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 13—Reconciled—Through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. |
There is not a person in the world toward whom the Gospel of Christ does not reach. The purpose of the Gospel is that we might be reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Being reconciled, the continuing purpose is that we might be presented unblameable and unreproveable before the Father. But, there is an, if in this statement.
Colossians 1:21b-23—And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in our mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present us holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: if we continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which we have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.
We must understand that the message Paul is presenting here is a message of preparation for reigning with Christ in His Kingdom. Can we allow our hearts to pursue this? Can we perceive that reigning with Christ will require that we be pure in heart, mind and motive, lest the enemy overtake us and bring us down in defeat? Can we not understand what Paul was presenting in I Corinthians 6:9,10?
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Opening ourselves to God’s grace while maintaining even a secret connection with the works of the flesh that Paul listed will result in our being blocked from God’s Kingdom. We must come to the understanding that while we are saved by grace apart from works, we must be qualified for the Kingdom?
FATHER, I want nothing in my life—not even in my thoughts—that will block me from Your Kingdom. It is my heart’s desire to live each day without blame before You. And, FATHER, here are these people that I love who are also being drawn toward Your Kingdom. Please work in their lives that they might become overcomers. Let them know what it means to reign with You.
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