Glory Message for November 16, 2013 - Colossians 1 - 4 from The Book of Life Bible
Greetings
1 Paul, a shaliach of Messiah Yeshua by God’s will, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the kedoshim, the faithful brethren in Messiah, who are at Colossae:
Grace and shalom to you from God our Father!
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, whenever we pray for you. 4 For we heard of your trust in Messiah Yeshua and the love you have for all the kedoshim 5 because of the hope stored up for you in heaven. You heard before about this hope in the true message of the Good News 6 that has come to you. In all the world this Good News is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has in you since you first heard it and came to truly know God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras—our dearly loved fellow slave, who is a faithful servant of Messiah on our behalf. 8 He also made clear to us your love in the Ruach. 9 For this reason also, ever since we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We keep asking God that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding— 10 to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. 11 We pray that you may be strengthened with all the power that comes from His glorious might, for you to have all kinds of patience and steadfastness. With joy 12 we give thanks to the Father, who qualified you to share in the inheritance of the kedoshim in the light. 13 He rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom He loves. 14 In Him we have redemption—the release of sins.
Ben-Elohim Is Supreme
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created— in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, whether thrones or angelic powers or rulers or authorities. All was created through Him and for Him. 17 He exists before everything, and in Him all holds together. 18 He is the head of the body, His community. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead— so that He might come to have first place in all things. 19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace through the blood of His cross— whether things on earth or things in heaven! 21 Once you were alienated from God and hostile in your attitude by wicked deeds. 22 But now He has reconciled you in Messiah’s physical body through death, in order to present you holy, spotless and blameless in His eyes— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, established and firm, not budging from the hope of the Good News that you have heard. This Good News has been proclaimed throughout all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.
The Mystery Revealed
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and in my physical body—for the sake of His body, Messiah’s community—I fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Messiah. 25 I became its servant according to God’s commission, given to me for you, in order to declare His message in full— 26 the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His kedoshim. 27 God chose to make known to them this glorious mystery regarding the Gentiles—which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory! 28 We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Messiah. 29 To this end I labor, striving with all His strength which is powerfully at work in me.
1 I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, as well as for those who have still not seen me face to face. 2 My purpose is that their hearts, joined together in love, may be encouraged. May they have all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, leading to a true knowledge of the mystery of God—that is, Messiah. 3 In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. 4 I am telling you this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive-sounding arguments. 5 For even though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit—rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your trust in Messiah.
Living Out the Mystery
6 Therefore as you received Messiah Yeshua as Lord, so continue to walk in Him— 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in your faith just as you were taught, overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world rather than Messiah. 9 For all the fullness of Deity lives bodily in Him, 10 and in Him you have been filled to fullness. He is the head over every ruler and authority.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision done not by hand, in the stripping away of the body of the flesh through the circumcision of Messiah. 12 You were buried along with Him in immersion, through which you also were raised with Him by trusting in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Him when He pardoned us all our transgressions. 14 He wiped out the handwritten record of debts with the decrees against us, which was hostile to us. He took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 After disarming the principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.
The Danger of False Wisdom
16 Therefore, do not let anyone pass judgment on you in matters of food or drink, or in respect to a festival or new moon or Shabbat. 17 These are a foreshadowing of things to come, but the reality is Messiah. 18 Let no one disqualify you by insisting on false humility and worship of angels—going into detail about what he has seen, puffed up without cause by his fleshly mind. 19 He is not holding fast to the Head. It is from Him that the whole body, nourished and held together by its joints and tendons, grows with a godly increase. 20 If you died with Messiah to the basic principles of the world, why—as though living in the world—do you subject yourselves to their rules? 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!” 22 These all lead to decay with use, based as they are on man-made commands and teachings. 23 Indeed, these are matters that have an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and self-denial of the body—yet none are of any value for stopping indulgence of the flesh.
Put Off the Old, Put On the New
1 Therefore, if you have been raised up with Messiah, keep seeking the things above—where Messiah is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Focus your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Messiah in God. 4 When Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him, in glory!
5 Therefore, put to death what is earthly in you—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed—for that is idolatry. 6 Because of such things God’s wrath is coming upon the sons of disobedience. 7 At one time you also walked in these ways, when you used to live in these ways. 8 But now, set them all aside—anger, rage, malice, slander, and foul language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another. After all, you have taken off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self that is being renewed in knowledge, according to the image of the One who created him. 11 Here there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, savage, slave and free; but Messiah is all, and in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves in tender compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience— 13 bearing with one another and forgiving each other, if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord pardoned you, so also you must pardon others. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfect harmony. 15 Let the shalom of Messiah rule in your hearts—to this shalom you were surely called in one body. Also be thankful. 16 Let the word of Messiah dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Orderly, Mutual Relationships
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not become harsh toward them.
20 Children, obey your parents in every respect, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your human masters in every respect—not just within your master’s sight as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it from the soul, as for the Lord and not for people. 24 For you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as a reward. It is to the Lord Messiah you are giving service. 25 For the one doing wrong will be paid back for what he did wrong, and there is no favoritism.
1 Masters, give your slaves what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Devote Yourselves to Prayer
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, keep praying for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the message, to proclaim the mystery of Messiah—for which I am in prison. 4 Pray that I may make the mystery clear, as I ought to speak. 5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, to know how you ought to answer everyone.
Further Instructions and Greetings
7 Tychicus—a dearly loved brother and trustworthy servant and fellow slave to the Lord—will tell you all the news about me. 8 I sent him to you for this very purpose, so you may know about us and he may encourage your hearts. 9 With him I sent Onesimus—a faithful and dear brother, who is one of your own. They will tell you about everything here.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You received instructions about him—if he comes your way, welcome him.) 11Yeshua who is called Justus also sends his greetings. These are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God that are from among the circumcision—they have been a comfort to me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of your own, a slave of Messiah Yeshua, greets you. He is always laboring in prayer on your behalf, so you may stand complete and fully assured about everything that is God’s will. 13 For I testify that he has gone to much trouble for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dearly loved physician, sends you greetings, and so does Demas.
15 Greet the brethren in Laodicea, as well as Nympha and the community that meets in her house. 16 When this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in Messiah’s community of Laodicea. In turn, you should read my letter coming from Laodicea. 17 Tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the service you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” 18 This greeting is in my own hand—Paul’s. Remember my chains!
Grace be with you.