Daily Devotion by Ray Stedman

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 10th​

The Great Mystery​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 1:26-29

…the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
Colossians 1:26-29

There is the great mystery. This is the missing element in many churches today. Most Christians in our churches understand that Christ died for the forgiveness of their sins, but that is where most of them stop. Relatively few go on to grasp the fact that Jesus died for them that he might live in them. It is his life in them that is the source of power, change and the ability to resist temptation. It is not enough to know that Christ died in order that we might go to heaven. We are also to know, understand, and practice Christ actually living in us now!

That is the most astounding truth in the Bible. It is a mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to his saints. Think of that! There are great promises in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah's word at the end of chapter 40, verse 31, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Old Testament saints understood and believed that promise. They waited on the Lord, and they were strengthened; they were lifted up, comforted and helped. All that is clear as you read the Old Testament. But what was never told them was the means by which God would do this.

It was not until Jesus came and taught his disciples that we learn at last what means God would employ. Gradually he sought to impart to the disciples this amazing truth: through his death and resurrection, and through the coming of the Holy Spirit, they would be indwelt by Jesus himself. In the Upper Room, just before the cross, Jesus uttered these words, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home in him (John 14:23). This is the mystery, hidden from the foundation of the world but now made known to us.

Paul himself lived this way. That is what he is telling us in the last verse of this chapter: To this end I labor, striving with all the energy he [Jesus] so powerfully works in me. There is a new power at work. When you understand that you possess the Lord Jesus, that he is in you, you have a totally new source of power. You also have a new desire, a new motive: you long to see change take place and you are motivated to take the steps that will bring it into being. You have a new Companion along the way. The problem of loneliness is ended because you are never alone when Jesus is present in your life. What a mighty truth this is! It is what delivers people. It is more than the fact that Jesus died on a cross. He died that he might live in us!

Jesus, thank you for dying for me that you might live in me. Help me to grow deeper in my understanding of this great mystery.

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Life Application​

Do you dwell as much on the fact that Jesus lives in you as you do on the fact that he died for you?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 11th​

Laboring in Prayer​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 2:1-5

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:1-3

The apostle's purpose for writing is to enrich their lives, encourage their hearts, and enable love to spread throughout the congregation. But do not overlook the process! In verse 29 of chapter 1, Paul says, To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me. And I want you to know how strenuously I am exerting myself for you… Notice how he calls attention to the effort and toil he was putting into this matter of bringing the Colossian Christians into vitality, excitement, and a sense of adventure.

You may ask, how could a man who is chained to a Roman guard day and night, in the city of Rome, a thousand miles from Colossae, so toil as to help the Colossians? Paul does not tell us here, but elsewhere we are given ample information as to his method. Earlier in this letter he talked about laboring continuously in prayer for them. That is one way he toils for them — through frequent prayer. Paul prayed (agonized is the word) for these Colossian Christians over and over again, even though he had not personally met most of them.

Paul's immediate goal is to encourage the hearts of the Colossians and to unite them in love. I confess I am rebuked by that, because too often I find myself ready to jump on someone and try to straighten him out on the spot. It is a great lesson to see how Paul seeks to lift their spirits first and to cause them to appreciate one another. It indicates that building a relationship with individuals is the true way to go about helping them. Have you ever tried to help someone, only to find your efforts fell on deaf ears? The apostle indicates the right way to help is to find something encouraging to say first. None of us like to be corrected by a negative approach. We first need a word of encouragement, as the apostle so beautifully demonstrates here.

Then, when Paul has lifted their spirits, they will be able to experience the excitement of understanding the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Occasionally I meet people who seem to be turned on constantly by Scripture. They discover a new, fresh verse every morning. But others find the Bible dull and boring. That is probably because they have not fully understood what it is saying. When you grasp what the word of God is saying on how to handle life, it becomes exciting. It puts zest into living. It gives you the sense that you are not alone, that you don't have to handle your problems by yourself, or that you don't have to lean heavily on human advice, though God often provides help in that way. The main thing is, are you looking to Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge?

Far too often, Lord, I have sought to correct without encouragement. Teach me to love others enough that I will agonize over them in both love and prayer.

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Life Application​

Who is in your life that needs your encouragement more than your critique? How will you encourage them this week?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 12th​

Overflowing with Gratitude​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 2:6-7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7

Here is a guide to an exciting, zestful life: Obey him, follow him, converse with him, draw upon his grace, lean on him, look to him for comfort. That is how to continue to live in him.

Three things have happened to you, says Paul. You have been rooted in Christ. Like a deeply rooted tree, you have been planted in Christ and those strong roots will hold you. Secondly, you have been built up in him. Not only are the roots going deep, but you are growing up as well. You are increasing in faith and experience. And thirdly, you have been strengthened in the faith. You have tested it, put it to work in your home, in your neighborhood. You have had to face problems which were tests, and your faith was strengthened by them.

As these three things take place, we are to add one more: we are to be overflowing with thankfulness. Be grateful to God for everything he has given you, no matter what it is. Have you learned yet to be thankful in everything? That means you do not grumble, complain and criticize. You cannot have it both ways. To be thankful means to find something in every situation for which you can genuinely be grateful.

The great Bible commentator, Dr. Matthew Henry, once was robbed as he walked along a highway. Afterwards, he told his friends there were four things for which he gave thanks. First, he was grateful that he had never been robbed before. Secondly, he said, Though they took all my money, I am glad they did not get very much. That was something to be thankful for. Thirdly, he said, Though they took my money, they did not take my life, and I am grateful for that. And finally, he suggested, I am thankful that it was I who was robbed, and not I who robbed. There was a man who had learned how to be overflowing with thankfulness!

