DRAWING NEAR
February 24
Understanding God's Will
"We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be
filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom
and understanding" (Col. 1:9).
Godly living results from being controlled by the principles of God's
Word.
Paul's prayer for the Philippians (Phil. 1:9-11) is closely
paralleled by his prayer for the Colossians (Col. 1:9-12). Both
epistles were written from the same Roman prison at about the same
time in Paul's life. Both prayers focus on godly living, but each
approaches it from a slightly different perspective.
The Philippians were gracious people who needed to exercise greater
knowledge and discernment in their love. The Colossians also were
gracious but their devotion to Christ was being challenged by
heretics who taught that Christ is insufficient for salvation and
godly living. True spirituality, the false teachers said, is found in
Christ plus human philosophy, religious legalism, mysticism, or
asceticism. Paul encouraged the Colossian believers and refuted the
false teachers by showing the utter sufficiency of Christ.
At the outset of his prayer Paul stressed the importance of being
controlled by the knowledge of God's will (which is revealed in His
Word). That's the meaning of the Greek word translated "filled" in
verse 9. "Knowledge" translates a word that speaks of a deep,
penetrating knowledge that results in behavioral change. "Spiritual
wisdom and understanding" refers to knowledge that cannot be known
through human reasoning or philosophy. It is imparted by the Holy
Spirit Himself.
In effect Paul was saying, "I pray that you will be continually
controlled by the life-transforming knowledge of God's will, which
the Holy Spirit imparts as you prayerfully study and meditate on
God's Word."
Scripture supplies the principles you need to live a godly life. The
Spirit gives you the power to do so. Many false teachers will try to
divert you from the simplicity of devotion to Christ by offering you
philosophy, psychology, and a myriad of other hopeless alternatives.
Don't be victimized. In Christ you have everything you need!
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for His all-sufficient Son and for the resources that are
yours in Him. Ask for wisdom to apply those resources to every
situation you face today.
For Further Study:
Read Colossians 1:15-2:23.
What was Christ's role in creation? What was Paul's goal as a
minister? What warnings and commands did Paul give?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJV)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in
knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may
be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus
Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Colossians 1:9-12
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge
of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being
fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for
all patience and longsuffering with joy;
12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Colossians 1:15-2:23
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that
are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for
Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should
dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether
things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the
blood of His cross.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and
blameless, and above reproach in His sight;
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and
are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which
was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became
a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His
body, which is the church,
25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from
God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations,
but now has been revealed to His saints.
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope
of glory.
28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all
wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which
works in me mightily.
2:1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and
those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the
flesh,
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love,
and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of
Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive
words.
5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit,
rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith
in Christ.
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in
Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you
have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit,
according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles
of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality
and power.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made
without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by
the circumcision of Christ,
12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with
Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the
dead.
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you
all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against
us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way,
having nailed it to the cross.
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public
spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a
festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of
Christ.
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false
humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he
has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body,
nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the
increase that is from God.
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of
the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject
yourselves to regulations;
21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,"
22 which all concern things which perish with the using; according
to the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed
religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no
value against the indulgence of the flesh.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
http://www.gty.org/Gospel/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
.
|
