Pickin' and Choosin' in Prayer

      
Colossians 4-Part 1
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.   Colossians 4:2


LET IT GLOW

I must confess that there are times that I grow weary in praying for others. How about you? Maybe it's because my prayers haven't been answered yet. Their names seem to fall by the wayside in my prayertime. Maybe the problem is that I am praying for my will and not for God's will to be done in that person's life. I think they should be or do this or that. Perhaps on my time table, it  has been a long time to pray without changes seen. But all this is all from my perspective.
1 Thessalonians 5: 17 says, "Pray without ceasing." So I should not STOP praying  for that person. God is hearing my prayers, working on His time table, not mine, working in His way, not mine. Keep on praying. I do not want people to give up and stop praying  for me, so I should continue praying for others.

In verse 2, Paul says to continue in prayer. Obviously, in order to continue then we must be doing it already.

This is an appeal to give constant attention to prayer. The Christian should persevere steadfastly in intercession.
Ephesians 6:18 states, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

Philippians 4:6 says, "Be careful for nothing; but in ever thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." 

(Did you notice it said for ALL SAINTS?) That word ALL jumped out at me. Forgive me, Lord, for pickin' and choosin' for whom I pray.

Prayer was the secret to the prospering Colossian church (1:3-8). It would only continue to prosper through vigilance in prayer. We are to always pray with thanksgiving for the great things God has done.
(David Guzik)
So I am to continue to pray with thanksgiving. Pray for everything, whether joyful, or sorrowful, mercies temporal and spiritual, nation, family, and individual. (Jamison, Fausset, Brown Commentary)

1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concening you."

I have learned some things from the Word today.


LET IT GROW

Verse 1 in this chapter talks to masters, employers, supervisors, bosses. Let's see what it says.

David Guzik's Commentaries on the Bible says:

Be just and fair to those who work for you. It is a terrible thing for a boss to cheat or mistreat his workers, but for worse for a Christian to do it. Christian masters or supervisors need to remember that they have a Master in heaven that they must answer to. Would they like God to treat them with the same measure of justice and fairness they have treated their workers with?

Just means what is due to others and equal means fairness. (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament)

"Render on your part that which is right and fair; deal equitably. This would solve a lot of problems between management and  labor. God keeps His eye on the character and conduct of all me, and "every one of us whall gaive account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12). Liberty Bible Commentary

As a Christian business owner, I shall be just and fair in the way I treat my employees. Treat others the way I want to be treated.


LET IT GO

Continue in prayer and give thanks to God for all He has done and will do.

Treat employees just and fair.