Today's Passage - Col 1:1-2

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 1:1-2   Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse...   Paul has referred to the believers in the Colossian church as "saints" (in Chinese translation). I believe that when the brothers and sister in Colosse read this letter, they at first might not even know who Paul was addressing to.  We often think saints are those who are those significant moral figures who have been dead for a long time, but actually Paul often referred to all the believers as saints in his epistles.  The definition of "saints" is "those who are set apart," so as soon as you accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior, God has already set you apart from millions of people, and to make you belong to Him alone.   The most important role in the Kingdom of God is not pastor, apostle or prophet, but every saint whom God has called.  Ephesians 4:12 says that the jobs of apostle, prophet, pastor or teacher are to complete the saints and make everyone complement each other; they are there to serve the saints but not to rule over the saints.  Church often has the wrong conception that only pastors and teachers are important, and rest of us, the "lay believers" are not important.  Because of this wrong conception, many lay believers never think about their role and position in God's Kingdom.   God has chosen us and set us apart so that we can accomplish His plan.  I like to draw parallel between the various types and characteristics of believers and a set of keys.  Some keys are long and others are short, some are highly visible but others are tiny; however, each key has its distinct purpose.  Each believer is like a key in a set of keys; God wants to use us to open different doors to bless different people.   The Kingdom of God doesn't distinguish between ministers and lay believers, for everyone's called in His grace and we are all saints who have been set apart.  God has placed us on different positions so that we can glorify His holy name.  Today I am serving Him as a pastor, and you might be serving Him as an engineer, and a housewife is serving Him as a housewife.  Do you understand that the Lord has set you apart because He wants to complete the work of a witness that He has bestowed to you?  Are you serving Him loyally in whatever He has entrusted you?    Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, thank you because you have chosen me, and also set me apart to be your witness.  Lord, please help me so that I won't take myself lightly, and I won't be wasting the time that you have given me.  I want to be loyal to your everyday, to glorify your name in everything that you have entrusted me.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!