Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 254- Colossians 4:2-6 – Prayer With An Alert Mind – Growing As Disciples
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:2-6 (NLT)
Opportunities
You need to be prayerful. You need to be watchful. You need to be thankful. Why is that? I’m not doubting that I need to be prayerful, watchful, and thankful. I want to understand fully why I need to ne prayerful, watchful, and thankful. I doubt that I know what you have on your mind. So, here I am, you have my full attention. I am listening attentively to you. You will miss opportunities to be my witness in the world if you are not prayerful, watchful, and thankful. You will not recognize wide open opportunities to proclaim me to others if you are not prayerful, watchful, and thankful. Can you be more specific? Can you give me more details? Yes, I can. Yes, I will.
If you are prayerful you will be listening attentively to me. You will hear my voice guiding you through life. You will be relying on me. You will not be relying on yourself. Remember your thoughts are not my thoughts. Remember your ways are not my ways. As you prayerfully listen, you will go where I guide you. As you prayerfully listen, you will do what I ask of you. Your heart and mind and life will be open to what I want to do in and through you. You will be able to know and do my will. Are these good enough reasons to be prayerful? They are excellent reasons to be prayerful. I will be prayerful as I walk through life with you. That will be very good.
You need to be watchful. Being watchful is a part of being prayerful. You will have wide open opportunities to share me with others. Doors will open wide for you to proclaim the good news of the Gospel to others. If you are not prayerfully watchful you will likely fail to recognize these opportunities. You will be distracted. You will be busy. You will be diverted to a thousand different tasks that will have no lasting and eternal value. You will misspend your time and talents and resources on what will not last. You will not bear fruit for my kingdom. You will not store up treasure in heaven with me. Are these good enough reasons to be watchful? They are excellent reasons to be watchful. I will be watchful as I walk through life with you. That will be very good.
You need to be thankful. You will go through up and down and twists and turns in life. You will experience pain and suffering and loss in life. How you go through difficulties and adverse circumstances will determine if you will or will not be a powerful witness for me in the world. You can become bitter and resentful or you can remain thankful that I am with you help through life. Know this, your darkest hours will be some of your best opportunities to shine brightly for me in the darkness of this world. Is this a good reason to be thankful? This is an excellent reason to be thankful. I will be thankful as I walk through life with you. That will be very good.
Lord, I will be watchful, prayer and thankful as I walk through life with you. Use every circumstance of my life as an opportunity to be a bold witness for you. Give me abundant opportunities to proclaim you graciously, attractively, and powerfully to others. Amen
Key Question… When have difficult and trying circumstances given you an opportunity to be a witness for Christ?
Living It Out… Be watchful and prayerful and thankful looking for every opportunity to share Christ with others.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will be given wide open opportunities to share Christ with others.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you have been given opportunities to share Christ with others.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you be devoted to prayer with an alert mind and thankful heart.
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Promises – Day 254 – Colossians 4-2-6 – Prayer With An Alert Mind – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide
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