The Word of God for wisdom:
Proverbs 26:21-22 (ESV)
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
The Word of God for inspiration:
Psalm 102:1-2 (ESV)
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you!
2 Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!
The Word of God for encouragement:
Philemon 1:4-7 (ESV)
4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers,
5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints,
6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.
7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
My observation:
This brief letter contains some things that are very important for every child of God. What got my attention were these key words: problems, providence, and prayer. The Proverb and the Psalm for today set the table; providentially.
Paul had led Philemon in becoming a child of God. Paul reminds Philemon that he owes Paul a debt that is impossible to repay.
Philemon 1:19 (ESV)
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.
Paul's appeal to Philemon was for Onesimus, which means unprofitable; he was a slave belonging to Philemon. He had run away from his master, and Paul met him in Rome in prison.
While in prison Paul led his fellow prisoner Onesimus to become a child of God. Now that was a divine appointment; the providence of a loving God.
Philemon 1:10 (ESV)
10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.
There is nothing that we will ever encounter in life that is beyond the reach of prayer. We see it in the introduction to Psalm 102:
"A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord."
Without a doubt Philemon, a man of faith and love, had prayed for his father in the faith, Paul; and I would not be surprised that he also prayed for his runaway slave, Onesimus. Now, we see in this letter that Paul completes the circle of prayer with his prayer for Philemon.
My prayer:
Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful that even though everything around us is changing, you are a God who never changes. Father, I pray that I will be a person who makes prayer my first response to affliction and problems.
Father, I am leaning on Jesus, and relying upon a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In Jesus name, Amen.
Psalm 102:25-27 (ESV)
25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.
--
1 Peter 5:7 (HCSB)
7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
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