“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:9-10)

All power and authority belong to Jesus.  All means all.  We struggle in this world with the idea of ownership, but the Lord owns what He has made.  But He has set us free.  In that freedom, He seeks to make you complete that You would become a child of God as He, the only begotten, is a Son to the Father.  This is the “in His likeness” of creation.  Be complete by completely submitting to the Lord.

Lord, You know the ways in which I rebel and do not submit to Your authority.  You are the One in whom all things have their being.  In You alone is all hope.  Lead me, O Lord, in order that I may now and always humbly abide in You and You in me.  Guide me along right paths for Your name’s sake.  Keep me always in Your ways so that I may be guided by You along the path of righteousness.

Lead me, Lord Jesus, today and every day.  You know all that I need to do.  You know all that stands in the way.  You know those places in my heart where I need You to remove things and put things in their proper place.  Lead me, Lord, and teach me to follow.  Guide me always according to Your goodness to see, hear, and do what You direct.  Thank You for the call You have given me to follow You.  Amen.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

See to it means that you are to see to it.  No, not everyone has your best interest at heart.  There are those who, for their own reason, will lead you astray.  See to it that you keep your eyes upon Jesus.  He alone is the author and finisher of your faith.  You have heard the Word and you know the truth – Jesus – now do not let anyone take this away from you as has happened to so many in our time.

Lord, there are no special and new gifts which are mine.  I cannot figure out the universe through cryptic understanding.  I am not special, nor different from all others.  I do not have a special anointing of any kind and it does not matter how I feel about anything.  You are God and You have saved me through the cross.  Unite me now and forever with You so that I would not be led astray.

Lord, teach me truth.  Build in me a means of detecting all of the garbage that is spewed in our age.  Do not let me ever be led astray.  Keep me close to You and in the Word You have given me so that I would humbly walk with You always.  Lord, You know what lies before me.  Keep my eyes upon You in order that I would not be led astray by the fancy words of this age during my time in this age.  Amen.

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude” (Colossians 2:6-7).

You are now in relationship.  Relationship in love is never forced, but willingly entered into.  You have received Christ.  What does this mean?  It means that You know He is your Savior and loves you enough to die for you.  He gave up His all for you.  Will you give up your life for Him?  This is the basis of the Christian faith: that in love we would hold onto nothing but Christ.

Lord, guide me to understand the Gospel message You have delivered to the saints.  Help me live into the promise and the discipline of the faith.  Lead me now and always not to live just for myself but in love for others according to Your Word.  You have given me the words of everlasting life; help me to live them.  No matter what it takes, help me learn to live in the discipline You give through faith.

Lord Jesus, You know how difficult it is to navigate in this world.  Lead me, O Lord, in order that I would walk according to Your Word.  You know all that is needed and what lies before me.  Help me always look to You so that I would not be led astray.  Through all that comes, thank You, Lord,  for the gifts of faith and life which You have made possible through Your grace.  In You I have life now and forever.  Amen.

“I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.  For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ” (Colossians 2:4-5).

Are there those who will lead you astray?  Most certainly.  That is why we all must be on our guard and study to know what is right and fitting.  There is a lot of garbage in the world.  The simple truth is that we need to be saved by and through Christ.  Be sure no one leads you away from this truth.  Our life is in and through Christ alone.  Works will never accomplish salvation.

Lord, help me to see that only when I know that I am in You does anything I do amount to anything.  Even then, it is only a response that teaches me how to love as You love.  Guide me, O Lord, and help me walk in Your salvation, learning from You how to love.  Let me be disciplined as one who is a disciple.  Show me, Lord, the way You know I need to go and help me to always follow that path.

Lord Jesus, You are, and must be, the author and finisher of my faith.  Living in a world with myriad ideas, guide me in the Gospel way so that I would hold fast to the faith delivered once for all.  Help me to know that only in You is there hope and a future.  You will keep me in all my ways.  Lead on, dear Savior, so that I would follow where You lead and know those things You teach me.  Amen.

“That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3)

The wealth of this world is temporary; yet this world’s wealth is what the nations fight over.  The wealth of the Lord comes in the love one shares with others.  Come then into the true wealth.  Live into the life which is eternal.  In Him are the hidden treasures of wisdom and understanding.  Live then as you have been created to live and not as one who is seeking after that which will fail.

Lord, I am caught up in what this world promotes.  I am led by what this world thinks important.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may be led by You and not by the things of this world.  Help me now and always to see that in You alone is all hope and the only future anyone should want to have.  Guide me out of ignorance and into understanding.  Guide me into Your way, O Lord.

Lord Jesus, You have come so that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Lead me now and always to see that in You alone is all hope.  Lead me into the life filled with the wisdom and understanding that You alone can give.  Lead me, Lord, so that I would humbly follow wherever You lead.  Thank You, dear Savior,  for saving me in order that I may have this gift.  Amen.

