Philemon 1 All Brothers and Sister in Christ

Philemon 1 NIV

Brother, sister, home... Paul uses these words when writing to Philemon regarding the slave Onesimus. Philemon apparently hosts a house church. That is, his home is where their brothers and sisters in Christ gather to share the good news of Jesus with one another and to worship. He makes a point of calling both Philemon and Onesimus brothers as he appeals to Philemon to accept the runaway slave back, not as a slave; but, as a fellow servant of Christ; as a brother in Christ.

Whether we worship in a house church or a more traditional sanctuary, we should never forget that we have been born again through the waters of baptism into the family of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ; children of the heavenly Father. We are to treat one anther like beloved children of God; with love and respect, even as we would wish to be treated. One is not above the other. There are no slaves and masters for we are all servants of the most high God.

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." (vs 25)

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV A Servant's Heart

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV
We are free to do as we please. St. Paul chose to use his freedom to become a slave (servant) to everyone to win as many to Christ as possible. He did not lord it over others. He became like them so that they would be open to hearing the Word.

If proclaiming the gospel is a priority for us in this world then sometimes we have to give up a few things (die to self) in order that others might be willing to listen and hear. Those who would serve others need to be willing and able to walk, as the saying goes, a mile in the shoes of others.

My husband and I own an adult foster care. Direct care is not one of the easiest professions. Not everyone is called to the health care profession. It takes a lot of patience as well as a lot of compassion and empathy. It takes a bit of dying to self for the sake of others. My husband does the hiring after I review the applications. Since you cannot work in health care if you have certain things on your criminal record, that is one of the primary things I look for along with experience. I check the Michigan Corrections web-site to see if they have spent any time in prison or if they have any arrests for sexual misconduct that they did not report on their applications. They will have to have a more thorough background check later if we decide to hire them. I also always check (I believe most employers today do) Facebook and other social media. I want to know if the attitude I see on their page is all about "me" or if they have a servants heart. If you want to serve the elderly, the physically or mentally disabled know that you cannot do it well unless you are willing to give up a part of yourself and walk a mile in their shoes. Compassion, empathy, and integrity are all necessary attributes for one who would serve others.

We are free to do as we please. But, servants are willing to die for the sake of others. Jesus did.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 16:16-40 Truth In Prison

Acts 16:16-40 NIV
Paul appears not to dislike prison all that much. If there are times when speaking the truth encourages the possibility of persecution or prison; then Paul definitely encourages it. He does not care that he is going to offend a rich slave owner. He evicts the evil spirit from the slave-girl who is busy making money for the rich man. Paul is not afraid to witness to his jailer. He is not afraid of invading the comfort zones of others when he knows that they are wrong in what they do or say or think. He is not afraid. God is with him. God releases him from his prison; yet, he will not leave until those who had him jailed in the first place admit that they were wrong in the first place.

Paul was imprisoned for speaking the truth. This did not deter him. He was not afraid, even in prison, or after being released to continue to speaking the truth about Jesus.

May God help us all to be so bold in proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and in encouraging others to believe in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 4:1-22 Isolated for Jesus

Acts 4:1-22 NIV
It's kind of unbelievable when you think about it. For healing the lame man, in the name of Jesus, Peter and John were thrown into jail. Because a man who could not walk before and now can, two men are brought to trial. The elders of the church and teachers of the law really don't know what to do with these men. They are running around healing people in the name of Jesus and the evidence is before them. The forty year old man who was lame and who now is not lame, also stands before them. Tough call! How to stop these trouble makers who are running around healing people?

They decide they are just going to ask them to stop doing that; to stop talking about Jesus and to stop doing anything in his name. Of course, they refuse.

Things have not changed all that much over the years; except that in this country (USA) we don't usually get thrown into jail for healing someone. Although, I do recall an elderly woman, whom I met when I was selling insurance in North Carolina some 30 plus years ago. I returned to visit her a couple of times before I left the area. Her parents had been slaves. Her life had not been easy by any stretch of the imagination; yet, her faith was strong. She was a faith healer. In fact, as a gift that Christmas (she was overjoyed that someone had come to visit her), she prayed over me, in the name of Jesus, and a cyst in my wrist was completely gone. Yes, it was healed instantaneously. This 90 year old woman had no other friends left alive. Her family, embarrassed over her call to minister to others and proclaim the name of Jesus, had deserted her. Her children and grandchildren did not communicate with her. The state had, in fact, ordered her to quit healing people or she would be arrested. She lived in a one room shack alone; deserted by her family, her friends, her neighbors. She was in effect isolated from the world because of her faith. But, she was not alone. She had Jesus and in His Name she lived.

It did not matter that the state had ordered her to quit healing people. She continued praying for others in the name of Jesus. Not everyone will understand or accept the lives we live in faith in the Son of God. We may and most probably will be judged for our faith. But, what others may think of Jesus should not deter us. May we all be so bold in our faith, willing to be called out for praying and doing good for others, in the name of Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 34 - Which Freedom Will You Choose?

A slightly different concept of freedom is found in chapter 34 of Jeremiah.

 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth." (Jer 34:17 NIV)

God had instructed His people to set their slaves free. At first, they agreed. But, then they changed their minds and forced them back into slavery. They broke the covenant that had been made with God. They would not set the people free. But, God will. He will free His people from the covenant. They can live on their own, making their own way. They will live without the blessings that He would give to them.

If we don't want to listen to God; if we don't want to do His will; then we are free to be free from the covenant that God made with us. We don't have to seek His face. But, what we will get instead is His back and that is not a good or pleasant thing. We can be free to serve other gods; to serve ourselves. But, it would behoove us to ask ourselves is that the direction we really want to go in?

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. Abraham Lincoln 

"There are two freedoms – the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where he is free to do what he ought." Charles Kingsley

"While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions." Stephen Covey

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

God's Peace - Pr. J