Philemon 1:12-14

 :12 I have sent him back to you in person, that is sending my very heart,

:13 whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;

:14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.

 In thinking of the wisdom that Paul used to persuade Philemon to receive back Onesimus, it is so encouraging to know that You will provide the spirit and wisdom needed for us to handle any situation through Your love and grace.

 Paul could have demanded that Philemon would receive back Onesimus, who was a slave of Philemon that had run away after wronging him in some way, but instead he persuaded him to take Philemon back as a brother in Christ. Paul was also willing to take any debt that Onesimus owed Philemon.

 In verse :14 basically Paul was asking Philemon to have a willing heart to understand that Onesimus was a different person now, not the same slave that ran away. He had come to Christ and was now a beloved brother (Col 4:9) in the Lord.

 Through Your Spirit, Father and through Your truth we are able to overcome stubborn emotions that cry out to cling to past hurts or wrongs that others have done to us. We are able to believe that yes, a person truly has changed and become a new creature in Christ (2 Cor 5:17) and receive them in their conversion as such.

Your Spirit of grace and love empowers us to forgive and it is not because we are under “compulsion” but because You are extending grace to them through Your Holy Spirit that is working in us by changing our own hearts.

 Forgiveness is beauty, purity, and freedom.

Effective faith

Father, the letter Paul wrote to Philemon is so beautiful! He had to communicate a somewhat sensitive request of him and Paul did it with such grace! Such gentleness and yet irresistible in the manner in which he presented his request. 

This verse is one that spoke to my heart.....

 Philemon 1:6 (and I pray) that the fellowship of your faith/ may become effective/ through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.

(Amplified) 1:6 the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and appreciation and understanding and precise knowledge of every good (thing) that is ours in (our identification with) Christ Jesus (and unto His glory),

 fellowship of faith- fellowship has the idea of comunity, intimacy, communion, and sharing. Faith is not something that is private and kept to ourselves because when Your wonderful divine Love prompts us, we are compelled to share it in the way that You ask us to.

may become effective….may produce and accomplish God’s purposes

through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you (us) for (or in) Christ.

Faith and love become the driving forces in our lives as we understand, perceive, and recognize how deeply God the Father has loved us through His Son, Jesus Christ.Through the knowledge of every good thing (His love, mercy, peace, authority, etc.) He has generously already given us, the fellowhsip of our faith becomes effective for the Kingdom of God; for eternal purposes.

 Thank you Father for Jesus.