Greetings & Our Brothers Col 4:7-18 --- Be Faithful

 The most important thing for believers is to be found faithful till the end when Christ comes.

Be reminded that it is God's grace and God's empowerment for us to be faithful till Christ comes.
Phil 1:6  (NLT): "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."

Be in peace and joy.

Lessons:

• 1. **Faithfulness and Maturity in Christ**
  • Strive to be faithful to Christ and mature in your faith, following the example of the brothers mentioned in the passage.
• 2. **Intercessory Prayer**
  • Maintain a commitment to praying constantly for others, demonstrating care and support through prayer.
• 3. **Teamwork, Especially in Outreach**
  • Recognize the importance of working together as a team, especially in the context of outreach and spreading the gospel.
• 4. **Learning from Demas's Example**
  • Take heed from the story of Demas, who started faithfully but later fell away from the faith, using it as a cautionary tale to remain steadfast.
• 5. **Sharing Knowledge and Experience in Christ**
  • Embrace Paul's example of sharing knowledge and experiences in Christ with others, demonstrating and teaching about the faith.
• 6. **Diligence in Leadership**
  • As leaders, discharge your duties with excellence and commitment, serving faithfully in the roles entrusted to you.

Prayer:

• Heavenly Father,
  • Thank you for the lessons from Colossians 4:7-18 that remind us of the importance of faithfulness, prayer, teamwork, and leadership in our Christian journey.
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  • Grant us the grace to be faithful and mature in our walk with Christ, following the examples of steadfast believers. Help us to intercede constantly for others, bearing their burdens in prayer.
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  • May we work together as a united team, especially in reaching out to share the gospel with others. Guard our hearts against the pitfalls of complacency or distraction, as seen in the cautionary tale of Demas.
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  • Empower us to share boldly our knowledge and experience in Christ, just as Paul did, for the edification of the body of believers.
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  • Lastly, strengthen us as leaders to fulfill our responsibilities with diligence and humility, serving others with excellence and love.
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  • In Jesus' name we pray,
    • Amen.

Sharing the Gospel Col 4:2-6 --- Be Loving & Tactful

We probably have been taught about how to share the gospel often enough.  We tend to focus on the message. We are taught to share our life before and after knowing Christ. We use our good experiences to cause others to receive Christ.  But the reality is not about us but about the others --- their needs and desires. We need to earn the right for us to speak. We can do that by first being loving and kind, and showing concern.  Once they see that we are for them, we gain their trust, and they will be willing to listen to us. With our listening ears, we can see what they need and desire and we can then show them how Christ can help them.  Be intentional no doubt about sharing the gospel, but be loving and kind to gain the listening ears and hearts.

Lessons:

• 1 # Devotion to prayer:
  • Prayer includes thanks giving. Not just requesting
  • A blessed life will empower us to share the gospel
  • Prayer for Others - Intercessor Prayers
    • for opportunities to share the gospel and for clarity in communicating it.
• 2 # Be intentional in sharing the Gospel
• 3 # Be tacful in sharing:
  • act wisely in their interactions with non-believers, making the most of every opportunity.
• 4 # Gracious speech: be kind, be encouraging & useful.
  • # Being kind and loving showing concerns will get people to share their hearts and needs and then we can give them the right answer

Prayer:

• Heavenly Father,
  • Thank you for Your word and the wisdom it provides.
  • Help us to be devoted to prayer, always grateful for Your blessings.
  • Grant us opportunities to share Your love and give us clarity in doing so.
  • May our words be gracious and our actions wise, especially with those who don't know You.
  • Fill us with Your love, that we may show genuine concern for others,
  • And give us discernment to respond to their needs with Your truth.
  • Guide us to live intentionally, making the most of every opportunity You provide.
  • In Jesus' name, Amen.