Colossians 1:9 That is why we keep on talking to God about you since the day we heard about you. We ask him that you may know everything he wants you to do. We ask him that you may be very wise and that the Spirit will help you to understand.
10 We ask him that you will live the way the Lord wants you to live, so that you will please him in everything you do. We ask that you will do everything that is good. We ask that you will see the fruit from what you do. We ask that you will know more and more about God.11 God has wonderful power. And we ask him to give you all the strength you need to go through all your troubles, to be very patient in them, and to be happy.
12 Thank the Father who has made us ready to be with the people of God who live in his light.
| Day 7—The list goes on. The grace and power of the Resurrection continues. |
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The list from Paul continues in Colossians 3:5 of things we are to put to death within our lives now that the Holy Spirit has come within us. As we view this verse in the King James Version, some of the words need explanation. So, let us take note.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication (sexual infidelity; sex outside of marriage), uncleanness (lewdness; impurity of motive), inordinate affection (erotic passion; sexual perversion), evil concupiscence (strong desire for that which is evil), and covetousness (greed; from the Greek pleonexía, literally, “I will have more)”, which is idolatry...
We can view each of these with some degree of understanding, but the one that the brings this present list to its end is covetousness. The word describes a person who will never, can never, be satisfied. Always, no matter what is in possession, there is the greedy desire for more. How often it is mentioned. One of the most compelling words with regard to this unclean passion is found in Ephesians 5:3—
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness (greed), let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.
Greed is idolatry. Let it never have place in your life. It is the same as the worship of idols.
It is a very sad commentary that in the latter days there shall arise false prophets and teachers who are driven, not by God’s Spirit, but by greed. Oh, how we must pray that the Lord will keep each of us from the influence of these persons. Their design will be to corrupt those who could be useful to the Lord and to His Kingdom. See this passage from II Peter 2:1-3—
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (secretly) shall bring in damnable heresies (destructive divisions, sectarianism), even denying the Lord that bought them (denying the redemption), and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways (sensual, shameful practices); by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness (greed) shall they with feigned (plastic, unreal) words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
DEAR LORD, my earnest plea is that You will keep me, and these I name before You, from the influence of these so called ministers who, it seems, are sent by the devil to keep us from Your Kingdom. Bring upon us that operation of Your Spirit that Paul called “the discerning of spirits.” Make us into a pure people for the purposes of Your Kingdom.
Berean Ministries
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