OUR HOPE OF HEAVEN

Colossians 1

Paul, an apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus, the Messiah,

By the Will of God, and Timothy [our] brother,

To the Saints (the consecrated people of God)

And Faithful Brethren in Christ,

Who are at Colossae;

Grace (spiritual favor and blessing) to you

And heart peace from God our Father

We continually give thanks to God the Father

Of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as we are praying for you,

For we have heard of your Faith in Christ Jesus

[The leaning of your entire human personality on Him

In absolute Trust and Confidence in His Power, wisdom and goodness]

And of the love which you [have and show]

For all the Saints (God's consecrated ones).

Because of the Hope [of experiencing what is] Laid Up--

Reserved and Waiting—for you in Heaven.

Of this [Hope] you heard in the past

In the Message of the Truth of the Gospel,

Which has come to you.

Indeed in the Whole World [that Gospel] is bearing Fruit

And still is growing [by its own inherent power],

Even as it has done among yourselves

Ever since the day you first heard

And came to know and understand the Grace of God in Truth--

[That is,] you came to know the Grace

(Undeserved favor) of God in Reality,

Deeply and Clearly and Thoroughly,

Becoming Accurately and Intimately Acquainted with it.

You so learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow Servant.

He is a Faithful Minister of Christ in our stead

And as our Representative, and yours.

Also he has informed us of your love in the (Holy) Spirit.

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it,

Have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you,

[Asking that you may be Filled with the Full (deep and clear) knowledge of His Will in all spiritual wisdom

[That is, in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God]

And in understanding and discernment of spiritual things;

That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner

Worthy of the Lord, Fully Pleasing to Him

And desiring to please Him in all things,

Bearing Fruit in Every Good Work

And steadily growing and increasing in (and by) knowledge of God--

With Fuller, Deeper and Clearer Insight, Acquaintance and Recognition.

[We pray] that you may be Invigorated and Strengthened with all Power,

According to the Might of His Glory,

[To exercise] every kind of Endurance and Patience

(Perseverance and forbearance) with Joy,

GIVING THANKS to the Father,

Who has qualified and made us Fit to share the portion

Which is the Inheritance of the Saints (God's holy people) in the Light,

[The Father] has Delivered and Drawn us TO HIMSELF

OUT OF THE CONTROL AND THE DOMINION OF DARKNESS

And has Transferred us into THE KINGDOM of the Son of His love.

In Whom we have our Redemption through His blood,

[Which means] the forgiveness of our Sins.

[NOW] He is the EXACT LIKENESS of the unseen God--

The Visible Representation of the Invisible;

He is the Firstborn—of all Creation.

For it was IN HIM that all things were created, In Heaven and on Earth,

Things seen and things unseen,

Whether Thrones, Dominions, rulers or Authorities;

ALL THINGS WERE CREATED AND EXIST THROUGH HIM

(By His service, intervention) and In and For Him.

AND HE HIMSELF EXISTED BEFORE ALL THINGS

And IN HIM all things consist—Cohere, are held together. [Prov. 8:22-31.]

HE ALSO IS THE HEAD OF [HIS] BODY, THE CHURCH;

seeing He is the Beginning, the First-born from among the Dead,

So that HE ALONE in everything and in every respect

Might occupy the CHIEF PLACE—Stand First and be Pre-eminent,

For it has pleased [the Father]

THAT ALL DIVINE FULLNESS—The sum total of the Divine Perfection,

Powers and Attributes—Should DWELL IN HIM Permanently.

And God purposed that thorough—By the service, the Intervention of--

Him (the Son) ALL THINGS should be completely

RECONCILED BACK TO HIMSELF,

Whether on Earth or in Heaven,

As through Him [the Father] made PEACE

BY MEANS OF THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS.

And although you at one time

WERE ESTRANGED AND ALIENATED FROM HIM

And of Hostile Attitude of mind in your Wicked Activities,

YET NOW has [Christ, the Messiah,] RECONCILED [you to God]

In the Body of His Flesh through Death,

In order to Present you Holy and Faultless

And IRREPROACHABLE in His [the Father's] Presence.

[And this he will do]

PROVIDED THAT YOU CONTINUE TO STAY WITH

AND IN THE FAITH [IN CHRIST],

Well Grounded and Settled and Steadfast,

Not Shifting or Moving Away from the HOPE

[Which rests on and is Inspired by] the Glad Tidings (the Gospel),

Which you heard and which has been Preached

[As being designed for and offered without restrictions]

TO EVERY PERSON UNDER HEAVEN,

And of which [Gospel] I, Paul, became a Minister.

[Even now I Rejoice in the midst of my Sufferings on your behalf.

And in my own person I am making up whatever is still lacking

And remains to be completed [on our part]

Of Christ's AFFLICTIONS, for the sake of His Body, which is the Church.

In it I became a Minister in accordance with the Divine Stewardship

Which was entrusted to me for you--As its OBJECT and for your Benefit--

To make the Word of God Fully know [among you].

THE MYSTERY OF WHICH WAS HIDDEN FOR AGES AND GENERATIONS

(From angels and men),

But is now Revealed to His Holy People (the Saints),

To whom God was pleased to make know how great for the Gentiles

Are the RICHES of the Glory of this MYSTERY,

WHICH IS, CHRIST WITHIN AND AMONG YOU

THE HOPE OF [REALIZING] THE GLORY.

Him we Preach and Proclaim,

WARNING AND ADMONISHING EVERYONE

And Instructing EVERYONE in All Wisdom,

[In Comprehensive Insight into the ways and Purposes of God],

That we may Present EVERY PERSON

Mature—Full Grown, Fully Initiated, Complete and Perfect--

In Christ the Anointed One.

FOR THIS I labor [unto weariness],

Striving with all the SUPERHUMAN ENERGY

Which He so Mightily Enkindles and Works within me.

(Colossians 1, AMP)

Be always on the Watch,

And pray that you will be able to Escape All that is about to happen,

And that you may be able TO STAND before the Son of Man.

(Luke 21:36)

Today, the World is Raging Against God, Rushing toward Oblivion. (Psalm 2)

This World in it's present form is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:31)

America is being ground to powder because of her SIN against God.

Save yourself from this Corrupt Generation! (Acts 2:40)

As God has written, so shall it be! Hallelujah! Maranatha!

Father, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in Heaven!