Colossians 1:9-12

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

 

The burning desires of every believer should be to live in a way that is pleasing to God.  This is Paul’s prayer for the church and should be our prayer for one another.  Paul’s prayer provides some key insights into what we should value in our lives as we seek to please God and what a live that is pleasing to God looks like.

 

PREREQUISITES TO PLEASING GOD: If we desire to live in a way that is pleasing to God, we must first know what God’s will is.  Knowing God’s will require the study of His Word and having spiritual wisdom and understanding.  This kind of wisdom comes from spiritual sensitivity to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as well as fellowship and counsel from the body of Christ.  Scripture instructs us to pray and seek for wisdom.  These are keys to understanding God’s will and will allow us to walk worthy of the Lord.  In short, pleasing the Lord means to understand and obey His will.  When we study God’s Word, are sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit, counsel with other believers, and live according to what we learn from these sources; we will live a life that is pleasing to Him.

 

PRACTICES THAT ARE PLEASING TO GOD: The specific practices that are pleasing to God would include bearing fruit in every good work.  What does it mean to bear fruit?  Certainly the “fruit of the Spirit:” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, would be an interesting place to start.  These character qualities are vital to pleasing God.  However, beyond these qualities, there seems to be a call to serve others as we practice “every good work.”  Pleasing God involves loving others, edifying others, teaching others, and spreading the Gospel to others.  Another practice is growing in knowledge of God.  We must never become stagnant in our growth and walk with God.  God is pleased with us when we depend on the Spirit to strengthen us instead of thinking we can accomplish these things in our own strength.  Only He can equip us to serve with endurance, patience, and joy.  When we try to do things in our own strength, we will usually end up quitting, getting frustrated and see it as a duty instead of a delight.  Finally, pleasing God requires that we be thankful to God.  He has saved us and is transforming us to be conformed to the image of Christ.

 

APPLICATION: Study God’s Word out of a desire to know His will.  Pray for wisdom and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  Seek counsel from godly and wise brothers and sisters in Christ.  Obey what we learn from these sources.  Grow in biblical character.  Love and serve others.  Depend on the power of God and not our own.  Be thankful.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than a...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows i...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ...
Read more