Our struggle: Praying consistently, sharing gospel boldly (Col 4:2-6)

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. - Colossians 4:2‭-‬6 NLT
http://bible.com/116/col.4.2-6.NLT

Jun. 4, 2017
"How the Gospel Impacts our Praying and Speaking" - Colossians 4:2-6 - Troy Dobbs
Watch •  Outline (126.63 KB) •  Study Guide (458 KB)

Pray consistently, expressing our faith.
- God answers prayer. 
- Prayer is our hope of connection to God
- Self control and alertness, same word as watchful. 
 - pray with thankful heart: close to God

How do we solicit prayers from others? Ask them to pray for your ministry.  "Open a door to advance the Gospel" - not personal advancement 
Phil 1:12-13, 4:22

 - God used imprisonment to bring people to Christ
 - not a punishment but assignment  Acts 28:30-31
 - Pain, hardship - seen from perspective as apostolic assignment. 
 - Walk in wisdom, best use of time, speech gracious. Who we are matters in evangelism. Jesus was referred to as friend of sinners. Time and sinners enjoyed being in His presents. This tells us about godliness, winsomeness. Wisdom, our lives adorn the message. Authentic lives, not hypocritical or pharisical. 

Most of every opportunity 
 - redeeem the time
 - consumed with gospel advancement 

4:6
Speech, Gracious,  seasoned with salt 
Salt and light, taste and see
 - interesting,  witty and relevant 
https://www.openbible.info/topics/being_salt_and_light

Evangelism: sharing the application to others the life, death, resurrection and soon return of Jesus Christ 

Prayer is a weapon in Spiritual warfare
 - we have an enemy Ephesians 5
 - he lies,  isolates, devours those not devoted to steadfast prayer

See every situation through Gospel lens, not our pain
 - don't waste it. Don't despise it, ask God to use me in this imprisonment 
 - be clear and accurate  with the Gospel. John 3:16, 1 John whoever has the son has life.

 - Jesus is God (first importance)
 - perfect
 - died sacrificially
 - resurrected miraculously 
 - people need to respond to God with faith (attitude) and repentance (action)

Gotquestions.org
Carm.org

People want to know
 - why is Jesus the only way?
 - why is Christianity is true when other religions claim truth?
 - aren't all religions basically the same?
 - No: Christianity is God reaching down to man, Grace. Not man reaching up to God, works.

1 Peter 3:15, always be prepared... by honoring Christ as Lord

113 specific questions were answered by Jesus 

Poor, homelessness can be recovered from,  however dying apart from Christ is unrecoverable.  As each man was appointed to live and die once then judgement.

Self assessment am I growing?

Growing in prayer?
 - for others, gratitude, wisdom, gospel, 

Use of time
 - found by those who weren't looking

Speech 
- gentle and respectful with words