Have you ever learned to talk to yourself and ask yourself questions? If you read the Psalms, you will often find you are listening to a man talking to himself. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you so disquieted within me? The psalmist is standing at the mirror shaving, feeling blue, and asking himself, What's the matter with you? Why are you like this? That is a good thing to do.

When you ask yourself questions about yourself you must also ask, why didn't worse things happen? Look beyond what has occurred and realize it could have been much worse. Then discover all the things which God has supplied and which you have been taking for granted: his care, his love, the shelter of your home (whatever fits your situation), and begin to give thanks for those. If you do, something will happen: you will find yourself turned on about everything. You will find life filled with zest, vitality and excitement. You will have discovered the answer to boredom!

Father, my desire is to continue to continue to live in Christ, just as I received him. Grant that my roots go deep and that I be built up and strengthened in Him.

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Life Application​

Are you focusing more on the difficult things that have happened to you, or how much worse it might have been?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 13th​

Hollow and Deceptive Philosophies​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 2:8

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
Colossians 2:8

The apostle sees the Colossian Christians as facing a great danger of being taken captive by false teaching. Actually the word is kidnapped. We might say they were in danger of being taken hostage! Paul sees a like danger facing Christians who are taken captive by wrong philosophy, wrong teaching, false doctrine. Such can deprive believers of their Christian liberty and hold them hostage for years.

The weapon that is used to do this is philosophy. That sounds rather harmless. After all, philosophy means simply the love of wisdom. What could be wrong with loving wisdom? We are all much indebted to philosophers of the past: Plato, Aristotle, Socrates and others, for their keen insights into the nature of life. The love of wisdom is a good thing in many cases. There are good and bad philosophies, but what the apostle has in mind is the danger of being seduced by bad philosophy.

Paul points out the three things that are always characteristic of wrong philosophy. First, these empty, deceptive philosophies depend on human tradition. They arise out of the thinking of men, find a foothold in society, and then are passed along from generation to generation so as to appear popular and widely supported.

The second thing that is wrong with this deceptive philosophy is that it depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world. The word for elemental literally means things in a row, a series of things. The word became associated with the alphabet because letters in an alphabet are always lined up in a row. Thus, some scholars feel that this word represents something rudimentary, simple and elementary. Other scholars point out that this word is also used with reference to an army of soldiers lined up in ranks, as in a hierarchy. Thus, this could be a reference to the fallen angels. My view is that both viewpoints are true. These philosophies fit the description of what Paul calls in 2 Timothy doctrines of demons. They are elementary, rudimentary truths, perpetuated by demonic powers among human beings, which have the effect of returning people to childish actions and childish views of life.

But there is yet a third problem with false doctrine. It is not focused on Christ. Evil teaching always demotes Jesus. Every cult attacks the person and the work of Jesus. They claim that he was nothing but a good man, although he lacked the insights into life and reality that are ours through modern knowledge. Or, going to the opposite extreme, they regard Jesus as a supernatural being, one among several Divine Masters who come periodically into human affairs to teach us wonderful truths that we would never know otherwise, and which, if followed, will release within us great divine powers. But these cults never view Jesus as God, willing to die in our place.

Any form of religious error will have these three manifestations: they are supported by human tradition; they establish themselves as the only respectable doctrine to believe; and yet they come from the minds of satanic beings who cleverly, but invisibly, reduce people to childish behavior and attitudes, all to the end of setting aside the glory and true character of Jesus Christ.

Lord, protect me from hollow and deceptive philosophies of this world. Amen.

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Life Application​

What hollow and deceptive philosophies are you most prone to be drawn in by? Why are they so attractive?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 14th​

Forgiven and Freed!​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 2:9-15

…having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:14-15

Here Paul declares the forgiveness of sins for which the law condemned us. That condemnation is now removed by the death of Christ on our behalf. He paid for all our sins, the sins we committed in the past, the sins we are going to commit today, and the sins we shall commit in the future. Sin is no longer an issue in our relationship with God. It affects our fellowship but not our relationship. He has fully dealt with it. We need to acknowledge our sin in order to enter into the benefit of that forgiveness, but forgiveness is already there in the heart of God. What a wonderful truth!

I do not think I rejoice in anything more than the fact that my sins, my mistakes, failures, unloving words, unkind attitudes, and selfish actions have been forgiven. Every day God gives me a new slate, a new unspoiled day, to live through by his grace. Our sins have been forgiven. Paul sees them as nailed to the cross, so they no longer can condemn us. The law is not done away with, but the condemnation of it is. We are made free and told Go, and sin no more.

The last step is, we are freed from the power of these evil beings: Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. These are the world rulers of darkness, the clever and malevolent beings who keep inserting into human thinking wrong ideas, dangerous thoughts, attitudes and teachings that set us at aught with one another, and make us go for one another's throat, keeping enmity and strife stirring in the human family.

What has happened to them? Paul declares that when Jesus died, he seized these powers by the throat, chained them, and dragged them in triumph behind him, like a Roman general marching through the streets of Rome, his chained captives walking behind in subjugation. There is no need to give way to evil teaching or temptations, for we have a power and a person within who is superior to anything Satan can throw against us! Paul is encouraging the Colossians to see that there is absolutely no need to believe the doctrines, the teachings or the rituals that Satan will emphasize and enunciate to them.

Neither do we need to believe them! If we understand who we are in Christ and what we have in him, there is no need to be weak, faltering, or failing. We may rise up and be the men and women that God intended us to be.

Father, grant that I rise up and be the person you intended me to be, free of guilt and shame because of the victory you won on the cross. Amen.

Life Application​

Remind yourself throughout today that you are both forgiven of sin and freed from its power.

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

A daily devotion for November 15th​

Mere Shadows​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 2:16-19

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Colossians 2:16-17

Food restrictions, special diets, and observance of ceremonies and days arose out of Jewish practices. God gave many of these ceremonies in the Old Testament as shadows, or pictures. The problem was that people were performing these rituals mechanically, simply going through the motions. That, Paul says, can destroy the true vitality of faith.

