelives
Colossians 1:7-8 “even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.”
What a privilege to have your name mentioned in the Word of God. Yes, but how much more of a privilege to have your name written in God’s book of life?
I am sure that Epaphras was not too concerned that his name was mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. He was most probably not aware that the letter was eventually going to become a selected book of the Bible.
And, something more precious than the mention of his name was the mention of his heart. To Paul, Epaphras was a beloved fellow-servant. He had a heart after the nature of Paul’s sacrificed heart. They both had the heart of bondservants and their master was Jesus.
Not only was Epaphras’ heart mentioned by Paul, but his reputation was mentioned also. Epaphras was a faithful ministering bondservant. And who did he faithfully minister to as a bondservant? His Lord Jesus who was living out His life through the apostle Paul.
Despite what others thought, or what the consequences might have been, Epaphras faithfully served Christ’s fellow-servants, the apostles. He was not envious or covetous of their apostolic call or close relationship with Jesus. He had a close relationship with Jesus and a servant’s role from Him, and in it he served his Master faithfully.
Jesus calls us all to different ministries and roles in the Body of Christ and it is our duty to be faithful in them. It is not for us to question why we aren’t used or honoured like others in the Body of Christ. We must accept the fact that we are all called to serve Christ as He lives in others, regardless of personal cost, fame or recognition among the brethren. Faithful bondservants only care about what their Master wants done and that He gets the glory. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)
Jesus said that in serving the least fortunate of mankind, we serve Him, (Matthew 25:31-46). Let us therefore rejoice that our names are written in God’s book of life and faithfully get on with ministering unto Him as He lives in others, just as Epaphras did.
Blessings
Bob Chapman MA
**Award winning book 2007
Order: ISBN 1597815225
Also from your local bookstore
Posted in 1 Corinthians, 1 John, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Corinthians, 2 John, 2 Peter, 2 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, 3 John, Acts, Bible, Christianity, Colossians, Ephesians, Galatians, God, Hebrews, Holy Spirit, I Peter, James, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John, Jude, Luke, Mark, Matthew, New World Order, One World Government, Philemon, Philippines, Revelation, Revelations, Romans, Titus, apostle, charismata, church, community, confidential, conspiracy, culture, death, doubts, dreams, evangelist, evil, extreme lives, extreme living, failures, faith, fear, gospels, homosexual, life, lonely, man, men, morality, partners, pastor, personal, politics, preacher, private, prophecy, prophet, prosperity, relationships, religion, sex, sin, sn, social, spiritual, spiritual gifts, spirituality, stress, suicide, teacher, teenager, visions, woman, women | No Comments »
March 15, 2008 by extremelives
Colossians 1:5b-6 “…of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you as it has in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.”
Have you ever thought about this? If the great commission is so great, why aren’t we telling everybody?
Imagine for a moment that a lawyer knocks on your door and informs you that a distant uncle you didn’t know you had made a fabulous fortune and you’re the sole heir to his billions. Upon hearing this news you shake the lawyer’s hand, take the bank cheque, close the door and put the cheque in a drawer for banking one day in the future when you’re not so caught up in your urgencies. Then you return to what you were doing before you were rudely interrupted by the lawyer. Over time you forget about the cheque and never get around to banking the money. Folks, it wouldn’t happen!
Well, in the first century the priceless gospel spread throughout the entire world bearing fruit because it was exciting truth. It was indeed the pearl of great price that one would give anything to possess. It was worthy of great celebration. The gospel was exciting news and had to be shared, just like it would be if one did have a rich uncle who left you his fortune.
That is why Jesus came in the Year of Jubilee when celebration was at fever pitch because the forgiveness of all debt and the restoration of all inheritances was under way. But, beyond the wonderful blessings for the Jews in that Year of Jubilee came the grace of God for all mankind. God was throwing a party for all who had been made in His image. Now all sin would be forgiven and God’s house was open to all who obeyed the gospel call; gentile and Jew. God was throwing a party and the cost was on Him! (Luke 15:7, 20-24).
The disciples at Colossae were so excited about this God-initiated hope in Jesus that the lost and hopeless were beating a path to their door to find out why. And, when the lost got there, not only did they hear the gospel; they saw the gospel! What they saw were the Colossians celebrating the good news of their joint-heirship with Jesus, (Romans 8:17). The Colossians were contagiously joyous and were contaminating others with the joy of salvation and hope everywhere they went.
Is it possible that we have quarantined ourselves in our homes, careers, social lives and meeting halls and no longer contaminate others with our joy of salvation and hope? Are we fearful of infecting others with our genuine exuberance about our salvation? Maybe we haven’t realized the value of it yet! Have we possibly filed Jesus away amongst our self-interests? Are we waiting for a more convenient time to get excited about the hope we can bring to the lost world outside of our Sunday meeting halls and entertainment worship arenas?
Surely it must be time for us to take a moment and bank that cheque God wrote with the blood of Jesus when He sent Him to save us from sin in the Year of Jubilee 2000 years ago? Wouldn’t you say it is time to count our blessings and celebrate in the streets, homes, workplaces and nations so sinners just have to have what we have and will cry out, “How do we get what you’ve got!”
