This post is Day 8 in a series of studies about “Philemon”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today. (The form is at the bottom of the page).


Philemon – Day 8

Philemon 7

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

The Thought

More compliments for this rich slave owner turned Christian. Philemon is obviously taking his responsibility as a church leader seriously, and that blessed Paul.

In the first century, slavery was very much a part of life. A reality throughout the Roman world. Many were well treated, but others were not. Runaway slaves, when found could face severe punishment and even death. So for Onesimus, (the runaway slave turned Christian), it was a life and death situation.

In one of my Bibles, there is a note at the bottom of the page saying that the position of the word “brother” in this sentence in the original Greek suggests an emphasis. Paul is stressing the point that he is appealing to Philemon as a brother in The Lord. He has only Philemon’s good in his mind.

Many of us are “runaways” in spirit if not in reality. We all have things in our past that we prefer hadn’t happened, and we would like to forget them and block them out of our memories. Sometimes God has a way of bringing these things up and reminding us of past events that have hurt us. When that happens, He is trying to bless us, not hurt us more than we are already hurt.

Past hurts, like past sins, need to be dealt with and forgotten, erased from our memories.They take up space deep in our hearts and in our spirits that God Himself wants to occupy.

Action

Ask God today if there is anything in your past that needs dealing with, a wrong to be righted, an offence to be forgiven and forgotten. Deal with it today. It might be painful for a moment, but the relief will be visible and a blessing.

Read the Lord’s prayer with an emphasis on forgive us our sins as we forgive… (Matthew 6:9-13).


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