Here we are on Day 2 of making 2019 the year of MORE. I hope you’re tracking with me and that we’re in this thing together.
But the truth is, I’m moving forward in my walk with the Lord and my quest for MORE of Him… even if I have to do it alone.
I’m ready to make 2019 the year of…
- MORE time in the Word / LESS time wasted
- MORE intentional life for God / LESS random reactionary living
- MORE peace / LESS stress
- MORE joy / LESS fretting
- MORE humility / LESS pride
- MORE fulfilling your God-given calling / LESS erratic ricochetting through life
- MORE contentment / LESS longing for what you don’t have
- MORE patience / LESS frustration
- MORE of Jesus / LESS of us
And today we find ourselves in Colossians 1:10. Below, I’ve provided both the NKJV and the Amplified Classic so you could see a side-by-side comparison. As I’m sure you can already tell, I’m a big fan of the Amplified because I love the depth it gives by including expanded definitions of some key words in various verses.
Take a minute and read the way Colossians 1:10 reads in both the NKJV and the Amplified Classic.
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Colossians 1:10 NKJV that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; |
Colossians 1:10 Amplified Classic That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. |
I’m just wondering if you’re like me. Doesn’t getting a glimpse of what some of those key words really mean make your heart smile big time and make you wide-eyed for MORE?
So let’s look at the questions in our devotional together…
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- What does it really mean to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing?
- What are some ways you can personally walk worthy of the Lord and bear fruit in every good work?
- How can you walk worthy & increase in the knowledge of God more in 2019?
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The first answer is a biblical one provided by studying the Scripture. The other answers are based on personal and practical application of biblical principles.
Before we start looking at each question, I’d like to highlight a few things about this verse.
First of all, today’s verse is only part of a sentence.
Paul is writing to the saints at Colosse and he is telling them that THIS is what he praying for them. He had heard of their sincere faith begins his prayer in verse 9 saying for “this reason” – meaning because you are believers and have embraced Christ and the hope He alone can give, this is what I pray for you…
“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;”
Perhaps you’ve implemented this prayer in your own life for those you know and love – or maybe for yourself. I have done the same. But this verse also reminds me that I should be praying for the saints that I don’t know personally as well.
- MORE prayer for those I know.
- MORE prayer for those I don’t know: Christians around the world. Pastors. Missionaries. The persecuted Church.
This was one of my MORE moments as I studied this verse. MORE intentional and specific prayer for those I don’t know as well as those I do.
And then Paul goes on to pray this for the saints at Colosse…
- that you may walk worthy of the Lord,
- fully pleasing Him,
- being fruitful in every good work
- increasing in the knowledge of God
It’s like Paul was giving us some very specific marching orders. A kind of Christian to-do list of sorts.
- Walk worthy.
- Live to fully please God.
- Be fruitful in every good work.
- Increase in your knowledge of God.
It’s what we’re called to, so we need to know what it means and what it looks like in real life.
What does it really mean to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing?
Walk worthy (peripateō axiōs) – to conduct yourself in a manner that is suitable to a child of God. In other words, to be diligent and intentional in what you say, think, and do to be worthy of who Christ died to make you.
Fully pleasing to God (areskeia) – found only in Colossians 1:10 and comes from the root words meaning compliance. It carries the meaning of having a sincere desire to please God.
Being fruitful in every good work (καρποφορέωkarpophoreō en πᾶςpas ἀγαθόςagathos ergon) – that every endeavor (work) should be good, godly, holy, and bring forth fruit… be productive in a way that honors God.
Increasing in the knowledge of God (auxanō eis epignōsis θεόςtheos) – this reverts back to what Paul said he was praying for… that they would be filled the knowledge of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. To be filled, one first must increase what is already present. The verbiage in the original language calls us to take personal responsibility for the increase and the increase is that we know God more. We learn his will, His ways, His heart. We become acquainted with God in a personal way to such depth that we can really know Him personally… not just know facts about Him.
The MORE for me in a deeper study of God’s Word reveals I need to be more intentional about walking worthy and seeking to fully please God in all I do.
I need to be MORE prayerfully focused on doing good works that will be fruitful. I don’t want to do works for the sake of works. I need to be MORE prayerful about what I do and ask God to lead me in the works HE wants me to do for His glory.
I need to take personal responsibility for my spiritual growth so that I can increase in the knowledge of God. That I may KNOW HIM MORE in 2019 and not be content with the level of knowledge I have of God now. I want to know Him MORE personally, MORE passionately, MORE intimately, and MORE practically in 2019.
How about you? What’s your MORE from Colossians 2:10?
What are some ways you can personally walk worthy of the Lord and bear fruit in every good work?
Practically, we can all scan Scripture and find a multitude of ways we can serve the Lord intentionally and bear fruit in the process.
We can begin by making a list of some of the things we are doing and the fruit those works are bearing and also make a list of some things the Lord may have placed on our hearts or that we find in His Word and begin doing those new works He may want to do through us.
Here’s a snapshot of my list:
CURRENT WORKS: POSSIBLE FRUIT:
Teaching God’s Word Spiritual Growth personally & in others
Writing & Speaking Seeing spiritual light bulbs go on in the hearts of women that increases their faith
The MOM Initiative Equipping leaders & churches & seeing moms grow as moms & in their faith
Jail MOM Group Seeing incarcerated moms get saved, grow in the Word & find hope in Christ
My Wife Life Helping my hubby by being the wife I need to be for him & praying for him
My Mom Life Praying for my sons, their wives & my grand girl & seeing God work in their lives
POTENTIAL WORKS: POSSIBLE FRUIT:
Prayer Doing the work of intercessory prayer is hard work but God brings for the best fruit
Writing & Speaking Finish self-publishing Equipped series to help others be equipped in the Word
The MOM Initiative Meeting with ministry leaders will help launch more mentoring relationships
Work Ministry I’m starting a new job & look forward to seeing how God will use me there
What about you? Will you make a list and be intentionally intentional about MORE good works and MORE fruit that is pleasing to God in 2019?
How can you walk worthy & increase in the knowledge of God more in 2019?
We talked about walking worthy and some of the answers are above. But walking worthy means knowing what that means and what that looks like in real life and then doing it.
And we increase in the knowledge of God by finding Him where He reveals Himself to us most clearly… in His Word.
There is no substitute for time spent in the Word of God.
Serving God is not a substitute for knowing Him.
Our service for God should come from an overflow of our relationship with God. Not as a substitute for it.
So, dig deep my sweet friend. I promise you’ll always find MORE when you do!