Anglican Daily Fountain 16 October 2023 (Devotional Today)
Welcome to Today’s Daily Fountain Devotional of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. Daily Fountain is a daily reading devotional for all Anglicans and Non-Anglicans to read, study, share and discuss the Word of God on a daily basis.
TOPIC: A PLEASANT REPORT
TEXT: Colossians 1:1-21(KJV)
1:1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
1:2. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:3. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
1:4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
1:5. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
1:6. Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
1:7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
1:8. Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
1:9. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
1:10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1:11. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
1:12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
1:13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
1:14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
1:15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
1:16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
1:17. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
1:18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
1:19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
1:20. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
1:21. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Anglican Daily Fountain 16th October 2023 STUDY:
Apostle Paul was always in the business of reaching out to Churches-those he founded and those he had sent teachers to were always in his thoughts and prayers. The letters of the Apostle were not written to seek for prosperity in the things of the world; his letters sought to commend, judge, rebuke and correct, where and when necessary.
From the introduction of this letter, we can clearly see the comfort and joy the Apostle was having from the report given concerning the Church at Colossae. These were neither sugar-coated reports nor were they exaggerated. The relationship of Epaphras with Apostle Paul in verse 7 was the ground on which the testimony of the Colossians Church stood.
Any Church that must produce a joyful and Christ-like report must have or learn about Christ from a man that has met Christ or from a man that has met a man that has met Christ. The power and grace of the gospel are transferable. That is, the grace and the blessings that follow can be transferable from one man to the other. For Apostle Paul says,“When I am not available in the flesh, I have men of like mind that can plant, grow and mature men for the Lord.”
Is this the same of ministers in the Church of God today? What are we handing over to men today: cars, lands, buildings, fat bank accounts and the likes? Where is faith in Christ and love for the saints in the Church today? (Col. 1:3-4). Dear Saints, if your Bishop or Pastor is to call for a report about your faith at home, work or on the road, will you be bold to send it? To the fathers of faith, the concerns of Apostle Paul should be our concern for the Churches under our care. As we meditate on the Colossians report today, let us strive to leave a healthy testimony for generations to come.
PRAYER: Dear Father, hello us to focus on the gospel of Christ and leave a good report, Amen.
forgiveness of our sins in Jesus name. Amen.
