Colossians instructs us to redeem the time when speaking with those who have not yet come to the knowledge of the truth. Because we do not know how long they will be in our lives, we need to use the time wisely.
People who are permanent fixture in our lives can suddenly be gone. Jobs, retirements, deaths, changes in our community all have an impact on who interacts with us. There is no time to be lax in what we believe, no time to allow a discrepancy to change our message from sincerity to hypocrisy.
At all times we must always walk circumspectly remembering who we represent (Colossians 4:5-6).
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Salt
“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to speak” (Colossians 4:5-6).
Too much salt makes the food unpalatable. Too little salt makes the food bland and undesirable. We are faced with a creative challenge when sharing God’s message to people. We need to avoid coming on too strongly or not strong enough. Is it any surprise that we need the Holy Spirit to direct us?
Too much salt makes the food unpalatable. Too little salt makes the food bland and undesirable. We are faced with a creative challenge when sharing God’s message to people. We need to avoid coming on too strongly or not strong enough. Is it any surprise that we need the Holy Spirit to direct us?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Prepared Speeches
We are not only told to ask God to create opportunities for us to speak, but we also need to pray that we will have the insight to speak it plainly (Colossians 4:3).
When preparing a speech it is good to practice it aloud in front of a mirror or an imaginary audience. The awkwardness of the speech becomes glaring while we still have an opportunity to change it. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to practice sharing the gospel.
Through prayer and study God will teach us to speak in a manner that will help others understand the gospel (1 Peter 3:15).
When preparing a speech it is good to practice it aloud in front of a mirror or an imaginary audience. The awkwardness of the speech becomes glaring while we still have an opportunity to change it. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to practice sharing the gospel.
Through prayer and study God will teach us to speak in a manner that will help others understand the gospel (1 Peter 3:15).
Monday, March 2, 2009
Hot Chocolet
The kitchen is filled with the aroma of freshly backed chocolate chip cookies. Coffee is brewing, the fragrance of recently ground beans tempt the nostrils. Hot chocolate is simmering on the stove with tiny marshmallows waiting in a glass bowl on the counter. A child comes home from school, homework in a backpack; a spouse enters the front door, briefcase in hand. Who in their right mind is not going to ask for a taste and what cook is not going to grant the request?
This is the mystery of prayer. God has prepared the cookies, coffee, and hot chocolate and all we need to do is request. Yet we remain silent? Why is that? Are we fatalists? Do we think whatever God has planned will happen and therefore we don’t need to do anything but sit back and watch life go by? Curious.
Paul requested the believers of Colossi to pray for him that God would open a door for the word. We also need to pray that the Lord will create opportunities for us to speak the mysteries of Christ (Colossians 4:3).
This is the mystery of prayer. God has prepared the cookies, coffee, and hot chocolate and all we need to do is request. Yet we remain silent? Why is that? Are we fatalists? Do we think whatever God has planned will happen and therefore we don’t need to do anything but sit back and watch life go by? Curious.
Paul requested the believers of Colossi to pray for him that God would open a door for the word. We also need to pray that the Lord will create opportunities for us to speak the mysteries of Christ (Colossians 4:3).
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