OzThoughts Monday 28th September 2009

OzThoughts Monday 28th September 2009

“May everything good from God our Father be yours!” That is Paul’s prayer for the Christians at Colosae. I imagine at the commencement of this week it is our prayer for ourselves, and our loved ones, too.

Paul does not stop with that prayer. As he prays, he thanks God for a number of things about the Colossians. It seems as if Paul is praying for “additional blessings” not “initial blessings” for the Colossians. Also, it seems to me the “additional blessings” are not rewards, they are just a part of the ongoing relationship with God.

Paul gives thanks to God for the following reasons he finds in the Colossians faith:

• Their steady faith in Christ, our Jesus
• The love they continuously extend to all Christians
• The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack
• The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger… in you.

[Listen: Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3633.mp3
or
Band and Congregation: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_766.mp3 ]


Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his wold rejoices;
Who from our mothers' arms
Hath blessed on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.

2.
O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever-joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us,
And keep us in his grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next.

3.
All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The Son and him who reigns
With them in highest Heaven.
The one eternal God,
Whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.
Authors: Martin Rinkart (1588-1649)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1827-78)




Colossians 1:1-5 (The Message)
1-2I, Paul, have been sent on special assignment by Christ as part of God's master plan. Together with my friend Timothy, I greet the Christians and stalwart followers of Christ who live in Colosse. May everything good from God our Father be yours!
Working in His Orchard
3-5Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Admin Notice: Copyright is not and has never been claimed for the original work (comments) in OzThoughts. Where material has been sourced from other places the reference is always given. If you find OzThoughts helpful, you may use it in your ministry or elsewhere. It would be kind if you acknowledged OzThoughts as your source, and even better if you suggested people subscribe to OzThoughts].

Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a message) to :
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au (Tell them to check their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome to join:

SalvationArmy3: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/




Subscribe: OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au

Unsubscribe: OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.au

OzThoughts
Writer (Only): OzThoughts@yahoo.com.au