“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:14).

Love is not what you feel, but what you do.  Put on the love of Christ and live as a member of His family.  Treat others as Christ would treat them.  Is this not what the Lord desires amongst His faithful?  Come then and live into the life which is offered you by grace and learn how to live that life through what Scripture teaches.  The Lord prayed that we would be one.  Be one with Him and others.

Lord, You prayed that we would be one even as You are One in Trinity.  Lead me to understand more and more each day what this means.  Mature me so that I may be guided by You and not by the things of this world.  In the hope that You give, guide me, Lord, in order that I may learn to love and be loved.  Teach me what it means to be in unity with You and with those around me who are also in You.

Lord Jesus, there are many things You taught Your disciples.  There are also many things that You prayed for us who follow You to do.  Guide me to learn and to fulfill the prayers You prayed so that in the Father’s will, all might be as He desires.  You know how this can be accomplished.  Guide me to conform to your will that I may be one with You as You prayed.  Lead me where I need to go.  Amen.

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you” (Colossians 3:12-13).

Listen to this once again, “Put on.”  This speaks of our need to first put these things on.  Of course you do not have it to begin with.  What you do have does need to grow and mature. Put on these things of holiness so that You may be led ever deeper into the faith.  Love others by acting as if you do.  Care for another as if you actually do.  This is the process that Lord has given us to do these things.

Lord, grant that I would have the fortitude to step out in faith and actually put into practice what You are telling me to do.  Guide me in Your goodness to see that in You alone is the hope I need to accomplish the challenges that You put before me.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of life so that I would live the life You give me.  Help me to become like You in order that my journey in faith may be made complete.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving me the grace and mercy to accomplish what I can in this faith You have given me.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may now and always live in the way which You have established.  Thank You for the mercy You give me when I do not live this way.  In all things, strengthen me that I may finish the course You have set before me in faith.  Amen.

“Put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him – a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:10-11).

If it helps, think of these things in this way: begin the journey of behaving the way the Lord says to behave by pretending that you actually believe.  It will not be long before you actually love the one you did not love, or do what you would never have done before.  This, in part, is putting off the old Adam and putting on Christ.  In these things, you begin by giving it your best and then the Lord does the real heavy lifting.

Lord, I often want a miracle where what I do not feel like doing is instantly replaced with a desire to do it.  You have made it such that I must first try before You step in to do what needs to be done.  Lead me to be willing to step into faith and give it my best shot knowing that You are the only One who can bring things to pass.  You have set me free along with all who turn to You regardless of what we were before.

Christ Jesus, You give me hope because in You all things are possible.  Lead me this day to step beyond myself and into the life You have given me through grace.  Guide me so that it is You and no one else who is leading me. Grant that the desire of my heart becomes what You have intended for my heart to desire.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth in order that I may humbly walk with You always.  Amen.

“Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices” (Colossians 3:9)

Deceit, slight variations of the truth and other things that are commonly done in this world should be put away.  Do not ask another how they are doing unless you really would like to know what is going on in their life.  Loving others means treating them as you would want to be treated.  Be guided by what is always right and fitting and never repay evil with evil; but repay evil with good.

Lord, show me those places where I am not honest and truthful.  Teach me to be honest and truthful, but also, always discrete.  You know what is needed, so lead me along the path of learning these things so that I may become more and more like Jesus.  Keep me from the practices of evil and teach me the way of Christ.  Show me the difference in order that I may do this every day.

Lord Jesus, You are the way.  Teach me today the way of rightly living in this world.  Guide me according to Your goodness to be sensitive to all things such that I am guarded by truth in the living of my life.  Guarded, but never afraid.  For the sake of the Gospel, guide me into Gospel living so that I may always humbly abide in the salvation You have given me and do what is pleasing in the Father’s sight. Amen.

“But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth” (Colossians 3:8).

The old Adam (Eve) rages in the inner person but the new person justified by grace through faith lives in  the Spirit of Christ and works for the peace that surpasses all understanding.  But keep in mind, this is done not to gain, for you have already been given life, but to prepare to share that life in eternity with Christ.  Therefore, in putting these hurtful things aside, do so in the fullness of love and never in a self-motivated act of the will.  But do put them aside.

Lord, You know where I struggle.  There are those who do not have this struggle, but they have their own struggles.  No matter the struggle I have with the flesh, guide me, Lord, so that I would walk humbly with You and do what is pleasing in Your sight.  Lead me, O Lord, and I will be led.  Teach me Lord and help me to learn.  In all things, guide me to spend eternity with You by living according to Your will.

Lord Jesus, You are the example of the godly life.  Day by day and step by step, You showed Your disciples the way of living life in a way that is pleasing to the Father.  Help me to put aside those things that are not good, right and salutary.  Help me to do what is right regardless of how I feel.  In and through all things, continue to work in me Your good will that I may be ready to be with You forever.  Amen.

“For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them” (Colossians 3:6-7).

