Feasting on God's Word (One Year Bible)

The work of the Gospel is always more than what’s happening in the place where you live. Continue to pray for the work of the Lord in many places. Don’t forget to pray for those who brought the Word of the Lord to you and are now serving the Lord in another place.

“A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary” ( Jeremiah 17:12 ). The Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people - “Jesus, we enthrone You ... We lift You up with our praise. And as we worship, build Your throne. Come, Lord Jesus, and take Your place.” When the Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people, there will also be prayer and proclamation - “Devote yourselves to prayer ... that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ ... clearly” ( Colossians 4:2-4 ). The blessing of the Lord is upon those who come to His House, seeking Him: “Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. From the House of the Lord we bless you” ( Psalm 118:26 ).

Our spiritual warfare is both outward and inward. We have enemies coming at us from without and from within. Concerning the enemies from without, God says, “This people will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you ... I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel” ( Jeremiah 15:20-21 ). Concerning the enemies from within, God says, “Put to death ... whatever belongs to your earthly nature” ( Colossians 3:5 ). We are not to “fret because of evil men” ( Proverbs 24:19 ). We are to “fear the Lord” ( Proverbs 24:21 ).

The life of faith is a life of conflict. We live among “the faithless” - God is “always on their lips, but far from their hearts” ( Jeremiah 12:12 ). We are called to maintain the faith in the face of “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world’s rather than on Christ” ( Colossians 2:8 ). There is conflict, but there is also victory  - “The Lord is with me ... I will look in triumph over my enemies ... “ ( Psalm 118:6-8 ).

The Lord’s people are called to a ministry of preaching the Gospel and teaching the Word ( Jeremiah 11:6 ; Colossians 1:25 , 28 ). While this ministry is carried out by particular individuals, e.g. Jeremiah and Paul, it is a ministry which is strengthened by the support and encouragement which comes from the Lord’s people. It is not only to the preachers and teachers that God says, “Extol Him.” He says, “Extol Him all you people” ( Psalm 117:1 ). 

There is a great contrast between sin - “Do not trust your brothers. For every brother is a deceiver ... and no-one speaks the truth” ( Jeremiah 9:4-5 ) - and salvation - “the holy and faithful brothers in Christ ... the Words of truth, the Gospel ... has come to you” ( Colossians 1:2 , 5-6 ). God is calling us from sin to salvation, and then on to service. Those who say, “I will lift up the cup of salvation” go on to say, “O Lord, I am Your servant” ( Psalm 116:13 , 16 ). This service is offered to the Lord in gratitude for His salvation,. We acknowledge Him as Saviour, saying, “You have freed me from my chains”, and we say to Him, “I will sacrifice a thank-offering to You” ( Psalm 116:17 ).

John 3:16 – The Saviour 2 Timothy 3:16 – The Scriptures Colossians 3:16 – The Spirit — Let us come to the Saviour. Let us read the Scriptures. Let us worship God in Spirit and in truth.

Colossians 1:1-6 "All over the world this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing" (Colossians 1:6). The work of the Gospel is always more than what's happening in the place where you live. Continue to pray for the work of the Lord in many places. Don't forget to pray for those who brought the Word of the Lord to you and are now serving the Lord in another place.

Colossians 1:1-2:7 Lord, You’re calling us to move forward with You – “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him” (Colossians 2:6). As we think of Jesus, our great Saviour, may “our faith grow strong and may our hearts overflow with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:17). Colossians 2:8-3:17 Help us, Lord, to be what we already are, to be what You have made us in Christ: “You have been raised with Christ … You died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1,3). We thank You that Christ has made His home in us. New life has begun. Now that Christ lives in us, help us to “set our hearts and minds on things above” (Colossians 3:1-2). May Christ reign in us – and may our lives be enriched by Him (Colossians 3:15-16). In Him, there is so much blessing. Help us to enjoy it!

God calls us to pray - ‘Devote yourselves to prayer’. We are to pray with concern - ‘watchful’. We are to pray with gratitude - ‘thankful’ (Colossians 4:2). We are to pray for those who preach God’s Word. Thank God for the past. Trust Him for the future. Remember - the important thing is the ‘message’ (Colossians 4:3). The messengers are just ‘jars of clay’. The message is the ‘treasure’ (2 Corinthians 4:7). The messengers must not draw attention to themselves. They must direct attention away from themselves to Jesus Christ - ‘We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord’ (2 Corinthians 4:5). We are to pray that the message will be ‘clear’ (Colossians 4:4). Pray for good preaching - preaching which does you good, giving you good cause to say in your heart, ‘For me it is good to be near God’ (Psalm 73:28). Pray for preaching which glorifies God.