The Apostle Paul writes these words to the church @ Colossae at the request of Epaphras. The church was made up of gentile Christians who lived in a crooked and perverse generation with compromise always being a danger. They were called to live separate from the neighboring heathen nations. We too can relate to this as we are called, as they were, to live distinctly among the world we live in. A life with Christ within us walking distinctly, HOLY different from the world without compromise. As Christians...risen with Him to a new and Holy life! The Apostle Paul lays down ONE simple rule: "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by Him." In ALL of our life the old man suppresses this rule yet we must ALWAYS practice it and is most difficult to follow!

Literally you read here: "Whatsoever and IN EVERYTHING..." Whatever. Everything! Word and deed is covered in the child of God with NOTHING apart. It puts parenthesis around our entire life. Why so important? We have difficulty as we like to compartmentalize our lives. Politicians promise that their religion won't impact their decisions....but how can what a man believes in his heart of hearts NOT impact EVERY decision in his being? We do so with our lives also as we prioritize God and His Kingdom but also have sections of our lives of work, speech, and other aspects of our lives. We are happy with prioritizing God 1st while having these other categories of our lives. We have our pious speech but also our day to day speech. And God comes to us with His Word and wipes out ALL of our "categories" with this Word that completely covers all of our categories and includes our entire lives! And the speech of God IS IMPORTANT! And we are told that ours MUST reflect HIS SPEECH! "Every word and word in deed!" There are many types of words today...there are unjust words, lying words, evil words.....yet in EVERYTHING I do this BIG umbrella/word covers it all. Every activity. Every word!

Paul uses the name Jesus here. In everything you do let Jesus' name be in it! "Jehovah Saves." When we, who are saved, though still in the body of this flesh, use Jesus in our speech then we glorify Him! Do all of our words REFLECT Jesus????............ Are HIS words tied to our very being????............................... In every aspect of our bein g???? ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .... We often sing: "Fill Thou my life O Lord my God in every part with praise so my WHOLE being may proclaim Thy being and Thy ways...I ask but for a life made up of praise in EVERY part. Praise in the common words I speak, life's common looks and tones...with my beloved ones...even enduring reproach or loss with sweet and steadfast will, loving and blessing those who hate and returning good for ill...so that in ALL my life, in every step...is fellowship with Thee!"

All must have the name of the Lord-EVERY word we speak. Every activity we do must be done in the name of the Lord. Reflected in EVERYTHING we do! Why? Because you are a Christian! A prophet so that my words are sanctified. A priest so I am a LIVING sacrifice unto His praise and His glory. And EVERYTHING I say and do reflects that which awaits us.