PHILEMON

I have written this blog post a couple of times. I could not quite get my head around what was bothering me about the book of Philemon. Why was one such short little letter causing my fleshy feathers to be so ruffled? I mean for crying out loud - it is a book of the Bible- God's truth for my life. My flesh (and my enemy) was going - you are so wrong for letting this ruffle your feathers. You are not in line with the Word of God. S-I-N-N-E-R!!
On second thought maybe it is good that it puffs up my plumage a bit, for that means Someone is working on the inside of me to make me more like Him.

There are two little parts that got under me. The first one was:

"In line with all this I have a favor to ask of you. As Christ's ambassador and now a prisoner for him, I wouldn't hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary, but I'd rather make it a personal request." Philemon 8-9 The Message

Just seemed kinda bossy to me, at first. Like ole Paul was flexing his spiritual muscles, his authority. Then I thought about my own kids. How I have the authority to tell them what to do, to be bossy if you like, but how it delights me much more when they do what they are supposed to WITHOUT me telling them. Warms my heart, relationship spared, love abounding. So if this is true for my kids, I am pretty sure it is true for God and us. We have free will. We have God's ordinances for our lives, the rights and wrongs of how we are to believe and behave. Now God has all authority to tell us what to do and expect us to do it, but oh how He delights when we choose to do it because we love Him, not because we are forced to.

The second part that put a bur under my saddle was-

"So if you still consider me a comrade-in-arms, welcome him back as you would me. If he damaged anything or owes you anything, chalk it up to my account. This is my personal signature—Paul—and I stand behind it. (I don't need to remind you, do I, that you owe your very life to me?) Do me this big favor, friend. You'll be doing it for Christ, but it will also do my heart good. " Philemon 17-20 The Message

Can I honestly say it made me think of the mob. At least what I know about them based on the Lifetime movies (never watched the Godfather series). Sure I'll do this for you, but don't forget you owe me as well my friend, and should I desire to collect you will be sleeping with the fishes in cement boots. (Again this is based on my knowledge of the mob based on the riveting movies of LMN...if you are actually in the mob, I apologize if this is not how you do business. Please don't hunt me down.) As I have mediated on this passage (meaning I have thought about it and talked about it and thought about it over and over) I realize that this is exactly the case with Christ. God tells us in Deuteronomy 32:35 that vengeance is His. We have no need to hold anything against anyone. Christ will reward us and Christ will deal with them, and should we get high and mighty that we have the right to be begrudging them anything, we would be smart to remember that we are forgiven as well. For we had an account of wrongs we had committed that He had wiped clean as well. We owe Him our very life.

I think what upset me about it was the frankness of it. There were no soft words to cushion the very truth of the Lord. No pretty dressings, no soft pillow of fluff to build you up and gently correct you. Just the plain truth.

I would rather you do it out of love.

You have no right to hold anything against anyone.

Plain and simple. Shot like an arrow straight into my attitude and heart. For I have said I had forgiven, but had I really? I had said I had let it go and moved on, but was I dragging it behind me? Apparently so or I would not have been bothered by it so.

Praise God that He continues to work it out in me and in you. That He would use 25 little verses in an obscure book to reveal to me the hidden depths of my heart.

The exciting part is I can not wait to see what else is in store. About to jump into Hebrews. I feel an overload coming on! I am looking oh so forward to it!

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 "Now may the God of all peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." NKJV

GOOD WORKS

So I have been reading the Timothys and Titus the past couple of weeks. Finishing up Titus today, Paul makes a point about "maintaining good works". (Titus 3:8,14). So my question to you is what does that mean? What does it mean to maintain good works? I don't have my answer yet. Maybe after I read your responses I will:o) Looking forward to it!

