Seen and Rewarded

 

Seen and Rewarded

Philemon 1: ¹ From Paul, a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy—

To our friend and fellow worker Philemon, ² and the church that meets in your house, and our sister Apphia, and our fellow soldier Archippus:

 

³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

 

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“Could you come into the conference room?” said my boss. “I have to finish some work” I replied. He said, “It can wait, come in.” When I walked in, everyone in the division was there and my family. “Great work!” they exclaimed.

 

• I was surprised that I was being recognized
• I was not doing the work to be recognized, rather it had to be done.
• I appreciated being recognized.

 

Paul and Timothy recognize the efforts of Philemon and many others. Philemon had opened up his house to have followers of JESUS come in and meet to discuss HIS marvelous works and miracles. This was a very dangerous move because of the societal consequences. Paul knew he was in for a challenge and asks GOD to grant him and them “grace and peace.”

 

My Observations

• Serving GOD can sometimes be challenging.
• Being open to give GOD my everything is something HE is pleased with.
• Despite the societal pressures, GOD wants me to serve HIM with all my heart.

 

Mentioning JESUS is LORD is no picnic. I mean, three will be opposition, mislabeling and sometimes unwarranted attacks. BUT GOD sees it all and is pleased. HE sees my sin and my pitiful efforts to serve HIM and provides “grace and peace” anyway.

 

GOD loves when people open up their homes to speak about HIS SON. HE enjoys when people come together and pray, praise and heal. HE rewards those who are willing to follow HIM without worry. I gladly serve GOD without expectation, knowing HE will reward me with treasures in heaven that cannot be eaten by moths and cannot be stolen.

 

Challenge

• How is the writer able to send praises to people while sitting in prison?
• Have you ever been praised for something you accomplished?
• Will you put human praise aside and seek GOD’s “grace and peace” today?

Greetings and Gratitude

 

Greetings and Gratitude

Romans 16: ³ I send greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in the service of Christ Jesus; ⁴ they risked their lives for me. I am grateful to them—not only I, but all the Gentile churches as well. ⁵ Greetings also to the church that meets in their house.

 

Greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, who was the first in the province of Asia to believe in Christ.

 

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“Why are you always smiling?” someone asked me in a mildly grumpy tone. I had to tell the truth. “I smile because of you.” I learned from someone, that a smile warms the heart and provides a nice entrance to any room. After a while, my team could feel how thankful I was, just by my smile.

 

• There have been people who greeted me with thanksgiving.
• There have been people who seemed grateful for me and made me feel good.
• There have been people who have worked hard for me and I needed to show my gratitude towards them.

 

Paul shows his gratitude in his greeting. This strange breech of protocol has Paul greeting people in the middle of the letter versus at the beginning. With few words, Paul greets Priscilla and Aquilla and tells everyone about their strong faith in the LORD. He also mentions Epaenetus, a bold person who was first to believe in JESUS in the province of Asia.

 

• GOD wants me to greet people with thanksgiving.
• GOD wants me to value what people have done for the LORD.
• GOD wants me to mention people to others and explain their service to the LORD.

 

Genuine people I have met seem to shy away from bragging. I mean, they are too busy being genuine, that they have no time to speak for themselves. GOD wants me to mention these people to others, in a thankful way. HE also wants me to mention their dedication to the LORD so they can be encouraged. I am grateful to all who believe and wonder if GOD sees them. HE does see you.

 

• Are you grateful for someone?
• Does your heart bubble over with joy when you see “that” person?
• Will you mention how grateful you are to those who are serving the LORD today?

Closed and Open Gates

Closed and Open Gates

Acts 16: ⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ⁷ When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

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“Keep the gate closed” were the words directed to me. “Yeah” was my response. Our house was not in the middle of the block, but if someone wanted a short cut, this yard was a good choice.

After riding my bike I ran into the house, leaving it on the side of the house. The next morning I wanted to ride. I noticed the bike missing and the gate wide open. I had forgotten to put the bike away and close the gate.

• There have been times when I left something open and allowed the wrong element to come in.
• There have been times when I went to a gate and it was closed, so I could not get in.
• There have been times when I went to another gate and it was opened to me by the owner.