We find a parallel to these observances today whenever people place a special value on religious performance. In the early part of this century, hardly any Christians would travel on a Sunday because they were taught that Sunday was a carry-over of the Jewish Sabbath and that it was wrong to work or travel on that day. This is the kind of thing that Paul is talking about here. Others today chant a mantra without any thought of what they are saying. Still others turn a prayer wheel or by rote finger religious beads. Any kind of religious performance that is done without meaning or personal significance falls into the category Paul is describing.

But somebody is bound to say, Wait a minute. Aren't some of these observances given to us by God to remind us of truth? Isn't there some value to be gained by doing them? The apostle answers that objection. These rituals are a mere shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Once the reality has been realized, shadows are of no value whatsoever. Shadows are pictures, given in advance, designed to prepare us for something. But if you have found Christ, you do not need the shadows any more.

I carry with me pictures of my wife, my children and my grandchildren. I value these photographs and look at them occasionally when I am away from home. But what would you think if I propped up these pictures all over my house and talked to them and tried to relate to them? You would think I had lost my mind, and I probably would have. But more than that, I would certainly soon lose touch with the very people whose pictures I treasure. They would feel ignored and would probably ultimately leave me, and all relationship would cease.

That is what Paul says is wrong with shadows. If you still place primary value on a shadow after the reality has come, you destroy your participation in the value of that reality. Now, the reality here is Jesus! He is the center of all life and the source of excitement in a Christian's experience. He is the One who accompanies us through life, to comfort in times of need and strengthen when we are being tempted. He is a place of refuge to run to when we are troubled or uncertain about life. To lose him is to lose all source of excitement and vitality in life. That is the danger in observing shadows. That is why this paragraph begins with the word therefore. The previous section pointed out all that Christ is to us now. Paul is saying, Having him, therefore, do not let anyone spoil you by involving you in a mechanical performance that will cancel out the reality.

Lord, reveal those times when I drift towards relying on the shadows instead of the reality of what you have done for me in Christ. Amen.

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Life Application​

What are the mere shadows that you tend to drift towards. Why are they so alluring?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

A daily devotion for November 16th​

False Religion​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 2:20-23

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Colossians 2:20-23

Paul is describing an overdeveloped zeal that goes far beyond true Christian discipline and seeks to please God by extreme forms of self-denial. Dedication and discipline are a proper part of the Christian life. You must often make yourself do what God wants you to do, simply because you love him. That is the proper motive for it. But you can make a god of discipline. You can take perverse delight in making yourself do difficult things that win the approval of others, and of God as well.

But the apostle says this is all wrong. Lesser forms of it take what he describes as negative approaches: Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch! I grew up in churches that taught there were certain things that Christians must always avoid, and if you observed these taboos you not only were acceptable to the religious community but you were actually pleasing God.

I was taught that Christians never drink, dance, smoke, go to movies, play cards, and read novels. I do not deny that refraining from some of these things is a perfectly proper discipline of the spirit, but any idea that giving up of things of itself is pleasing to God is wrong.

But what is wrong with these prohibitions? First, it shows you do not understand your death with Christ. Paul asks, Since you died with Christ, why do you submit to these rules? This becomes legalism, which is to pursue holiness by self-effort instead of accepting the holiness that God freely gives, by faith, and through the work of the cross. A legalist looks at life and says, Everything is wrong unless you can prove by the Bible that it is right. That reduces life to a very narrow range of activity.

But the biblical Christian looks at life and says, Everything is right! God has given us a world to enjoy and live in. Everything is right, unless the Bible specifically says it is wrong. If we are willing to obey God in the areas that he designates as wrong, then we have the rest of life to enter into in company with a Savior who loves us, guides us and guards us in our walk with him.

Secondly, these things are of no value in restraining the indulgence of the flesh. People may outwardly appear dedicated and disciplined, but inwardly sin rages unchecked. Inside they are angry, resentful, filled with a spirit of vengeance. Many Christians are trying to regulate the externals instead of walking in the fullness of life with Christ, finding the inward purity and cleansing that he alone provides.

Lord, there are still times that I try to please you with religion. Thank you that you accept me as your beloved child in Christ, just as I am. Amen.

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Life Application​

Are you basing your sense of being right with God and in fellowship with him on rules and regulations?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 18th​

Put Off and Put On​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:5-7

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
Colossians 3:5-7

Everywhere in the New Testament we find this admonition to put off and put on. The first exhortation is always put off; If you are going to put on something, you must first put off what you've already got on. If a mother tells her ragged little boy, Go upstairs and put on some clean clothes, he knows that the first step is to take off the ragged clothes. That is also what the Scripture recognizes. We have formed habits that are wrong, sometimes without even realizing it. We have allowed ourselves to take on attitudes and actions that are destructive and make a mess of our life.

But once we come to a new life we must put off the old, so we can put on the new.

Paul tells us that we must put off whatever belongs to our earthly nature. All five of these terms have to do with our sexual powers. We are sexual beings. God created the human race in two sexes. Sex is a tremendously important part of life. Sex is like a great river flowing through life which, kept within its banks, is a source of pleasure and power. But when it overflows its proper banks, it becomes destructive. All of that is behind the admonition to put off sexual immorality. That word refers to all forms of sex outside of marriage: what is called fornication elsewhere in Scripture, and adultery, which is sexual misbehavior by a married person with someone other than his or her mate. This is to be put off by all Christians.

The second word is impurity. It is the word for uncleanness. It refers to perverted forms of sex: homosexuality, child abuse, and various unnatural sexual practices. Along with these, lust is also to be put away. This refers to erotic passions which are aroused by visual things. Pornography falls under this classification. Anything that is sexually arousing: literature, movies, whatever, is to be denied. It belongs to the old life. It is beyond the boundaries of God's river and becomes destructive. Evil desires is closely associated with lust; it is mental uncleanness.

