Live A Life Worthy of the Lord and Please Him in Every Way (Colossians 1:9–12)

 

Live A Life Worthy of the Lord and Please Him in Every Way (Colossians 1:9–12)

Paul prayed for the believers in Colossae, asking that grace and peace from heaven be with them. Since the day they heard the gospel of Christ Jesus and truly understood God’s grace, it has been bearing fruit and growing among them and throughout the whole world. Because of the hope stored up for them in heaven, they were practicing faith and love.

Faith means trusting and depending on the unseen God and on His word of promise. Abraham held on to God’s promise, and in the land of Canaan, though it was foreign to him, he pitched his tent, built an altar, and lived there looking forward to the city God had prepared. Love means following the example of Jesus on the cross, denying oneself and laying down one’s life for others. Love is seen in yielding, giving up, and even suffering loss. The faith and love of the saints are because of the hope laid up in heaven. Jesus endured the cross, trusting in the Father’s love and grace of salvation for this world through His sacrifice.

In Colossians 1:9–12 Paul prays that through the Spirit’s wisdom and understanding, they may know God’s will so that they may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way.

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9–12)

Paul had heard news of the Colossian church through Epaphras (1:3). From the moment he heard, he did not stop praying for them. Of course, this does not mean that Paul did nothing else but pray day and night. He still preached the gospel and wrote letters. But it shows that he continually entrusted their well-being to the heavenly Father in faith.

First and foremost, Paul prayed that they would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding is the Spirit of the Lord Himself. The prophet Isaiah foretold that the Spirit of the Lord would rest on the shoot that comes from the stump of Jesse, that is, on Christ:

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—” (Isaiah 11:1–2)

The Holy Spirit Promised

At the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him. He also said that He was going to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house (John 14:2). This pointed to His suffering on the cross, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension into heaven. But the disciples did not understand where He was going and were troubled (John 14:1). At that moment, Jesus promised them another Advocate who would be with them forever (John 14:16):

“The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:17–18)

Jesus, who came in the flesh, died on the cross and rose again on the third day. For forty days He remained on earth, then ascended into heaven on a cloud in the sight of His disciples (Acts 1:9). He is no longer physically present on earth, but God has sent the Spirit to be with us forever. Therefore, those who believe are never abandoned; God does not leave His children as orphans. Jesus in the flesh was bound by time and place, but the Spirit is always with us everywhere.

“Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:19–20)

How do we discern God’s will? The Holy Spirit dwelling within us enlightens us. The Spirit is the Spirit of truth, who searches even the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10). Therefore, it is only through the Spirit that we can discern God’s will. All the knowledge of the world cannot bring a person to know God.

But there is also the deceiving spirit, the devil, who seeks to confuse believers about God’s will. For example, in times of suffering, the devil whispers, “Where is your God?” Yet the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26). The Spirit assures us that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope (Romans 5:3–4).

So Paul prayed that through the wisdom and understanding of the Spirit, we would discern God’s will and live a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way. To live in such a way and to please the Lord in all things is possible only by the power of the Spirit.

So then, what does it mean to live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way?

First, it is to bear fruit in every good work. To live in a manner worthy of the Lord is to obey according to the will of God. We follow as the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, makes us aware. For example, we put off the old self that disobeys and put on the new self that obeys. The old self lives according to the sinful nature, but the new self lives clothed with the power and authority of Christ. This is to follow the truth of the cross, which is self-denial. The old self hates and envies others, but the new self loves as Jesus loved us.

To walk worthy of the Lord is to please him in every way. Why should we please the Lord? Because God created us and is the Father of life and grace. God loved us so much that he did not spare his one and only Son. When someone loves us, we respond with thanksgiving. Likewise, we obey with a thankful heart toward God’s holy love. To love our neighbors as Jesus Christ loved us is to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, and this pleases him.

Everyone bears fruit. But not all bear good fruit. Hatred, murder, and stealing are bad fruit. Love, joy, peace, and patience are good fruit. To love our neighbor as ourselves in response to the love we have received from God is the good fruit that pleases the Lord. Bearing fruit is a process, and it is not done once and finished, but continues without end.

Second, it is to grow in the knowledge of God. When a baby is born, it is natural to grow. Yet a baby does not become an adult overnight but grows step by step through infancy, childhood, adolescence, youth, and adult. Spiritual growth is also gradual. Jesus taught Nicodemus the truth of being born again. We who were dead in Adam are born again in Christ.

However, at the moment of new birth we cannot know everything of God. As we respond to God’s love with thanksgiving and obedience, we continue to grow in the knowledge of God. God delights in obedience and blesses us to bear fruit. Fruit is like God’s seal of approval. But if there is no obedience, there is no fruit, and there is no growth in the knowledge of God. Judas Iscariot was such an example.