PONDERINGS

I hope you enjoyed Deliberate. Well I don't know if hope so much you enjoyed it as much as I pray God met with you and dealt with you. That out of it came a deeper relationship with our Savior Christ Jesus and a burning desire to deliberately follow hard after Him, to touch the hem of His garment and to sit at His feet. To desire and choose a relationship with Him above all else.
Today I have a question for you. A point to ponder and I pray for some discussion.
I have been reading the letters to Timothy. One of the verses that I have heard often is verse 12.
"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
We appear to have an abundance of "young " pastors heading up or starting up churches across this land. I am not against "young" pastors. However, I think many of them forget the second half of the verse. To be examples in word, in conduct, in love... Arrogance seems to be very prevalent. Arrogance that dismisses the wisdom of elders, not just church appointed elders, but even elder men & women within the church. Arrogance that dismisses anyone who disagrees with them or challenges them on any point. Arrogance that presents a hip young leadership to the public. Full of compassion and grace to those who are lost. Yet it is a leadership that has the "my way or the highway" mentality. A leadership whose grace and compassion runs out when they are questioned or disagreed with.
I know there are many "young" pastors across this land who are doing exactly what Paul had instructed Timothy to do. Who are humbly accepting the great gift God has placed within them and acting in a manner that reflects that humility. I am not saying if you pastor is young (or older for that matter) that you should be disagreeing with them on every point and challenging their authority. But how your pastor responds when you do ask questions should tell you a lot. Arrogance on either side destroys relationships. Arrogance will always find its way out into the public eye. That is the thing about arrogance - it wants to be seen and heard.
So what do you think about this verse? Do you see it differently? Please share if you do. Otherwise it is just my ramblings. Granted I could ramble for a while but it is so much more fun if you join in.
Looking forward to hearing from you!

FOR YOU AND FOR ME

We have talked this week about the choices Christ made. Growing up under the subjection of His earthly parents. Spending time alone with God and constantly pointing us back to God and His glory. Today I would like to sum it up in two verses.

1. Look up and summarize John 3:16 & Mark 10:45.

Everything Christ did stemmed from the Father's love for us. He did not need to rescue Rahab. He did not need to get His house in order. He did not need to be restored as our sinful woman did. We are the ones who needed that. Our Father in Heaven desired for us to brought back into fellowship with Him. He desired His Son to be a willing sacrifice and His Son obeyed. WHY?
So that the Father would be glorified!
This is the ultimate call on our lives. To choose to be in such fellowship with the Lord God that we willingly do His bidding in order to bring Him glory. No pride or self-serving motives. Only desiring to please our heavenly Father and bring others to know Him as well.

2. Look up John 15:13 and write it down.

When we choose to follow after God, to be trained by Him, to glorify Him, to lay aside our selfish needs and desires, we are laying down our lives for our brothers. May we choose today to be living testimonies of that.

Close today by looking up John 15:15-17. Meditate on that word today.
Choose Christ!For He has surely chosen you.

GLORY

Yesterday we ended up by focusing on good or bad, God can and should be glorified.
In John chapter 8 verse 50, Christ tells us He is not seeking His own glory. He is seeking for the Father to be glorified in Him. The Lord's prayer ends with giving God the glory.

1. Please read John 12:28 & John 21:19. What was the purpose of Jesus going to the cross?

His very death was to bring glory to the Father.

2. Read John 11. Make note of verses 4 & 40.

One of saddest times in the life of Jesus. His dear friend has died and his siblings are distraught. Yet, even in the sorrow, Jesus points them back to the glory of God.

3. Look up Matthew 5:16. What is the two fold purpose of letting our light shine?

4, Please read John 15:8. Why is it desirable for us to bear much fruit?

5. Now read John 14:13. Why did Jesus say He would answer our prayers?

The point of our lives is to bring glory to the Father. When people see Jesus in us it points to His glory. In good or bad times, letting Christ reign in us will only draw people to Him.

Take a moment today and reflect on someone who pointed you to the glory of God. How did it impact your life? Feel free to leave a comment about it!

Then look for opportunities for you to be that to someone else today. Not only look, but be deliberate in acting upon them. Whether it is a child at home, a co-worker or a cashier, the light you shine has eternal ramifications.
Shine brightly, my friends, shine brightly!