Lastly, we are to put off greed, which is idolatry. In this context, linked with idolatry, it is the greed to possess another person's body. That is idolatry. It is when you allow another person to become so dominant in your thinking that he or she takes the place of God to you. Listen to the words of some of the love songs that are popular today: You're all I need, I can't live without you, Help me make it through the night. All these expressions are saying, You are like God to me. I am looking to you to fulfill the deepest longings and yearnings of my heart. Anyone who has lived very long knows that such is an impossible demand. No human can fill that need. Those who mistakenly feel that a new affair, a new love relationship, is going to meet all the hungers of their life, find themselves again and again disillusioned and despairing, drifting aimlessly, lost on the sea of life.

I confess, Lord, that there is nothing that can fill the deepest longings of my heart like you. Help me to put off those things that I look to for fulfillment when I have in my heart all that I need. Amen.

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Life Application​

You can't put on the new if you haven't already put off the old. What will you need to put off today?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 19th​

Being Different​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:8-11

But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Colossians 3:8-10

We are exhorted to stop doing certain things because we can stop. We are different, therefore we can act differently. That is the appeal of the grace of God. You have taken off your old self. A change has come; you are no longer what you once were. Your life is no longer linked with the old Adam but with the new Adam, who is Jesus. You have put on the new self which is growing and increasing in knowledge. The more you learn about this new life, the more you will find you are able to say no to the old. It is increasing in knowledge, growing into the image of Christ its Creator.

So Paul begins the list of attitudes to renounce. First, we no longer need give way to anger. According to the Scripture, there is nothing wrong with anger itself. Here it is an expression of anger that is in view, what one commentator accurately calls impetuous name-calling or calculated insult.

The second word is rage. This refers to temper tantrums, any violent display or attack, by either word or deed, upon another person. That does not mean we will be removed from the temptation to do these things; the old life still hangs around, but we must remember that it is no longer us. We can and should say no, because we are new creatures in Christ.

The third word is malice, that silent, hidden hatred of the heart that takes revenge in secret. Remember the story of the boy who took revenge on his tormentors by spitting in their soup before he served it to them? Have you ever spit in anyone's soup? It is an act of revenge inspired by malice.

Then, fourthly, slander. That is an attack on another person's character, whispering things about him, true or untrue, that destroy his reputation. That is slander. You can be sued for that in the world, because even the world recognizes it is wrong.

The fifth word is filthy language, foul talk, crude and coarse words, expletives that Christians might resort to in a time of sudden pain or hurt. We all know the temptation to do this, but it is to be put away, because it is not us any longer.

The sixth word is lying, untruth that breeds suspicion and destroys trust. Perhaps we all secretly agree with the little boy who was asked what a lie was and replied, A lie is an abomination to the Lord, but a very present help in time of trouble! But we pay a terrible price for lying by destroying trust and awakening suspicion. We find it hard to win our way back to being trusted again.

Many Christians are confused as to just when they are being hypocritical. Nobody, of course, wants to be a hypocrite. But many Christians think they are being hypocritical when they know their own inward evil temptations, but nevertheless go to church and sing the hymns, etc. What the Bible says, however, is that a Christian is a hypocrite when he gives way to those wrong things. That is when he is no longer being what he really is. You are being your true self when you praise God and respond with love, joy and peace. You are a phony, a hypocrite, when you give way to evil attitudes and practices.

Lord, change my thinking, because growth and change begin there. Teach me to think not in accord with my own human instincts but with the truth as it is revealed in Your Word. Amen.

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Life Application​

Are there relationships where anger, rage, malice, slander, or filthy language are accepted? Return to your true self in Christ and put off these things.

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 20th​

The Power of the Positive​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12

How do you get up in the morning? Some have great difficulty. Some can leap out of bed, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to face the day immediately, but others drag along for a couple of hours, needing a cup of coffee to get them going. It is reported that Albert Einstein once said, The problem with the speed of light is, it comes too early in the morning! I once heard a preacher confess before a group of pastors, I don't even believe in God before 10:30 in the morning! No matter what time you get started, however, Paul's word is, clothe yourselves. When you get up, deliberately put on these qualities of life. That is the argument throughout this whole letter. You are a new man, a new woman in Christ, therefore, you can begin to live that way. So do it! That is the apostle's exhortation.

There is much confusion among believers at this point. Many seem to find great difficulty putting on these positive virtues as they begin their day or throughout the day. That is probably because they have never thoroughly understood, or perhaps have not practiced, what the apostle said earlier: Put off the old man. Learn to recognize the characteristics of the old life: the self-centered, praise-loving, prideful flesh in every one of us.

Reject that! Put it off! Do as Paul says in the previous paragraph: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature. Treat it as though you are dead to it. That is Paul's argument in Romans 6: Consider yourselves to be dead, indeed, unto sin. And you can, because God has given you a new basis of operation!

Advocates of positive thinking or possibility thinking tell us, Put on these positive qualities. Think positively. Face the day with courage and confidence. These folks make a strong plea to do this. But the problem with their message is that they fail to make the careful distinction that Scripture makes between the old man and the new man. These positive admonitions are not addressed to the old life that is to be put away.

There is a negative quality of living which precedes the positive. We must reject this appeal which comes to us so easily from our past experience. It still haunts us as new creations in Christ. We still, all too easily, play over in our minds the old movies of the past. But this is to be put aside. If we do that, then we can respond to these exhortations to be what God has now made us to be. So, when you start your day, begin this way. Put away the old reactions and then clothe yourself — put on deliberately, in your thinking — these qualities that reflect the life of Jesus.

