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"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." - Colossians 1:9-14

Our salvation is a rescue operation!

Escape from Oostende Belgium! Circa 1973

For this reason... - the gospel that has come to YOU—requires the utmost in prayerful and practical attention.

1. Pray for each other that God will keep filling you with the knowledge of His will and confidence that God’s will is the pinnacle of wisdom and understanding in your home/life. (1:9)

“Wisdom that excludes Christ or makes Him subordinate is counterfeit.” (David Garland)

2. This kind of confidence will result in living worthy lives that please the Lord. (1:10-12)

- Bearing fruit—don’t just sit there; do something!

- Growing in God-knowledge—“To welcome the gospel is to know God; to know God is to do His will; to do His will is to know more and more of God.” (E.D. Martin)

- Operating fully in the power of God—enduring difficult situations and patient with difficult people because God’s got this!

- Deepening your joy for having hit the spiritual jackpot—negativity and dissatisfaction is completely incompatible with the Christian reality.

3. Living Christ-driven lives will rescue your family from affiliating with the realm of secular darkness. (1:13-14)

The lineup forms quickly to be rescued from Hell until it is discovered that line is really to be rescued from HERE.

Redeemed—owned by the Lord

Forgiven—to leave worldly pursuits that are gateways to sin

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