According To His Glorious Might

“11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:11–12).

Third, it is to be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience with joy. God supplies all power according to his glorious might. By his supply, his children bear the fruit of patience. Paul prays that God will supply the power of his glory so that they may bear the fruit of endurance.

All power according to God’s glorious might refers to the glory and power of the resurrection—the authority and might of the Creator God. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In all creation, God’s invisible power and divine nature are displayed (Romans 1:20). A grave has no life, no breath, only death, emptiness, and weakness. Yet God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, something impossible for man. Amen!

In order to endure suffering and pain in this world with joy and to bear the fruit of patience, we must be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might. The fruit of endurance is the fruit of the Spirit. All the fruit of the Spirit comes from heaven; it is spiritual fruit. Therefore, it cannot be produced by human effort or resolve. Only by clothing ourselves with God’s resurrection power can we endure with joy and patience.

How then are we strengthened with all power according to his glorious might? God, as he promised, sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to those who believe. The Spirit comes once and never leaves (John 14:16). Jesus completely submitted to the Father who dwelt in him, obeying with joy and a willing heart even to the point of death. Jesus endured the cross by the power and authority of God’s glory given by the Father.

Therefore, as Christians, when we face persecution and accusations in this world, to look to the heavenly hope and to endure with patience is to be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might. The believers in Colossae also lived out their faith and love for all the saints because of the eternal hope stored in heaven, and this too was by being strengthened with all power according to God’s glorious might. Thus, they endured with joy and patience. From beginning to end, only by being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might do we hold firmly to the hope of heaven and practice faith and love.

Fourth, it is to give joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. Scripture says, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Even though we suffer pain and hardship in this world, there is an eternal heavenly inheritance in the light that no one can take away. For the believer, there is no more darkness. We are freed from the snare of death and the grave.

Jesus gave thanks because the Father heard his prayer (John 11:41). Jesus, believing that through his suffering the Father would give us saving grace, offered himself as a sacrificial offering with joy and thanksgiving.

The opposite of thanksgiving is grumbling and complaining. To be ungrateful is to have no hope in the eternal reward stored in heaven. Instead, one seeks to fill life with things of this world. But the things of this world perish, spoil, and fade. The more one seeks, the less satisfied one becomes, and thirst only increases.

The Samaritan woman was such a person. But she met the Lord Jesus Christ, who gives living water that never runs dry, and she received the hope of heaven in the light. This is God’s will revealed through spiritual wisdom and understanding. To our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us eternal hope in heaven, we give thanks and praise forever. Amen!

2025. 8. 31.

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Because of the Hope Stored Up for Us in Heaven (Colossians 1:3–8)

 

Because of the Hope Stored Up for Us in Heaven (Colossians 1:3–8)

The apostle Paul greeted the believers in Colossae and prayed that grace and peace from heaven would be with them. Paul, sent as an apostle by the will of God, proclaimed the gospel of Christ throughout the world in the first century. Timothy served alongside Paul as his coworker in the gospel.

By God’s grace, we believe in Christ Jesus, receive eternal life, and inherit the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is filled with love, joy, and peace, and those who receive this inheritance also have love, joy, and peace. Amen!

In Colossians 1:3–8, Paul said that he had heard of the Colossians’ faith, love, and hope, which came from hearing and understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving to God

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel (Colossians 1:3–5).

Pray Without Ceasing

Paul had never visited Colossae or met the believers there, but he heard about them through Epaphras and prayed for them. His prayers were for God’s grace and protection and that they would entrust themselves to the Lord. He prayed that they would stand firm on the truth of the gospel, discern what is not the gospel, and continue to grow and be transformed in Christ’s love and grace. The details of Paul’s prayer are explained in verses 9 and following, and they are also our daily prayer.

Prayer is communion with God and an expression of dependence on Him. Therefore, we cannot live without prayer. Paul urged believers to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to present everything to the Lord.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).

Jesus also prayed. He rose early in the morning while it was still dark and prayed in a solitary place. After feeding the five thousand, He went up on a mountainside to pray. In Gethsemane, He prayed earnestly that the Father’s will be done, not His own. Jesus always prayed. He lived in constant communion with the Father, offering His body as a living sacrifice so that the Father’s will might be accomplished.

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19).