Father, help me to understand and put into practice this great principle of putting off the old self and putting on the new. Amen.

Life Application​

Do you see yourself as "holy and dearly loved"? Start there, and then move into clothing yourself with qualities that reflect your new life in Christ.

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 21st​

Put on the New​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:12-13

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:12-13

Paul has just told the Colossians to put away the old reactions and put on several qualities that reflect the life of Jesus. The first one is compassion, or literally, bowels of sympathy. The ancients believed that the emotions originated in the bowels. We don't think that way, although we get close to it when we say, I've got a gut feeling. Compassion is what we call a heart of pity. It is a sense of sympathy, of empathy for someone. Approach life with compassion. Put it on when you get up in the morning. You are a new man or new woman; therefore, live that way!
After that comes kindness. Kindness is action that reveals compassion. It can take many different forms; a smile, a kind word, a pat on the shoulder, an invitation to lunch, an offer of help.

Many years ago, a young man went to live in a large city and fell in with the wrong crowd. He lived a wild life, becoming involved in many hurtful things which almost destroyed him. But he heard a preacher one day and was struck by his words. He went to hear him again, and soon that preacher was able to lead him to Christ. That young man was the great St. Augustine. This is what Augustine wrote of that preacher, Ambrose: I began to love him, not at first as a teacher of the truth, which I despaired of finding in the church, but as a fellow creature who was kind to me. What an open door kindness can be!

The third quality is humility, which has been called the rarest and fairest of all Christian virtues. The chief Christian virtue is humility because it is the exact opposite of the worst of sins, which is pride. Thus, we are to put on humility, to think humbly of ourselves. As Paul puts it in another place, we are to regard others as better than ourselves. We are not to consider ourselves in any way as superior to others. A modern proverb puts it well, we are to remember that, all of us are made in the same mold, only some are moldier than others!

The fourth quality is gentleness, a familiar word oftentimes translated as meekness. Not weakness, meekness! I like the definition that says meekness is strength under control. It is real strength, but it does not have to display itself or show off how strong it is. The first curriculum of the Holy Spirit is that we must become what Jesus said of himself: I am meek and lowly of heart.

The fifth quality is patience. Literally, it is long-suffering, the enduring of another's exasperating conduct without flying into a rage. It is a negative term; it is holding back, restraining yourself from becoming upset or speaking sharply to somebody such as our mate or our child, whose conduct you find difficult and exasperating. Linked with patience is the sixth quality, forbearance. We are to bear with one another. This is similar to long-suffering, but it is the positive side. Literally it is to uphold and support someone, not only to restrain yourself but to support others, encourage them. It is a great Christian quality.

Father, this is what I have always wanted to be like, but I know apart from you it is impossible. It is only through a knowledge of your unconditional love for me and the work of your Spirit that I can be this kind of person. Amen.

​

Life Application​

How can you make God's love visible in a fallen world filled with strife and division?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 22nd​

Forgive One Another​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:13-14

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13

What a beautiful thing it is to find forgiveness in a Christian's heart! It does not mean that we are not to air a grievance we may feel. We are told in Scripture that if we have something against another, to go to the other and tell him his or her fault between you and him alone. We do not have to repress every feeling of injustice or unfairness that we feel. We are to say how we feel, but having done that, forgive it. Put it away. No longer let yourself think about it. Our model, of course, is Christ's treatment of us. That is what he did when we came to him. He forgave the unkind thoughts, the blasphemous attitudes, the grievous, hurtful sins that we have done. The Old Testament tells us that when we come to him he casts our transgressions into the depths of the sea. And, as dear Corrie Ten Boom used to say, he puts up a sign that says, No Fishing.

It is helpful to remember that forgiveness means at least three things. First, it means that we are not to bring up the thing we forgave to the person whom we have forgiven. We are to treat him as though it did not happen. We are not to constantly harass him or her with reminders of the evil things they did in the past. Some marriages stumble greatly because the partners not only get hysterical, they get historical! They go back over the past, ready to trot it out and rehash it once more. That shows that it has never truly been forgiven in the first place. God does not do that. How terrible it would be if he did; if we had constantly to face reminders from him of the awful things of our past!

The second thing forgiveness means is that we do not tell anybody else about the matter that is forgiven. We do not gossip about it. It is not that we actually erase it from memory; we may think of it from time to time, but we are not to dwell on it. We are not to allow it to take over again, to awaken feelings of resentment and unfairness and play it all over again. We can do that because we ourselves have been forgiven. Let us remember how graciously God has set aside our own failures.

Then the third thing forgiveness means is you do not remind yourself of what has been forgiven! Even in your private thoughts, you don't allow the offense to come up and to color your attitude toward the one you have forgiven. If it does come up, you must put it away and remind yourself that you too need to be forgiven. You do not want people mulling over your sins and dredging them up all the time. No, forgiveness means to put it aside even to yourself because that is what Christ has done for us.

Thank you, Lord for forgiving me and casting my sins as far as the East is from the West. Help me to forgive, as I have been forgiven. Amen.

​

Life Application​

Take some time and recall the forgiveness the Lord has extended to you, and then reach out in forgiveness to those who need it from you.

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 23rd​

Peace and Praise​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15

What a beautiful picture this is of the church! It begins with peace: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Churches are to live at peace. The word rule is the word for act as an umpire. Baseball fans know that the man in the blue suit who stands behind the catcher rules on the plays and makes the calls. He remains unruffled no matter what happens. Managers curse him and kick dirt at him, fans throw pop bottles at him, yet he remains unperturbed. That is the idea here: let the calmness of Christ rule among you. Consider Jesus in the gospels. He moves into every situation with total poise. He remains calm and collected when other people are panicking.

