Through the Bible - Psalm 4-9, Acts 17:16-34
Good morning,
While filling up my car with fuel recently I noticed that the gasoline that I was pumping into my car contained "Invigorate", an additive that was to improve the performance of your car. I didn't notice the change but I guess it was there.
Not that we need something in addition to the Holy Spirit to give us strength for the day, but have you ever stopped to think what the prayers of others might be doing for you? You may not feel it but their prayers may be "invigorating and strengthening you" with power that you are not aware of.
For today's verse we'll go to Colossians chapter 1.
Colossians 1:11 Amplified Bible (We pray) that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
Our Pastor Tim's message for this weekend was "Why Pray?" and dealt with a difficult subject of what we do when we don't hear or see answers to our prayers.
Saturday morning I read a passage from Colossians 1 from the Amplifed Bible which showed some of the reasons why Paul and those that ministered to the church at Colossae prayed. It was to invigorate, strengthen other believers through prayer that they might have the endurance, patience, and means necessary to persevere.
All too often, I pray for, we pray for ourselves and our needs. In times of trial we may be disappointed when we don't see, hear or feel the answers to prayer. Tim's message was a reminder for us to remember an important thing in these times. Immanuel, God is with us (Isaiah 7:14).
This ties in well with the previous verse in Colossians 1, others are praying and we should be mindful that God is with us so "That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. Colassians 1:10 Amplified Bible
The message to us is that God is with us, even when we feel that we are all alone. Having known that sense of being alone in difficult situations should encourage us to pray for family and friends in their time of need, that we may be more mindful of them and to invigorate and strengthen them through our prayers and whatever else we are given the power and opportunity to do.
In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things-- 10That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
11[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
12Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.
13[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.
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