The work of the ministry is too demanding and difficult for a man to enter it without a sense of divine calling. Men enter and then leave the ministry usually because they lack a sense of divine urgency. Nothing less than a definite call from God could ever give a man success in the ministry.
Warren Wiersbe

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians

{1:1} Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, andTimothy our brother, {1:2} To the saints and faithful brethren inChrist [that are] at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God ourFather. {1:3} We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord JesusChrist, praying always for you, {1:4} having heard of your faith inChrist Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,{1:5} because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens,whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, {1:6}which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearingfruit and increasing, as [it doth] in you also, since the day ye heardand knew the grace of God in truth; {1:7} even as ye learned ofEpaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister ofChrist on our behalf, {1:8} who also declared unto us your love in theSpirit. {1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], donot cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled withthe knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,{1:10} to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit inevery good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; {1:11}strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, untoall patience and longsuffering with joy; {1:12} giving thanks unto theFather, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of thesaints in light; {1:13} who delivered us out of the power of darkness,and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; {1:14} inwhom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: {1:15} who isthe image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; {1:16}for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth,things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions orprincipalities or powers; all things have been created through him, andunto him; {1:17} and he is before all things, and in him all thingsconsist. {1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is thebeginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he mighthave the preeminence. {1:19} For it was the good pleasure [of theFather] that in him should all the fulness dwell; {1:20} and throughhim to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through theblood of his cross; through him, [I say], whether things upon theearth, or things in the heavens. {1:21} And you, being in time pastalienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, {1:22} yet nowhath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to presentyou holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: {1:23} if sobe that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not movedaway from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached inall creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister. {1:24}Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my partthat which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for hisbody’s sake, which is the church; {1:25} whereof I was made a minister,according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, tofulfil the word of God, {1:26} [even] the mystery which hath been hidfor ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to hissaints, {1:27} to whom God was pleased to make known what is the richesof the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ inyou, the hope of glory: {1:28} whom we proclaim, admonishing every manand teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every manperfect in Christ; {1:29} whereunto I labor also, striving according tohis working, which worketh in me mightily.

{2:1} For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, andfor them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in theflesh; {2:2} that their hearts may be comforted, they being knittogether in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance ofunderstanding, that they may know the mystery of God, [even] Christ,{2:3} in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.{2:4} This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness ofspeech. {2:5} For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you inthe spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness ofyour faith in Christ. {2:6} As therefore ye received Christ Jesus theLord, [so] walk in him, {2:7} rooted and builded up in him, andestablished in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding inthanksgiving. {2:8} Take heed lest there shall be any one that makethspoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after thetradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not afterChrist: {2:9} for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godheadbodily, {2:10} and in him ye are made full, who is the head of allprincipality and power: {2:11} in whom ye were also circumcised with acircumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of theflesh, in the circumcision of Christ; {2:12} having been buried withhim in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith inthe working of God, who raised him from the dead. {2:13} And you, beingdead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you,[I say], did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us allour trespasses; {2:14} having blotted out the bond written inordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hathtaken it out that way, nailing it to the cross; {2:15} having despoiledthe principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly,triumphing over them in it. {2:16} Let no man therefore judge you inmeat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or asabbath day: {2:17} which are a shadow of the things to come; but thebody is Christ’s. {2:18} Let no man rob you of your prize by avoluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in thethings which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, {2:19}and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being suppliedand knit together through the joints and bands, increasing with theincrease of God. {2:20} If ye died with Christ from the rudiments ofthe world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselvesto ordinances, {2:21} Handle not, nor taste, nor touch {2:22} (allwhich things are to perish with the using), after the precepts anddoctrines of men? {2:23} Which things have indeed a show of wisdom inwill-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; [but are] not ofany value against the indulgence of the flesh.

{3:1} If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the thingsthat are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. {3:2}Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that areupon the earth. {3:3} For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ inGod. {3:4} When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested, thenshall ye also with him be manifested in glory. {3:5} Put to deaththerefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication,uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;{3:6} for which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons ofdisobedience: {3:7} wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in thesethings; {3:8} but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath,malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: {3:9} lie not oneto another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,{3:10} and have put on the new man, that is being renewed untoknowledge after the image of him that created him: {3:11} where therecannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian,Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. {3:12} Puton therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion,kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; {3:13} forbearing oneanother, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint againstany; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: {3:14} and above allthese things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness. {3:15}And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also yewere called in one body; and be ye thankful. {3:16} Let the word ofChrist dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing oneanother with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing withgrace in your hearts unto God. {3:17} And whatsoever ye do, in word orin deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to Godthe Father through him. {3:18} Wives, be in subjection to yourhusbands, as is fitting in the Lord. {3:19} Husbands, love your wives,and be not bitter against them. {3:20} Children, obey your parents inall things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. {3:21} Fathers,provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged. {3:22}Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according tothe flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness ofheart, fearing the Lord: {3:23} whatsoever ye do, work heartily, asunto the Lord, and not unto men; {3:24} knowing that from the Lord yeshall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the LordChrist. {3:25} For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for thewrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

{4:1} Masters, render unto your servants that which is just andequal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. {4:2} Continuestedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; {4:3} withalpraying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, tospeak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; {4:4} that Imay make it manifest, as I ought to speak. {4:5} Walk in wisdom towardthem that are without, redeeming the time. {4:6} Let your speech bealways with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought toanswer each one. {4:7} All my affairs shall Tychicus make known untoyou, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant inthe Lord: {4:8} whom I have sent you for this very purpose, that ye mayknow our state, and that he may comfort your hearts; {4:9} togetherwith Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.They shall make known unto you all things that [are done] here. {4:10}Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin ofBarnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you,receive him), {4:11} and Jesus that is called Justus, who are of thecircumcision: these only [are my] fellow-workers unto the kingdom ofGod, men that have been a comfort unto me. {4:12} Epaphras, who is oneof you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving foryou in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in allthe will of God. {4:13} For I bear him witness, that he hath much laborfor you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis. {4:14}Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas salute you. {4:15} Salute thebrethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is intheir house. {4:16} And when this epistle hath been read among you,cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that yealso read the epistle from Laodicea. {4:17} And say to Archippus, Takeheed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thoufulfil it. {4:18} The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.

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