I was at a meeting with Christians who were divided into two factions. What they were discussing were questions of turf, of who had the right to do such and such a thing. The spokesman of one group was rather difficult; he was loud, accusatory and abrasive. The spokesman for the other party, however, remained calm and peaceful and did not react in kind. Thus, before long things began to be worked out and the meeting ended in harmony. Everybody understood one another. That is what Paul is urging here. His peace may possess our hearts and act as an umpire among us.

Another thing is to be thankful. We find this exhortation everywhere in Scripture. Christians are to have an attitude of gratitude about everything. Why? Because we know that we do not deserve anything. Everything comes to us as a gift of God's love. We learn from the Scriptures that we are members of a fallen race. At birth we began to manifest rebellion, treason and enmity against the things of God. We are self-centered and opposed to others. We have all manifested that right from birth. God, in perfect justice, could have wiped out this entire race and none of us would have hope for anything in this life or beyond. But God sent his only Son that we should not perish but have everlasting life. What a gift!

And everything else comes with it: He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Does that not awaken gratitude in your heart? Christians are to have a sense of gratefulness for even a crust of bread or a glass of water because it is all undeserved. So be thankful. Let thankfulness characterize your meetings. Let there be an attitude of gratitude!

Jesus, I pray that your peace would rule in my heart as well the hearts of those around me. Thank you for your grace and mercy in my life. Amen.

​

Life Application​

In what areas of your life is the peace of Christ not ruling as an umpire? Take some time to hand that over to the Prince of Peace.

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 24th​

Teaching and Singing​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:16-17

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16

The Word of God is to be well known among us. It is to be the central thing in teaching us how to live. This amazing Book, this insight into true life, is unrivaled anywhere in the world. There is nothing else that even remotely approaches it in its view of reality.

Notice how the whole body is to be involved in this. We are to teach and counsel one another. Everybody — in homes, in church, in small groups — should gather about the Word. We ought to thoroughly know and understand this book. In it are described mysteries which challenge the greatest minds among us. Here are simple statements that burst like rockets in our brain and illuminate the whole landscape of life. This is not dead, lifeless truth! It is alive, vital, refreshing and illuminating! It dispels doubts, fears and difficulties. We are to center our lives around the Word of God.

With this Paul links also the ministry of music. I have always enjoyed Hawaiian songs and music ever since I lived in Hawaii many years ago. Once when I commented on the beauty of their music, one of the old Hawaiians said to me, You know, the Hawaiians never had any music until the missionaries came. All the pagans do is chant. They do not know how or what to sing. The first songs the Hawaiians ever sang were hymns taught them by missionaries. It is Christian truth that inspires the greatest music. Music belongs to the believer.

Here Paul recognizes its powerful ministry in our lives. We are to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Psalms are the inspired utterances in the Book of Psalms and are also found in various other books of the Bible. How marvelous is this teaching from God, put in rhythm and beauty of expression! Hymns are literally praise songs, responses that humans have composed to reflect with thanksgiving for what God has done. With this is linked spiritual songs, testimony songs which reflect, again, how God has led us. If you look through any hymn book you will find these three types of songs included. We sing praise songs like, Joyful, Joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love. There are also the great teaching hymns, such as And can it Be? that remind us of the wonderful love of Christ who gave himself for us.

As we sing we are ministering to each other, encouraging one another. You may go to church depressed and discouraged, but as the congregation lifts up one of these great songs you are lifted by it as well. You begin to rejoice again in spirit because the music and the words remind you of the greatness of God. So we are to sing the truth as well as study it, with gratitude in our hearts for all that God has done.

Thank you for your Word, Father. Forgive us for so often taking it for granted. And thank you for the gift of music that allows me to express my love and gratitude to you. Amen.

​

Life Application​

Next time you sing, consider the fact that you are not only singing to God, but you are teaching and admonishing one another. Does this change your perspective?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 25th​

Husbands and Wives​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:18-19

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Colossians 3:18-19

This word submit is probably the most hated word among women today, but the meaning has been grossly distorted. Perhaps the first thing that needs to be said about submission is that it does not cancel out equality. Everyone must submit to other people. In Ephesians, Paul says Christians are to submit one to another. The outstanding manifestation of true submission is seen in our Lord's submitting of himself to the Father. Jesus didn't find it a reproach to submit to the Father; he delighted in it. It was voluntary on his part. In no way did he regard it as a threat to the equality which he knew existed between himself and the Father. Submission does not mean inequality. Literally, it means put yourself under, arrange yourself under someone, for a good and proper purpose. It is a totally voluntary action.

Paul says that wives submitting to their husbands is fitting. It is proper; it is right. There is an order of authority in all God's world. The Father observes it. The Son observes it. Everything in nature observes it. If the wife does not support and hold up her husband, and thus recognize his leadership role, there is chaos in the home. So the apostle's word to a wife is, submit yourself to your husband. Follow him, not in things that are wrong according to your conscience, but show yourselves to be behind your husband in everything that is right.

This is addressed to wives. It is not the husband's responsibility to make his wife submit! After the first service this morning a man said to me, I opened my Bible the other day and the first thing I saw was this verse, 'Wives, submit to your husbands.' I said to him, But that is not addressed to you. That is something Paul tells your wife to do. It is the next verse that God addresses to you. The husband's role in marriage is contained in Paul's words, Love your wife. The word is agapao. That is God's word for love: honor, value, respect, guard, protect, delight in your wife. This is something a husband is to plan for and work at, not only on Valentine's Day or on wedding anniversaries, but all through the year as well.

Husbands must also put off harshness in relation to their wives. It belongs to the old nature. Husbands are not to be caustic, bitter, resentful or sarcastic toward their wives. These things are especially hurtful to women. Lord Byron said, Man's love is of man's life a thing apart; 'tis woman's whole existence. Women are made differently than men. You can be sharp with a man friend and he will shrug it off and not become upset by it. But if you do that with your wife, you will cut her deeply. So put off these traits of criticism and sarcasm. They are from the old life.