Blessings
Bob Chapman MA
**Award winning book 2007
Order: ISBN 1597815225
Also from your local bookstore
Posted in 1 Corinthians, 1 John, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Corinthians, 2 John, 2 Peter, 2 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, 3 John, Acts, Bible, Christianity, Colossians, Ephesians, Galatians, God, Hebrews, Holy Spirit, I Peter, James, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John, Jude, Luke, Mark, Matthew, New World Order, One World Government, Philemon, Philippines, Revelation, Revelations, Romans, Titus, apostle, charismata, church, community, confidential, conspiracy, culture, death, doubts, dreams, evangelist, evil, extreme lives, extreme living, failures, faith, fear, gospels, homosexual, life, lonely, man, men, morality, partners, pastor, personal, politics, preacher, private, prophecy, prophet, prosperity, relationships, religion, sex, sin, sn, social, spiritual, spiritual gifts, spirituality, stress, suicide, teacher, teenager, visions, woman, women | No Comments »
March 13, 2008 by extremelives
Colossians 1:5a “Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven…”.
While living in Xian, China and teaching English in a university, I asked one of my fellow Christian teachers how he was converted. He was in his late thirties and had not married.
He told me that before coming to China he had worked in a London retirement home and his conversion was the result of an elderly man of 93 speaking only one word to him. I was curious and asked him to continue.
He went on to tell me that each morning this gentleman would come to breakfast with his Bible under his arm. He would sit down in his usual seat, place the Bible in front of his place mat, eat his breakfast and return to the lounge for the day.
My friend then told me that after observing this for a few weeks he decided to ask the gentleman why he brought his Bible to breakfast. One morning he plucked up the courage and asked. The old man looked down at his Bible, reached out his hand, placed one finger on the cover and without looking up said, “Hope.”
From that day onward my friend concluded that if this 93 year old man had found hope in the Bible, then he had to find it as well. He began reading and found Jesus. From that moment on he was with me in China sharing HOPE.
Bob Chapman MA
**Award winning book 2007
Order: ISBN 1597815225
Also from your local bookstore
Posted in 1 Corinthians, 1 John, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Corinthians, 2 John, 2 Peter, 2 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, 3 John, Acts, Bible, Christianity, Colossians, Ephesians, Galatians, God, Hebrews, Holy Spirit, I Peter, James, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John, Jude, Luke, Mark, Matthew, New World Order, One World Government, Philemon, Philippines, Revelation, Revelations, Romans, Titus, apostle, charismata, church, community, confidential, conspiracy, culture, death, doubts, dreams, evangelist, evil, extreme lives, extreme living, failures, faith, fear, gospels, homosexual, life, lonely, man, men, morality, partners, pastor, personal, politics, preacher, private, prophecy, prophet, prosperity, relationships, religion, sex, sin, social, spiritual, spiritual gifts, spirituality, stress, suicide, teacher, teenager, visions, woman, women | No Comments »
March 11, 2008 by extremelives
Colossians 1:3-4 “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ and of your love for all the saints.”
It is not easy to pray!
It is even harder to faithfully lift up all those on our prayer list day in and day out. We get weary, we doubt, we fall out with someone on the list, we get distracted. But in these verses Paul encourages the Colossians by reminding them that he prays for them always. Not only does he pray for them always; he exceeds that and says he gives thanks to God for them.
Now praying for others is easier than giving thanks for them. Actually, it is easier to find what to condemn in others than it is to find what to appreciate. Thus, when we give God thanks for others we generally look for their best qaulities and similarities to our nature and preferences and thank Him for them. Really though, we should be thanking Him for their weaknesses and their failings and the qualities about them we find uncomfortable because, in so doing, their weaknesses and failings will eventually be overcome and our prejudices will diminish.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “I don’t like that man; I better make a friend of him.”
Agape love is not love that simply tolerates others. Rather it is love that seeks another’s highest good at our personal cost. So Paul was praying for the best outcomes for all the assembly at Colossae. He did not pray just for his favourite clique, the intelligent, the leaders etc., but the whole assembly. The babes, immature, carnal, faithless and the faithful.
Why? Because, despite their weaknesses, they had a reputation which he had heard about; they had faith in Christ. They believed He was the Messiah. They believed He was worth living for. They believed He was worth dying for. And, they believed He lived in their fellow brethren, despite their weaknesses and unloveable characteristics. Simply put: they loved one another as Christ loved them.
What a great reputation.They loved the Messiah and that was seen in their love for one another. Their love was something the lost world found attractive. They had something worth living for and the world wanted it.
Does the world want what we have in Christ? Are they crying out for what we have in Christ? They will when we start loving one another enough to give God thanks for one another. They will when we are willing to maintain our prayer lists at all cost. They will when we looked for Christ living in each other despite our differences, personal failings and status in life.
Blessings
Bob Chapman MA
**Award winning book 2007
More about the book: http://www.christianstoryteller.com/Bob%20Chapman.htm
Order: ISBN 1597815225
Also from your local bookstore
Posted in 1 Corinthians, 1 John, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Corinthians, 2 John, 2 Peter, 2 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy, 3 John, Acts, Bible, Christianity, Colossians, Ephesians, Galatians, God, Hebrews, Holy Spirit, I Peter, James, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John, Jude, Luke, Mark, Matthew, New World Order, One World Government, Philemon, Philippines, Revelation, Revelations, Romans, Titus, apostle, charismata, church, community, confidential, conspiracy, culture, death, doubts, dreams, evangelist, evil, extreme lives, extreme living, failures, faith, fear, gospels, homosexual, life, lonely, man, men, morality, partners, pastor, personal, politics, preacher, private, prophecy, prophet, prosperity, relationships, religion, sex, sn, social, spiritual, spiritual gifts, spirituality, stress, suicide, teacher, teenager, visions, woman, women | No Comments »