Living by Faith Alone

Paul always thanked God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he prayed for the believers. This was because he heard of their faith in Christ and their love for all God’s people. Their faith and love came from the hope stored up for them in heaven. Faith, hope, and love endure beyond death and into eternity.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

What is faith? Faith is believing in God and His promises. Blessing comes through faith because the object of faith is God Himself. However, trusting in the world or in money leads to destruction, for money has no power to save. True faith is believing in the unseen God and His kingdom. We come from God and return to Him. Only God and His kingdom are our true hope.

Abraham is the father of faith. He was declared righteous because he believed God’s promise of an inheritance in a place he had not yet seen (Genesis 15:6). A promise is not yet fulfilled, and what is already seen is no longer hope.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? (Romans 8:24).

Everyone desires something better and longs for what is truly good. People search for true satisfaction, yet nothing in this world can provide it. Everything here fades, spoils, or disappears. But the kingdom of God is eternal, imperishable, and undefiled. Humanity’s longing for true fulfillment is evidence that we were created in the image of God. Abraham believed and saw the mystery of the heavenly hope by faith.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13–16).

What we believe is precious and valuable. Who would put their trust in something worthless? The kingdom of heaven, our future hope, is of greatest value, beyond comparison with anything in this world. The mystery of the kingdom is hidden in God’s Word. That is why we devote our time and hearts to reading, meditating on, and studying the truth of Scripture—so that we may understand and obey the mystery of God’s kingdom, our true hope, and bear fruit for His kingdom.

Love each other as I have loved you

Paul also gave thanks because of their love. Love, too, comes from hope. Love is giving. Love is sacrifice. The model of love is Jesus Christ, who gave His own body as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. Giving up His life is the love of God. It is by this love of God that we have come to salvation. By God’s sacrificial love we have received forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

But God did not love us because we were worthy. When we were lost in sin, in ignorance and darkness—when we were enemies of God—He did not spare His Son, Jesus Christ, but gave Him up for us (Romans 5:8). This is the grace of God that comes down from heaven. Grace is given where there is no merit. Yet the only way to enter into the grace of God is through faith. Believing that God loved us to the point of sacrificing His Son is to step into the embrace of the grace of salvation.

And once we are His children, God’s grace remains forever, unchanging. After we are born again in Christ, we are always under the shelter of God’s abundant grace. The love of God’s grace does not change and shows no partiality. Whoever turns their heart, repents, and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will receive grace that flows like an unending waterfall.

So what was the love of the Colossian believers like? It was sacrificial and self-giving love, loving one another as Christ loved them. It was bearing shame and humiliation in place of others, just as Jesus did. It was dying to self. It was laying down pride and enduring pain. It was suffering loss for the sake of others. It was yielding willingly when conflicts arose. To lay down pride is to deny the very thing we hate more than death itself.

How is this possible? The answer is found in the example of Jesus. He endured the cross because He believed that through His blood and death the grace of salvation would come. He also believed that God the Father would raise Him from the dead. This was the Father’s will and plan established before the beginning of time. Jesus was with God the Father from eternity.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Therefore, love is based on hope that comes from the promises of God’s Word. Since that hope is beyond comparison to present suffering or pain, love endures loss, shame, and humiliation willingly. Abraham reasoned by faith, and so he did not return to his homeland of Ur, but stayed as a stranger in the promised land of Canaan, building tents and altars.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

“Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures” (Psalm 90:10). Life passes quickly like an arrow. Human life is like the morning dew, like the flowers of the field that are here today and gone tomorrow (Isaiah 40:6–8). Our bodies die, decay, and return to dust, for we came from the dust. Even now, those who once worked hard, raised children, traveled, and enjoyed life are old, unable to move their bodies, and living in nursing homes. This is life!

But this is not all. Even though the body perishes, decays, and disappears, we will be clothed with a new body made by God (2 Corinthians 5:1). Our spirit will live forever with God’s Son, Christ, in this new body. While on earth we imagine the length, breadth, height, and depth of the glory to come, but we believe by faith that we will surely reach that day.

Hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and understand God’s grace

“…about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit” (Colossians 1:5b–8).

Where do faith, love, and hope of the believers come from? They come from hearing and understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came in the flesh. Hearing includes practicing obedience. To only hear without doing obedience is like building a house on sand. When trials and persecution come, it cannot stand but collapses.

Hearing carries expectation. One listens with longing to hear the gospel of God’s Son, Christ, and to understand. Sometimes at a beautiful concert one is moved to tears. In a greater way, the gospel of Christ brings life, encouragement, comfort, and hope. Hearing means dwelling in Christ. Hearing means coming willingly and joyfully before the Lord with a longing for His Word of truth. Hearing is listening for God’s whispering voice through the difficulties and pains of life.

“You are my Son; today I have become your Father” (Psalm 2:7; Mark 1:11).