Thank you for the gift of marriage, Father. Just as you have loved me unconditionally, teach me to love others in the same way. Amen.

​

Life Application​

If you are married, how can you grow in the role you have been given as husband or wife? If you are not married, pray for a couple you are close to.

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 26th​

Children and Fathers​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:20-21

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
Colossians 3:20-21

The word obey comes from Greek words which mean to hear under someone. Thus, children are exhorted to listen to their parents, recognizing that they are over them and have authority in their lives. Parents should point out to their children that they can please God by their willing obedience to them. Why is that pleasing to God? Because it preserves peace in the home, for one thing. Disobedient children are always a cause of strife and difficulty. Further, because it teaches respect for all authority. God knows that this is an immensely important part of life and ought to be taught to children as they are growing up.

Next, the apostle gives us the other side of the coin in words addressed to fathers. The word for embitter is from the word to stir up, arouse, or irritate. That does not mean that parents are never to say or do anything that makes their children feel irritated. Discipline can often irritate a child. We must not seek to avoid every instance of that. But this word is given in the present continuous tense. Thus it is really saying, Fathers, do not keep on irritating your children. Don't keep hammering away at it, nagging them, or they will become discouraged.

This is an important lesson for fathers. One of my grandsons was a bit sullen the other day when I was correcting him about something. When I asked him why he was acting that way, he said, Because you're always accusing me. That gave me pause. I did not realize it looked like that to him. I did not think I was always accusing him, but to him it looked that way. I realized I had better change and approach things differently. That is what this word to fathers is about.

I have discovered through long experience that there are three things fathers do that are particularly irritating to children. The first is to ignore them. A father who has no time for his child soon creates in him a deep-seated resentment. The child may not know how to articulate the problem, but he feels worthless. A second source of irritation is to indulge your children, giving them everything they want. That soon will make them restless and dissatisfied. Children long for guidance and direction, not for superficial indulgence. Such indulgence will frequently create a deep-seated feeling of resentment. Insulting them, calling them names and putting them down, is also a source of resentment in children. They will become discouraged and put off from the things of God. I once heard of a father who was in the military and who would line up his children every morning and give them orders. Once as he was giving them their orders for the day he asked, Any questions? His son put up his hand and asked, How do you get out of this outfit? Many a child sooner or later will be asking the same question if their fathers do not obey the word of the apostle, Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Thank you for the gift of children, Lord. Teach me to love and lead them the way you have loved and led me. Amen.

​

Life Application​

In what ways do your words and ways with your children bring bitterness and discouragement?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 27th​

As Unto the Lord​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 3:22-4:1

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism. Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Colossians 3:22-4:1

These are words to Christian slaves. At this time, one half of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire were slaves to the other half. Most households had several slaves, thus they formed an important part of the economy of the empire. People often ask, why do the Scriptures not directly address the problem of slavery? Why were masters not instructed to free their slaves? The answer is that conditions were not ripe for that. Several attempts to foment revolt among the slaves had already occurred in Roman history. The slave Spartacus had already led a revolt that was crushed with an iron fist, resulting in even worse conditions for slaves.

We need to apply these words of the apostle in the realm of our work today. When you commit yourself to work for somebody you are, in a sense, obligated to them for the hours involved. Employers cannot control the rest of your life, but to some degree they have a right to control your life during working hours. We are to work as unto the Lord. That is to be our motivation. It is the Lord Christ we are serving. Every employee ought to write that down and put it where he can see it at work.

Do not ever work for anyone else, as a believer; work only for the Lord. Your employer may pay your salary, but it is the Lord for whom you are working. If you do that, both the quality and the quantity of your work will improve because you are working out of gratitude and love to the Lord. And there is a reward involved. He is making reference to the judgment seat of Christ, the time of appraisal when every believer will stand before the Lord who will give judgment as to what he has been doing in life. There will be reward for that which is done from a proper motive of thanksgiving and glory to God.

Employers, be concerned about how generously and justly you treat your workers! Again, it is all to be done in light of the great appraisal which is yet to come, when hearts will be revealed. Here is revealed God's concern for justice and fairness. Some scholars suggest that perhaps in those days of slavery, masters were being gently exhorted here to provide means by which slaves could build up a financial fund whereby they could eventually buy their freedom. Thus, in time, conditions and attitudes toward slavery would change and the practice would disappear from the empire. That is what eventually happened. Without a violent overthrow, without revolution of any kind, the preaching and teaching of equality in Christ changed the atmosphere of the Roman Empire and slaves at last were set free.

Father, how searching these words can be as your Spirit takes them and probes the depths of my heart in regard to my work. Grant to me that I correct what is wrong in my own life in the light of this word. Amen.
Life Application

How might the quality of your work, as well as your whole attitude in doing it, be different if you were do it as unto the Lord?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 28th​

Prayer and Witness​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Colossians 4:2-5

Prayer ought to be a central practice of our lives. Paul says to watch and pray. This brings to mind the words of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He said to them, watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. They did not obey him but fell asleep, unaware of the danger they were in. Consequently, Peter denied his Lord, and James and John fled in the darkness and abandoned the Lord.

This word underscores the awareness that we live in a dangerous world. We are under subtle attack all the time, and we ought to be aware of what that is doing to our lives — how it robs us of our joy, takes away our peace, or restricts our love, changing us and making us dull and shallow in our reactions. When you sense something lessening spiritual vigor in your life, pray that God will restore it. And not only pray for yourself but pray for others too, for open doors for those who are ministering. Paul is in prison, limited, in chains, and he is asking that God will set him free to proclaim this magnificent message, the mystery of Christ.

