“If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;”

Colossians 1:23

This verse starts of with 2 conditions that we continue in the faith and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, as I thought of this powerful verse I think of the life of Paul how he could rejoice in his suffering because his hope was in the gospel, this is what compelled him to preach to every creature which is under heaven. Paul was a minister of this hope and he is reminding us not to loose focus but to be a minister of the hope of the gospel. This touches every area of life.

Having been arrested for sharing this hope in communist ASIA when I think back of the long night of interrogation and how clearly the Holy Spirit reminded me that just like the verse says these officers were a part of every creature which is under heaven as I shared the hope with them peace flooded my soul knowing that God could use a difficult situation for his glory. This verse reminds me that if I am moved away from this hope I will become earthly focused and soon, as Paul says in Corinthians, are gospel will be hid to them that are lost. But by keeping this truth we can be patient in tribulation and God’s messengers wherever he places us . My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness!

Dale G