Just finished reading Colossians. Thought I'd give you an overview of my fav. verses! So, highlights from my devotional time:
1:10-12. "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may 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 joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light"
1: 13-14. "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption , the forgiveness of sins.
1:16. "For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, wether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him."
2:6-7. So then, just as you recieved Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
2:8. "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philiosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."
2:16-17. "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."
2:20. "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules?"
And then 3:1-4, but I'm not gonna type all of that. I've already included almost the entire book of Colossians as it is...(in my defense, it is a really good book and Paul just has so much important stuff to say...)
3:17. "And whatever you do, wether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
4:2. "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
4:6. (This is one you've probably all heard before, but it really is good! And important.) "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
NOTE: All the above verses are in NIV. I'm being converted, slowly but surely, by my Youth minister, who seems that to be convinced that NIV is way easier to understand that NKJ. Can't argue with that, really...
Notice how many times thankfulness is mentioned, even just in those 11 verses (I didn't plan to put that many, honestly, but it was like, "Oh, I can't leave THAT one out!"). Do you think maybe Paul is trying to tell us something?
Hmm...