Christianity is indeed a revolutionary, even a dangerous movement. The church is a dangerous body of people. Turned loose in this world, the church will challenge many things that are going on around us. And it ought to do so. We will find ourselves in trouble at times. That is why we need to watch and pray.

Yet further, we need to be sensitive, to be wise in the way we act toward outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity. That is the sensitive thing to do. Listen to the way you talk. What do non-Christians think of the way you act? Dr. Richard Halverson, the Senate Chaplain, told me once of a home Bible study he had attended where both Christians and non-Christians were present. One man opened the class in prayer, and while he was praying, Richard, like many of us at times do, was saying a quiet Amen, amen, to what the man prayed. The next morning the man said to him, I was very grateful to have you at the class last night. But when I was praying I kept hearing you say, Amen. Have you considered what the non-Christians present thought of that? They are not used to that kind of thing. They must have thought you were a fanatic.

They probably felt uncomfortable. Richard Halverson had the grace to say, I appreciate that man. I'm glad he pointed that out to me. In the early days when we had a number of large evangelistic home Bible studies, one of the problems we faced was from Christians, reflecting a self-righteous attitude, who raised questions that made others feel uncomfortable. That is terribly wrong. Here Paul reminds us to be sensitive and wise in the way we act, but to make the most of every opportunity. Because the days are evil, opportunities for witness abound on every side.

Father, let me see those open doors which you have placed before me. Teach me to be a winsome witness of your love and grace. Amen.

​

Life Application​

Do you sense something lessening spiritual vigor in your life? Take some time to pray that God will restore it.

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 29th​

Agonizing in Prayer​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 4:7-13

Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Colossians 4:12-13

We have already met Epaphras in the opening verses of this letter. He was the evangelist who first began the church at Colossae. Epaphras also had a pastor's heart. He labored in teaching and in prayer to bring these Colossian Christians to maturity. We do not know how he got to Rome. He may have gone there to get apostolic instruction on how to deal with this terribly subtle and powerful false teaching that had surfaced in Colossae.

It is interesting to remember that in the letter to Philemon, Epaphras is called a fellow prisoner of the apostle. That may indicate that he too was arrested by the Romans when he came to visit Paul and was chained as well as the apostle. This would explain why he was unable to return to Colossae. In his absence he wrestled or agonized in prayer for the Colossian saints, praying that they may stand firm in the will of God, be mature and fully assured. What a lesson that is concerning prayer! How many times do we pray with agony like this? Oftentimes we are more interested in what we can get from God.

I am reminded of a Reader's Digest article I read the other day about a military commander who was giving instructions to a group of raw recruits. I am your commanding officer, he told them, and when I give you an order I expect you to obey it instantly. But aside from that, I want you to think of me as a father and come and talk to me about your problems. Immediately a hand went up and a voice said, Hey pop, how about me borrowing the jeep tonight? God is our Father, and many of us think of prayer as a way we can get things from him. Oftentimes our prayers reflect that shallow concept. But Epaphras interceded with agony and perseverance on behalf of others.

You too may be separated from loved ones who need spiritual help. What can you do? You can pray for them. Prayer is a marvelous provision to release spiritual power into an individual's life, to remove obstacles and open doors. It may take a long time, so prayer must be persevering. My wife and I recently have had the joy of seeing God open doors for someone close to us for whom we have been praying for many years. Finally, this man is beginning to melt and respond as God answers prayer for him.

Thank you, Father, for the gift of prayer. Ignite my heart that I might learn to agonize in prayer. Amen.

​

Life Application​

When is the last time you actually agonized in prayer over something? What was it and why did it touch you like that?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.

 

[Obadiah]

Devotion for Today — November 30th​

Take Heed to the Ministry​

Read the Scripture: Colossians 4:14-18

Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.
Colossians 4:17

In the letter to Philemon we learn that Archippus was most likely the son of Philemon. He had a certain ministry given to him which he was neglecting, so Paul reminds him to take heed to the ministry or complete the work. No one knows what that ministry was, but the important thing was that he had a ministry, as do all Christians! Here again is a greatly neglected aspect of the church today.

We have been taught for so long that when we come to church, the ministers are those who stand up in front and lead the meeting. But that was not the case in the early churches. The ministers are the coaches; the players are those in the pews. They are the ones who have the work of the ministry. Paul says in the letter to the Ephesians that leaders are to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. You are the ministers. You are the ones responsible to carry on the work.

The church does not meet to worship and to learn, period. We meet to worship and to learn in order that we may prepare each believer for his or her ministry. That is what Paul is doing here. He is stirring up this young man to take on the work that God had given him to do. This is a very important truth, one which the devil resists strongly because it is so powerful. When individual Christians begin to recognize that God can and will work through them, they begin to sense new excitement and challenge. Christian life is no longer boring and routine.

How do we discover these ministries which God has given? We find them by responding to a need that is right at our doorstep. You do not have to look for a ministry, it is usually right in front of you — on the bus, in your carpool, with your neighbor next door. Respond to a need. Speak to some lonely person. Open up your home to someone who is homeless. Do a kind deed to some widow on your block who needs help. Have a cup of coffee with somebody.

That is how you find the ministry which is given by the Lord himself. If you follow it up you will soon discover that you have an exciting door of opportunity opened to you. Perhaps others can join in with you, and life becomes for all a tremendous adventure of faith. That is what the apostle is talking about here in this letter. That is how the church spread through these three cities and began to affect that whole section of the Roman Empire.

Lord, what is the ministry that you have especially equipped me for? Help me to see what is right in front of me as I respond to needs that come my way. Give me eyes to see what You see and a heart to listen to your promptings. Amen.

​

Life Application​

Do you daily ask Jesus to use you to use your gifts to meet seemingly inconsequential needs?

Daily Devotion © 2024 by Ray Stedman Ministries.