Colossians 4:12 KJV
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
I am encouraged today to be in much prayer for my church and for those whom the Lord has been so gracious as to have some place in my life. Epaphras was a fellowprisoner with Paul and was a minister to the church in Colosse, perhaps their pastor, now imprisoned. Yet still, even in a prison cell, his ministry toward them could not be stopped.
Gill says,
"...in all his prayers, which were many and frequent, he never forgot his dear flock at Colosse, of which he was pastor, but strove with God for them, even to an agony, as the word signifies; he wrestled with the Lord as Jacob did, nor, as he, would he let him go without a blessing for this church; he was incessant, importunate, and fervent in prayer for them: and what he prayed in particular for them was...."
...that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
I can see that in two lights
First, he prayed that his congregation may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God
Second, his prayers enabled them to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
It is no small thing to pray. Epaphras understood that and gave himself the more fervently to prayer, knowing that his prayers would make that difference in their lives.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
I am encouraged today to be in much prayer for my church and for those whom the Lord has been so gracious as to have some place in my life. Epaphras was a fellowprisoner with Paul and was a minister to the church in Colosse, perhaps their pastor, now imprisoned. Yet still, even in a prison cell, his ministry toward them could not be stopped.
Gill says,
"...in all his prayers, which were many and frequent, he never forgot his dear flock at Colosse, of which he was pastor, but strove with God for them, even to an agony, as the word signifies; he wrestled with the Lord as Jacob did, nor, as he, would he let him go without a blessing for this church; he was incessant, importunate, and fervent in prayer for them: and what he prayed in particular for them was...."
...that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
I can see that in two lights
First, he prayed that his congregation may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God
Second, his prayers enabled them to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
It is no small thing to pray. Epaphras understood that and gave himself the more fervently to prayer, knowing that his prayers would make that difference in their lives.
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