And from the day they heard the Word and understood God’s grace, their faith, love, and hope spread throughout the whole world. Paul heard all of this through Epaphras. The grace of God does not stop within us but is revealed to the world. For Christians bear the marks of Christ (Galatians 6:17). These marks of Christ are the suffering and pain of the cross and His self-giving love. When we believe God’s promises and His goodness and obey His Word by loving our neighbors, that love spreads outward.

August 24, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

Grace And Peace To You From God (Colossians 1:1–2)

 Grace And Peace To You From God (Colossians 1:1–2)

Through Mark chapter 1, we studied the beginning and unfolding of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, was appointed before the creation of the world to come as the Messiah. When the time had fully come, He came to this earth and proclaimed the gospel that brings salvation through repentance.

Jesus taught the secrets of the kingdom of heaven in the villages and synagogues. His words are truth. The word of truth is like a lamp that reveals the mysteries of heaven, the mysteries of the universe, and the mysteries of sin, the fall, and restoration. It shows us where we came from, where we are going, why we eat, work, and live, and why we experience sickness, conflict, hardship, and struggles. Above all, God’s word has the power and authority to bring forgiveness of sins and lead us into His kingdom. That’s why when we read and meditate on His word, we receive strength, comfort, and encouragement to overcome this world.

Jesus healed the sick. Sickness brings limits and separation. In many cases, sickness also comes from the heart. So, His healing had a greater meaning—it was spiritual healing, reopening the way to God that had been blocked. For example, the blind represented those who could not see the kingdom of God. A person with leprosy was considered unclean, cut off from society, and unable to enter the temple or synagogue. Because of disease, the way to come before God was blocked. By healing the leper, Jesus opened the way for him to come before God again.

By driving out demons, Jesus set people free from the power of the devil, “the father of lies” and “a murderer from the beginning.” The devil is invisible, yet he is a real personal being. He rebelled against God and disobeyed Him, and so he is under God’s curse. His days are numbered, and because the end is near, he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). The devil tempted Jesus, who had fasted for forty days, in an attempt to destroy Him. But the devil is only a created being and can never contend with God as an equal. Still, he refuses to submit to God and opposes Him, and therefore his judgment is certain. When Jesus drove out demons, it showed that the devil’s time is short and his judgment is near.

In Colossians 1:1–2, Paul, in his greeting, prayed that the believers in Colossae would have grace and peace from heaven:

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. (Colossians 1:1–2)

Who was Paul? His Hebrew name was Saul, and his Greek name was Paul. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, outstanding in zeal for the Torah and for God. Out of ignorance and misunderstanding, he regarded Jesus Christ as a lawbreaker and became a leading persecutor of his fellow Jews who believed in Him (1 Timothy 1:13). When Stephen was stoned to death by the Jews, Saul stood as a witness, approving of his death (Acts 7:58; 8:1).

He was one of the sick, not physically but spiritually. He was blind not to see Jesus as the Messiah. While on his way to Damascus in Syria with arrest warrants from the council to seize Christians, Saul encountered Jesus Christ, who appeared to him in a blinding light, and he was converted. His conversion was sudden, powerful, and completely unexpected. From his perspective, he was not at all prepared to believe. Yet, through God’s powerful intervention, he was saved. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul described himself as “one abnormally born” (1 Corinthians 15:8).

This was because he had not sought God’s forgiveness—on the contrary, he had set out to destroy those who believed in God’s Son, Jesus Christ (Acts 8:3). He considered Jesus to have violated the Sabbath law of Moses and to have disregarded the Torah. He rejected the idea that Jesus died for the sins of the world. Most Jews expected a powerful, conquering Messiah, and they viewed the cross as an offense (stumbling block). Saul was no exception.

But Paul’s conversion was not an accident. When the light from heaven blinded him, the Lord told Ananias to go and lay hands on him (Acts 9:11–12). Ananias remembered the harm Saul had done to the believers and that he had come to Damascus with authority to arrest them. But the Lord said to Ananias:

“This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15)

Paul also wrote in his letter to the Galatians:

“But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace…” (Galatians 1:15)

As an apostle sent by the will of God, Paul proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ widely throughout Asia Minor, Macedonia, Achaia, and even to Rome (Romans 15:19).

In the same way, every believer has been chosen by God before the creation of the world. God’s power, authority, and glory are infinite and eternal. In Christ, each person is led to the Lord by a unique path. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul prayed that they would understand how great and wonderful God’s love in salvation truly is:

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14–19)

Timothy was a young man Paul met in Lystra during his second missionary journey. His mother was Jewish, and his father was Greek (Acts 16:1). In Christ, Timothy became Paul’s brother and missionary coworker in preaching the gospel of salvation. He later served as pastor of the church in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3). In Christ, we are all brothers and sisters—coworkers in proclaiming and bearing witness to the gospel of salvation.

