March 25, 2024 Morning Devotional
Morning Devotion: Read Colossians 4
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. 15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. 16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
Paul, in closing his letter to the the church at Colosse, gives a list of several men who give their greetings as well. Along with these greetings Paul gives bit of information as well.
We find Epaphras who was a labourer in prayer. His desire was to see the church stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. The word perfect means to be filled with Christ and the word complete means to be filled to the point of being topped off. It means there is no other room for anything else in ones life for it has all been taken up by Jesus.
Are you filled and topped off with Jesus? Is Jesus the most important thing in your life or is Jesus just a part of your life? Most people have Jesus as just a part of their life, they only use Him when they need Him. When they are sick they will pray, or when they need help they will seek Him or when circumstances of life become hard of overwhelming they go to Jesus. Other than that they just want to be left alone, they don’ want to be bothered with Jesus or church or any of the so called restrictions of being born again.
By the way, those so called restrictions are not restrictions at all if one truly loves the Lord for His burden is easy and light. When you love someone, serving them is always an easy and light thing of the heart and mind.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Looking at Epaphras we fins he had a great zeal, a great zeal for not only the people of Colosse but for the church (which is made up of people) at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Laodicea in mentioned as one of the seven churches in Revelation chapter three.
We know that Paul struggled with their relationship to Christ as well.
Colossains 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 That THEIR (the laodiceans hearts) hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
What kind of relationship did this church have with the Lord?
Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
They were neither hot nor cold for the Lord and the Lord was literally outside of the church knocking to get in. HMMM? Looks like many of the churches today. They have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. Paul and Epaphras had a great zeal for this church that they would change, become full, topped off for Christ rather than being chastened by the Lord.
What about you, are you topped off and full with Christ? Is Jesus the most important thing in your life?
The choice is still yours,
Pastor Cook