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face” (Colossians 2:1)

What sacrifices have been made that you would have the opportunity to live a life of faith?  The wicked one would have us ignore these things and take it all for granted.  Resist the wicked one and he will flee.  You have been given many great gifts, but they have come at a cost.  Rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has invested much in you.  Come unto Him and live into the promise He has given you.

Lord, teach me gratitude.  Teach me how to rejoice in all that has been done for our benefit.  Teach me to reach out to others and to be willing to sacrifice for them as You and others have sacrificed for me.  Teach me how to live as a citizen of heaven.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way I should go and then keep me on the narrow path upon which You have placed me.  In You alone can I find hope.

Come Holy Spirit and search deep within me to guide me out of myself so that I may abide in Christ and He in me.  Let me not consider the cost of this venture of faith, but live according to Your never-changing Word.  Hold me up that I may humbly walk in the Father’s presence doing what is pleasing in His sight.  Let me now and always rejoice in the gift of salvation purchased at the greatest price through Christ, our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me” (Colossians 1:28-29).

What is the goal of your faith?  Is this not it?  To be presented to Christ complete?  Remember that the word for complete is the same word we sometimes translate as perfect.  The object of our faith is to be like Christ.  It is in His image that we were created.  What does this mean?  That we are to live in the power He gives to become children of God.  See that Christ is working in you.

Lord, when I hear this it sounds so simple.  Yet each day I struggle to be my own person.  Help me by killing the old Adam.  Or should I say, “Slay the old Adam.”  Even in this I am confused, but You are not the author of confusion.  Lord, I must follow You for You alone know the path I must travel to accomplish these things.  Lead me Lord and teach me how to follow You in all  Your ways.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way.  You have come not only to lead the way but are the demonstration of the godly life and the goal of that life.  Lord You know all that is needed.  Guide me, O Lord, so that I may follow where You lead, doing all that You give me to do.  In You alone do I have hope and an eternal and glorious future in all that You have accomplished.  Amen.

“To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

What is your hope?  Is it in what you can do? Is it in what you will accomplish?  These things are fine as far as they go, but they are not life.  Life is in the One who gives life.  Things come and go, but the Lord is forever.  Live then in the presence of the Lord and abide in Him knowing that He abides in You.  The mystery is deep, but the life is readily available to be lived.

Lord, You have promised the abundant life.  Guide me in the change of heart that faith brings so that I would live the abundant life.  Help me now and always to see that in You is all hope and glory.  You are the past, present, and future.  You have come in order that we may join You in eternal life.  Lead me, for I do not know the way.  Sustain me when I doubt.  Guide me always to be with You now and forever.

Lord Jesus, no one can ascend except the One who has descended.  You have come to lead the way home.  In You is all hope.  Guide me this day Lord so that I may do those things You know I will do, doing them with You as the One leading me.  Through all things, help me see that faith alone in You alone is the hope You have caused to richly dwell in me.  Lead me always, my Lord and Savior.  Amen.

“Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints” (Colossians 1:25-26).

Made a minister according to the stewardship of God: it does not belong to us, but it is a gift that God gives when He gives it.  This applies to everything.  Everything is a gift of God, given that we might have life and have it abundantly in Him.  Come into the life He gives and live as He would have You live.  Give thanks for the stewardship He gives You and know that He has manifested these things to you.

Lord, You know all that is needed and provide for me even before I ask.  Guide me in Your provision so that I would not worry about the things of this age but live into the promise You give in faith.  Lead me to know these things in my heart and abide in them as You give me strength.  In You Lord I have hope.  May Your Word be on my mouth, in my heart, and a large part of what I think about.

Word made flesh who has dwelt among us, You have come to bring light and life to those who believe.  Count me among believers so that in Your countenance I may have my being.  Lead me to be of use to the Kingdom in order that I may share with others as You have shared with me through others.  In the stewardship You give, guide me to live out the life of faith in the grace that You give.  Amen.

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24).

Will suffering come your way?  Perhaps and probably.  This age is filled with suffering and it has increased.  Many fall away because they want a good-time god who will make them feel good.  Our Lord suffered and called us into a path of suffering for His name’s sake.  Come then and live into the eternal life promised not on your terms, but in the truth of the Gospel revealed once for all.

Lord, may I be of sound mind – the mind that You have put in me – that I may understand these things with greater clarity each day.  You have called me into eternal life.  You have given me the way of life.  You have made these things possible.  Lead me, O Lord, and teach me to follow.  No matter what may come, let me not be one who falls away.  Guide me according to Your purpose.

Lord Jesus, You know what it is to suffer.  You took upon Yourself all of our sins and bore them on the cross.  Seeing Your example, let me never give in to the temptation to think that I would be exempt from suffering.  Help me now and always to abide richly and deeply in You knowing that You are the One who is leading me.  Abide in me Lord and guide me according to the Father’s will now and forever.  Amen.