Colossians
Friday, July 2, 2004
My Prayer Today
Dear Jesus, I thank you for the foundation that I have in you. There is nothing in life that I face that is too difficult for you. I ask that you would grow me by your grace into a mature follower of you. I want to be fully confident and have complete understanding of you. Help me to be able to know you and your ways so that I will not be deceived by false teaching. I pray this in your name. . . Amen.
God's Word For Me Today
Colossians 2:2b-4
I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am telling you this so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments.
Reflecting on God’s Word
How confident does Paul desire the churches to be in the understanding of Christ?
How much understanding does Paul desire to have in knowing Christ?
Why is Paul telling the churches to be fully confident and complete in their understanding of Christ?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What is the vulnerability, according to these verses, of those who are not "fully confident" and "complete" in there understanding of Christ?
What kind of arguments will these "deceivers" have?
Are those who persuasively argue against Christ wise? Why or why not?
Understanding God’s Word
Why would Paul warn the churches at Colosse and Laodicea about these "deceivers?"
Should Christians expect resistance to their faith in Christ? How so?
Applying God’s Word to Our Lives
Do you know any people that try to persuasively argue against Christianity? If so, who?
On a scale of 1-10 (ten being fully confident), how confident are you in your understanding of Christ?
What are some things that you can do to become more confident in your understanding of Christ? Make 3 practical goals/disciplines that you could do for the remainder of the summer that would help you in your walk with Christ.
Thoughts...
We live in a culture today that is becoming more resistant to Christian teaching and doctrine than ever before. Here in America we have many different philosophies, teachings, and religious practices that promote many different objectives. The trend has become to move away from the Christian God of the Bible and serve more of a "self-promoting" spiritual consciousness. Our culture is quickly learning to serve everything else but God. Because of the disillusionment of much of American Christianity, many church attendees have been persuaded by the arguments of fools. As a whole, most people who attend church do not even know the basic teachings of the Bible and the important doctrines by which the church of Jesus Christ is established. How tragic!
In Colossians 2:4 Paul says, "I am telling you this so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments." The reason why Paul wants his listeners to be confident in Christ, and have complete understanding and knowledge, is so that they will be able to take a stand against those who may try deceiving them. Just as the churches in Colosse and Laodicea needed to hear this message, we need to hear it as well today. God desires that we be mature in our understanding of Jesus Christ and that we would rest in the great confidence in knowing where we stand in Him. If you are struggling right now in your walk with the Lord, take time today to set three practical goals that would increase your knowledge and understanding of Jesus. Then, by his grace, ask in prayer that you might listen and obey what it is that he says.