Day 4

Lisa Scheffler, author

Read

Colossians 1:9–10 (NIV)

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdomand understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Study

Spend some time reading slowly and carefully through these verses. A good Bible study technique is noticing words that link thoughts together. When you come upon phrases such as “for this reason” or “so that” (both are found here), pause and think about what connection or conclusion is being made. Ask yourself:

For what reason is Paul and his coworkers praying continually for the Colossians? (Hint: you will need to go back and look at yesterday’s, 1:5–8 for the answer.)
“So that” answers the question “why?” So why is Paul asking God to fill the believers with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding? (Hint: the answer is in Col 1:10–14.)

Think about

The kind of life change that Paul is praying for is empowered by the Spirit. God is not standing on the sidelines judging our performance. He does not set impossible expectations only to find us unworthy. He right there with us giving us the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to live for him. In what areas of your life do you need knowledge of God’s will? What wisdom do you need to live a life worthy of being God’s child and a part of God’s holy people? Talk to him about it today.

Pray

Use Paul’s prayer as a model for your own. Pray for yourself, and for someone close to you.

Talk about

As Christians, we can sometimes underestimate the power of prayer. Encourage one another by discussing times when God answered one of your prayers.

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