Paul writes to the saints in Colossae to greet them. Colossae was a place Paul had never visited. Epaphras, who is a fellow servant in Christ, had preached and taught the gospel to the church in Colossae (Colossians 1:7). Colossians is one of Paul’s prison letters, along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon. It is known that he wrote this letter from prison in Rome.

Colossians – Fullness of Christ

Colossians emphasizes the fullness of Jesus Christ, who created all things, including the invisible world, and the importance of faith in Him. The core theme is that Jesus Christ is the supreme Creator over all things, the Redeemer, and the head of the church (Colossians 1:9–23). It also urges believers not to be deceived by false teachings but to stand firm in Christ, continually being transformed and growing in Him (Colossians 2:8, 16, 18, 23). Every Christian is called to a mission, which includes the work they do in their workplace and home (Colossians 3:18–25). For those in Christ, both work and home are mission fields. Therefore, every Christian is a missionary.

Paul writes to the saints in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. A saint is one who is faithful in Christ. “Saint” means “holy people.” How did they become holy? By believing in Jesus Christ, they have been cleansed by His blood and declared righteous. This was God the Father’s will from before the creation of the world. God chose us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight (Ephesians 1:4).

Therefore, a saint in Christ is someone who is faithful to the Lord. In the past, they were slaves to sin, held under the power of darkness and death, but now they serve righteousness under the law of grace and mercy. Once they were enemies of God, in a broken relationship with Him, but now they have been reconciled to God and live in union with Him. Once they could only stand on the side of lawlessness and evil under the power of sin and death, but now they stand with the Lord of life and peace. This is what it means to be faithful in Christ. No longer do they stand with the devil, the father of lies and lawlessness, but with God the Father, the God of righteousness and truth.

In his greeting, Paul prays that they may have grace and peace from God. What are grace and peace? First, grace and peace are gifts from heaven. Grace is a gift from God that we do not deserve, given to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because grace comes from heaven, no one can boast about it (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Grace is freely given, but only to those who believe. Those who do not believe will face trouble and distress (Romans 2:9). Without faith, one cannot enter the world of God’s grace. A family relationship is a good example of this. A child inherits all that belongs to their parents, but if they are not a child, they have no claim at all. In Christ, believers are adopted as God’s children (Ephesians 1:5). As God’s children, they inherit all the blessings of heaven.

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17).

Once someone becomes a child of God, they remain under His grace forever. Just as the legal parent-child relationship cannot be dissolved in human law, God’s grace to His children cannot be broken. In the same way, God’s grace continues to pour abundantly on His children like a waterfall, without ceasing.

“But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!” (Romans 5:15).

How do we receive this grace? First, by faith—remembering that we are God’s children. Even if we fall into guilt because of failure or sin, we come to God, who gives generously without finding fault, and repent like the prodigal son. No human sin can surpass God’s grace. No matter the sin, it cannot exceed the depth, height, width, or length of God’s grace. Therefore, from beginning to end, we live and die by the grace of God.

So what is God’s grace? The reward of the kingdom of heaven is God’s love, joy, and peace. It is also His patience. Bearing the fruit of the Spirit is to inherit the kingdom of heaven. This means that if we are in God’s grace, it is only fitting that we bear the fruit of the Spirit.

Paul also prays for peace for the saints. Peace also comes from heaven. God’s peace remains unshaken no matter how noisy this world gets—whether in sweltering heat above 100 degrees, in the coldest winter, in stormy seas, floods, or earthquakes. It is unmoved even in world wars, nuclear bomb explosions, stock market collapses, or severe inflation. God’s peace does not waver even when facing a cancer diagnosis or an accident. When a fierce storm raged and rain and wind pounded, Jesus, unlike His panic-stricken disciples, was peacefully sleeping.

But human peace is temporary and very limited. It is like a time bomb—ready to explode into conflict, fights, or even murder at any moment. Small disputes over interests quickly escalate into violence. Therefore, there is no true peace in this world. There are endless conflicts—racial, class, gender, economic, religious, East-West, North-South, national, tribal, and even within families. In 2024, statistics showed that in the UK, 8% of the population—about five million people—had cut ties with their parents or children.

So how do we enter this peace of God? The way into God’s rest is to hear His invitation, listen to His word, and obey. This is the way of the cross that Jesus walked—the way of taking on the sins of the world and dying. And by doing so, we receive the new life of the resurrection.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

August 17, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.