Paul's Prayer (Philemon 4-5)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11-14-02

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Paul’s prayer

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Philemon 4-5

 

            Message of the verse:  “4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;”  (NAS95)  “I always thank God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing of your trust in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.”  (NLT)

            Paul has prayed like this in his letter to the Ephesians Church.  He is thankful for Philemon and for the things that he has done for the cause of Christ.  I wish to do something that I haven’t done too much while writing these spiritual diaries and that is copy from the note that is in my Macarthur study Bible.  “In the GR. Text, this verse is arranged in what is called a chiastic construction.  ‘Love’ relates to the final phrase ‘toward all the saints.’  This love of will, choice, self-sacrifice, and humility (Gal 5:22) was a manifestation of Philemon’s genuine faith ‘toward the Lord Jesus’ (cf. Rom. 5:5; Gal. 5:6; 1John 3:14) Romans 5:5 “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Galatians 5:6 says  “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.”  1John 3:14 “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”  It seems to me that one of the qualities of Philemon’s life was love, a love that was given to him by the Holy Spirit and in turn given to others through his life.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  If there is one thing that I need to have manifested in my life by the Holy Spirit it is love.  As the Scripture says love covers a multitude of sins.  If a person knows that they are loved by me then they can overlook the offence’s that sometimes occur in my life towards them.

 

The Word of God has shown me today that I need to be more loving.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  “1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

 

Memory verses for the week:  Romans 11:33-36

 

Oh, the debt of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

 

For who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been His counselor?

 

Or who has first given to Him

And it shall be repaid to him?

 

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.