Epaphras

The apostle Paul speaks very highly of Epahras.

A. He says that Epaphras is a SERVANT of Christ.

B. Epaphras struggles in his prayers while praying for the Colossians Christians.

C. Epaphras prays for them to be mature Christians.

D. He prays that the Colossians Christians will have assurance in the will of God.

That is a good prayer. 

When is the last time you actually struggled while praying for someone else?

We do need to pray for others to become mature in Christ. We need to be always growing as well.

Do you feel assured that you are living out your purpose of God? Do you pray for others to live out God's will for their lives?

Let's pray on behalf of others.

DIVORCE

After you hear the word, once you've come to believe the truth of God, when you are not ashamed to proclaim that Jesus is the son of God, and have had all your sin washed away and have risen from your dead self into a new life by re-enacting the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ through the act of baptism, then comes the hard part. It is the part with which we all need encouraged: Living a life of faithfulness to God and His work.

How would you define faithfulness?

In your marriage if you spoke to your spouse for a minute each day, is that faithfulness.

If you only brought yourself to the presence of your spouse for 1 hour a week, would that be faithfulness?

If you spoke great praise of your spouse in his presence, but lived like a single person the rest of the time, is that faithfulness?

If you dislike being near other people that your spouse dearly loves, how can you say you love him?

Do you feel obligated to take care of your husbands house, his belongings and hate doing the things necessary for upkeep of his household?

Ladies, if we had marriages like that we would not call that faithfulness, we would want out and fast.

Yet that is how so many treat their relationship with God and his family.

I encourage you today to step it up and be faithful if you truly love Him before he gives you an eternal divorce.