They Heard of Their Faith

Let’s take a look at Colossians 1:3-14 starting with asking…..Why do they always thank God … when they pray?

If you keep reading you will see it’s because ‘they heard of their faith….and of the love they have for all the saints.’

Let’s take a look at the word ‘faith’ in the Greek.

 Faith (4102/pistis) is always a gift from God, and never something that can be produced by people. In short, for the believer is "God's divine persuasion" – and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence), yet involving it. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will (1 Jn 5:4).

So they lived in a way that this gift from God was showing. They were persuaded, they yielded themselves to Him and knew His will.

And they had a love for the saints. I can only assume if they were known for this love it was because they were walking the way of the Lord. They were a light for Christ, showing and living forgiveness, teaching the Truth in love, seeking God for themselves-yielding themselves to Him so they knew what their next step should be. They confessed their sins, prayed for each other….I’m sure you can add to this.

Now let me ask you; are you a light in and outside the church? 

Do people see God when they ‘hear’ about the things you are doing? Are you talking bad about a Pastor-the ones we are called to share the Gospel, ones anointed by God --------(Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.  He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the the anointed of the Lord." with these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. I Samuel 24:5-7) Did you notice even though Saul was in the wrong, out of God's will and trying to kill David; that David still called Saul 'the Lord's anointed'?  

Do you talk about other believers – heck even non-believers (gossip)….. Are you full of pride….only doing things so you can buddy up with people you think have 'position'? Do you have your own little circle and forget you are to be a light in this world? Are you spending time with the Lord so you know His ways or just giving him a few minutes or an hour a day?

We should be living in a way that will draw others to Christ, will wake up the pew sitters and strengthen us in our walk so we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

We want people to say this about us, about the church (believers on His vine). They should be thanking God for who He is in us and what He does through us. (Col. 1:3)

Let’s look at ‘fruit’.

Our ‘fruit’ Fruit 2592 - bring forth, deeds: thus of men who show their knowledge of religion by their conduct  - fruit acceptable to Him – 
our lives, the knowledge we have of God should show in our conduct and it should be acceptable to our  Father.

And our fruit should continue to grow. If we stop growing, our fruit will begin to rot. We don’t just accept Christ and then stop searching His Word, stop talking, praying and studying His Word alone and with others. I like what ‘increasing’ means – key to authentic discipleship and it’s continual. We should never think we have all the answers and it’s our way only. We will have some Truth to share with others but some Truth will come from others that may have gone through a revelation (a learning experience) that we haven’t. For example, Joyce Meyer can share the revelation God has given her on being sexually molested because she went through it and walked through her healing and forgiveness using the Word of God. Someone that has not been through this will not have the revelation she has. We are branches on the vine, each of us has something to share and should share about what the Lord has and is doing in our lives.

Increasing - 837 auksánō – properly, grow (increase); become greater in size (maturity, etc.).  ("to grow") is key to authentic discipleship. Indeed, the Lord requires non-stop progress (development) in the life of faith.

And they ‘learned’ –

You learned - 3129 manthánō ( "a disciple") – properly, learning key facts; gaining "fact-knowledge as someone learns from experience, often with the implication of reflection – 'come to realize' "

As you read on and see what they are praying for them you will see endurance, patience and joy.

To grow and have people hearing and praying for us, it will take endurance and patience. We are in a body and have fleshly desires and emotions that can get in the way. Satan knows how to get our attention on ourselves, to make us selfish and prideful.

We need endurance and it comes from God, so that’s another reason to know Him and who we are in Him.

Endurance 5281 - properly, remaining under, endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots in life.

Then there is patience. We will be tempted to scream at some people…you’re going to hell…..or to compromise our values because we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, we begin to tell ‘white’ lies. When we go through things like this an improper anger can arise – this will put out your light.

Patience - 3115 makrothymía  – properly, long-passion, i.e. waiting sufficient time before expressing anger. This avoids the premature use of force (retribution) that rises out of improper anger (a personal reaction).

 I don’t know about you but I would love for Christ’s Light in me, the way I live my life, to have others  thank God and  pray for me because they ‘heard of my faith and the love I have for all saints’.

To have them pray for God to fill me with the knowledge of His will with spiritual wisdom and understanding…..so I can live a life worthy of the Lord, please Him in every way, bear fruit, grow in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power, have great endurance and patience and joyfully give thanks to the Father…….’

I want to live the life God has for me, one that will draw people to Him no matter how far away they live.

What about you?

Colossians 1:3-14

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.