Partners for Christ (Philemon 17)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11-25-02

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Partners for Christ

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Philemon 17

 

            Message of the verse:  “17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.”  (NASB95)  “So if you consider me your partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming.”  (NLT)

            In this section, verses 17-22, Paul is encouraging Philemon to be obedient.  He says in verse 17 that he wants Philemon to accept Onesimus as it were Paul himself coming to visit him.  Paul is being like the Lord Jesus Christ who took our sins upon Himself at the cross so we could be partners with Him for the cause of Christ.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It seems to me that the theme of this short letter is forgiveness.  As a believer this should be in my heart and I should be ready to forgive.  Paul was being like the Lord Jesus Christ in this case as he would gladly have taken to his account the wrong that Onesimus had done.  This is a quality that I too need to have in my life and it can only be there by the working of the Holy Spirit in my life to produce that kind of fruit.

 

The Word of God has challenged my heart today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To trust the Lord through these problems that I am having with IBS.  To give myself to Him as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto Him.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Eph. 2:10

 

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.