No matter what people think, or how angry they get, the wrath of God has already been poured out.  As many as believe, to them He gives life.  As many as do not believe, to them wrath will be received.  It is not that God desires this, for we know that the Lord desires that none would perish, but it is as it must be.  Do not walk as a child of wrath, but as a child of the light.

Lord, I do know the difference.  I do know what is right and wrong.  You have written these things upon my heart.  Lead me away from the things that are wrong in order that I may live the good life.  Not the pleasure-loving life this world calls good, but a life that is filled with the fruit of the Spirit and is in accordance with Your will.  Lead me now and forever so that I may walk humbly with You.

Come Holy Spirit and in Your goodness grant that my ears would be open to Your word and my eyes to Your directing.  Help me to see clearly the difference between the way of grace and the way of wrath. Help me not give into the temptations of the flesh, but live according to the goodness and mercy which is mine through Christ my Savior.  Lead me, O Lord, and I shall be saved.  Amen.

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).

This is not a law that, if you fail to keep you will lose salvation, but a reality of where you are heading. You will fail.  Are you going to live for yourself, or are you going to live into the life of faith which the Lord has given you?  We each have lived idolatry.  Jesus died for our sins and we are to die to them too.  We do this to be resurrected into the new life which is ours through Christ.  Come then into the new life and live.

Lord, teach me to live life.  I know how to die.  I die each time I live out that which the law forbids and I know that the power of sin is death.  Teach me the power of life so that I may live into the life You have given me through faith.  Help me to learn how to live that life in order that I may always be heading in the direction of this new life and living in the way I shall live forever.  Please guide me.

Lord Jesus, You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life so that I may now and always live according to Your Spirit and not according to the flesh.  You know the struggles I have and You have overcome them for me.  Grant Your grace so that I may, by grace, accomplish these things according to the Father’s will.  Thank You for the gift of this new life You have made possible.  Amen.

“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).

Saint John says it this way, “What we will be we do not know, but this we know: we shall be like Christ.”  You are a creation in process.  You are being made into a child of the Heavenly Father.  Stay the course and fight the good fight.  Be guided by the Holy Spirit and not by the world.  Know that in the Lord there is all hope and the glory of salvation.  Do not be conformed to this world, but to the Lord.

Lord, You know all of the difficulties I face.  You know what it is like to fight against the trends of this world.  Lead me in holiness so that I may be guided always by You.  Lead me to see through the smoke of this age and stay the course of becoming, this path upon which You have placed me through grace.  You know what lies before me.  Prepare me for the steps I need to take, for the journey ahead of me, and grant that I may not lose heart.

Lord Jesus, You went to the cross so that we may have true life and have it abundantly.  Guide me today and every day in the way of the Gospel in order that I may grow in Your likeness.  Let me receive all that comes knowing that all of these things are preparing me for what the Father has always intended.  Guide me now and always in the way of truth and help me stay consistently on the path You set before me.  Amen.

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2-3).

Set your mind on things above.  How often do we get caught up in the things of this world which do not matter?  Leave them behind and look toward the prize of your salvation.  This does not mean that we are to be checked out in this age, but that we are never to lose sight of where we are going.  Be guided by the Lord and His goodness.  Know that in Him is the way, truth and life.  That which He has promised is sure.

Lord, guide me in the way You know I need to go and let me not take my eye off the goal.  Remind me that this world is a difficult place in which to live and that I will need to fight the good fight of faith.  In and through all things, lead me according to Your goodness to trust that all that needs to happen will happen and that all the difficulties I encounter are a part of Your plan.  Keep my eyes fixed upon You.

Lord Jesus, in You alone do I have hope.  This world is a mess and has been throughout the ages.  Remind me of this so that I do not lose heart.  You have given me Your heart, so let me cling to You as this life is lived in order that I may be guided in Your goodness to do that which is pleasing in Your sight.  Help me now and always, Lord, and remind me as often as I need it that You alone are my hope and stay.  Amen.

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

Now that you know that Christ has come to save you, will you keep walking in the path of salvation?  The world clamors for one to crawl over another to stand in order to stand on top of a pile of things.  The Lord calls you to walk with Him.  Yes, you need what you need, but that is it.  Come then and live into the life You have been given through Christ and know that in Him is all life and true liberty.

Jesus, teach me these things so that I may be guided in the truth of Your example.  Lead me so that I would humbly walk with You, my Lord and God, knowing that You alone can lead me where I need to go.  In Your will Heavenly Father, let me never stray, but always humbly walk with You in the promise of Christ, my Savior.  Lead me, O Lord, and teach me to follow.

Lord Jesus, You showed us through Your willingness to go to death, even death on a cross, so that the way of life is not in this world, but through You.  Guide me in the grace which is mine through You so that I would now and forever live according to the Father’s will.  Help to me see that in You alone is all hope and the glory You promise through the resurrection.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, in the way I need to go.  Amen.