Paul and his companions traveled throughout one region, preaching about JESUS with much success. But when they reached one area, the HOLY SPIRIT prevented them from entering. JESUS did not want them to enter a specific area. They passed by the area. Paul then received a vision to help a specific city. He went, ready to preach the gospel.

• GOD wants me to listen to the HOLY SPIRIT.
• GOD wants me to be ready to stay where HE sent me or to leave when HE tells me to.
• GOD wants me to be ready with the gospel of JESUS.

Being led by the HOLY SPIRIT is a wonderful opportunity. Getting direction from GOD to tell people about HIS SON is an amazing thing to be part of. JESUS gives me this opportunity time and time again.

HE sends me to people and wants me ready to speak about HIM. Unfortunately, there will be places GOD has closed off to hearing about HIM. HE sends me to hearts that can hear. I am grateful GOD has included me in HIS purpose.

• Are you being sent but are facing opposition?
• Are you ready and prepared to speak about JESUS at a moment’s notice?
• Will you listen to the HOLY SPIRIT and go where HE leads you and stay away from the places HE does not want you?

Ready

Luke 12: ³⁵ “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; ³⁶ and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.³⁸ And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. ³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

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After the meeting I scheduled another meeting as a follow up to make sure I understood everything. I was being left “in charge” for the short period and I wanted to make sure I understood everything that was going on. During the follow-up meeting I was asked “Are you sure you are ready for this?” “Absolutely” I answered.

• Many times I had to prepare.
• Many times I had to sit and wait for the unknown.
• Many times I had to be confident that something may occur at a moment’s notice.

JESUS says some confusing words to HIS disciples. HE spoke in a parable like tone and told them to be ready for the master’s return. Ready for what? I mean what should I be doing?

• GOD says to me “Prepare yourself daily by speaking to ME.”
• GOD says to me “Seek the kingdom everyday and you will be prepared.”
• GOD says to me “Your life is mine so be prepared to be with ME eternally.”

More and more responsibility is what GOD wants to give me. HE understands my limits and will only give me as much as I can handle. If I as ready as a child then I may not be given much responsibility for GOD’s kingdom. But if I am growing in GOD then HE will help me prepare myself and others for what HE has in store. GOD wants me to be ready daily.

• What are you preparing for?
• Are you preparing to be accepted by humans more and more?
• Can you take some time to prepare yourself for GOD’s kingdom by seeking those HE wants you to seek today?

I Can and I Will

Matthew 16: ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

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“What will they think of me?” was my question when asked to go to church. I was the life of the party for a change. I had been “Goody-goody” for a long time. It seemed like I should be able to do some sinning for a while.

“What will they think of me?” was my question when asked to send a simple faith filled voicemail throughout the company. I mean I was the leader of a very large and influential portion of the company. I had to protect my perception right? Wrong!

• I have been embarrassed to speak about JESUS.
• I have been too filled with sin to speak about JESUS.
• I have been so proud of my accomplishments that I did not want to risk losing “my” position to speak about JESUS.

GOD says to me “If you are ashamed of ME then I will be ashamed of you” and I was truly ashamed of HIM. Human standards got in the way of my living for CHRIST. I bowed to the thought of “You can’t pray here” or “We don’t want you to even speak about JESUS here” even though no one said those words to me.

• JESUS wants me to shine my light before men on a daily basis.
• JESUS wants me to be salt in a world where salt is rejected.
• JESUS wants me to take up my cross by denying myself.

Losing my life means a lot. It means I can pray for all who pass me in the hallways. It means I do not have to be angry at “those” people, instead I can ask GOD for “our” forgiveness. It means I can open my home to my neighbors for JESUS’ purpose instead of hiding my affiliation with HIM.

GOD wants my family, my business, my job, my school, my house, my car, my clothes, my wealth, my desires and lastly my health. HE can do with them as HE pleases and I should learn to praise HIM when I try to hold onto any of them. HE can pry them from my hands in a hurtful way or I can freely give them to HIM, praising HIM along the way.

• What are you holding onto?
• Can you give GOD your home or your office or your school by inviting others into it to learn from HIM?
• Will you take GOD to work with you today and pray for all who pass you?