Through the Bible - Philemon

Father, I thank You, Lord, for gathering us here to sit at Your feet. Thank You for giving us the open door to come into Your throne room to praise and worship You. Thank You, Lord, for blessing us with the opportunity to get to know You through Your Word. You promised that Your Spirit would guide us in all truth and teach us all things, and that He would give us understanding. So we pray that by Your Spirit tonight, You would do that, Lord; that You'd give us understanding and application from this book. Teach us, I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Well, Philemon, you may have wondered how to say that. I say Philemon; some people say Philemon. There are all kinds of different ideas about how to say the name, but it doesn't really matter so much as what the Lord speaks through the Apostle Paul in this letter.

Now, there is very little contest about whether or not Paul wrote this letter. However, there have been people throughout the years who have wondered why this letter is in our Bibles, as there is really no doctrinal point to it. As with most of Paul's letters, he has some sort of doctrinal exhortation or teaching, but with this book, there is really not that exhortation doctrinally. Some people wonder why it is here, considering it is a very personal letter that Paul wrote to an individual.

I think there are some important things from these 25 verses that the Lord would teach us as Paul writes to a man who very likely lived in the city of either Colossae or Laodicea. There is some question about where Philemon lived, but it was either one of those two cities. This letter was written by Paul during his first imprisonment. We've talked a little bit about the prison epistles. Remember, Paul wrote four letters during his first imprisonment in Rome. He was in prison, really under house arrest, during the years A.D. 60 and 61, and he wrote to the church.

At Ephesus, to the church at Colossae, and to the church at Philippi, Paul also writes to the man Philemon. These letters are powerful as Paul exhorts, encourages, and challenges. In these short verses addressed to Philemon, he introduces himself as Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy, our brother. This indicates that Timothy was with Paul at this point. Paul refers to Philemon as our dearly beloved and fellow laborer, highlighting him as a man in the ministry, serving God, and a beloved brother.

Paul also mentions our beloved Apphia and Archippus, a fellow soldier, and addresses the church in their house. Many Bible teachers and scholars who have studied these passages believe that Apphia is probably the wife of Philemon, and that Archippus, mentioned in verse 2 as a fellow soldier, was likely the son of Philemon. While we cannot know this for sure, there is historical understanding that supports this view.

Notice that Paul writes to these three individuals and to the church in their house, saying, "Grace and peace unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." This is a common opening in many of Paul's letters, emphasizing that grace and peace come from God. Paul consistently acknowledges that this grace and peace always originate from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I love the fact that Paul always refers to Jesus as his Lord. He recognizes his position of submission to Jesus. As an apostle of Jesus Christ, he identifies himself as a laborer and a servant. Paul even describes himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ, indicating his submission to the Lord. He understands that it is from Jesus, through Jesus, and by God that he has received grace and peace.

When we consider Paul's former life, as we have done before by going through all of his letters and the book of Acts, we remember that before he became Paul, he was a Pharisee named Saul. He sought to persecute the church and aimed to destroy the followers of Jesus Christ. Now, he himself has become a follower.

It blew many of the early Christians' minds. They could hardly believe that this man, who had once persecuted the church, now preached the gospel that he had tried to destroy. It was a very awesome testimony. He had received great grace and peace, but also mercy, as we saw just a couple of weeks ago when we were going through the letters to Timothy. Paul mentioned that he persecuted the church in ignorance and did many horrible things for that reason. Because of this, God had given him great mercy.

Paul reveled in the mercy and grace of God because he knew he was not worthy of such a gift. I think it's important for us to recognize from where we came. Some of us in this room have been part of the church and followed the Lord for a very long time, but I know the testimony of many of you who did not follow God. In fact, you rebelled against the Lord and were stubborn for many years. Yet, God, in His great grace, has saved you. What a testimony that is! I think it's important to share that testimony, as we see with the Apostle Paul on numerous occasions.

When you read the latter chapters of the Book of Acts, you see that he regularly drew on his testimony of once having persecuted the church and then being saved on the road to Damascus. He spoke often of the grace and mercy of God, which became a central aspect of his ministry, preaching, and writing. He always centered on the grace, peace, and mercy of God. He wrote, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." He expressed gratitude, saying, "I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers."

I believe that when Paul was in prison in Rome during his first imprisonment, he spent a lot of time in prayer. When you read through the letters he wrote while there, he frequently mentions that he had been praying for them very much. He recognized that the gospel was not chained, even though he was in bondage and physically restricted in Rome. He understood that he still had a great opportunity for ministry, primarily through prayer.

While under house arrest in Rome, he did have visitors, and people would come to him. He shared the gospel with them, as we see clearly at the end of the Book of Acts. In Acts 28, it reveals that Jews came to him, and he shared the gospel with them while he was under house arrest. So, there were people he ministered to through preaching, but I believe that primarily, during his time in Rome, his ministry was focused on prayer.

Imprisonment did not hinder Paul's ministry; it was focused on prayer, as revealed in many of the letters he wrote during that time. He expresses this sentiment to the church at Philippi, stating, "I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers."

If you turn briefly to Philippians chapter 1, you can see this theme in his introduction to the church at Philippi. In verse 1, it says, "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons." Again, we see that same theme as he prays for the church.

Now, if you flip over one book to the right to Colossians, you will find another letter written during the same period. In Colossians chapter 1, verse 1, Paul writes, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." He continues, "We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you."

This theme is evident in these prison letters, known as the prison epistles. Although Paul was in chains, he was not bound in the sense that he could do nothing. It is important for us to recognize this because sometimes we feel bound, even when we are not in a physical prison. Even if we do not find ourselves oppressed or persecuted, we may think—often due to our flesh—that we are bound and unable to do what we truly want to do.

I guarantee you that when Paul was in prison in Rome, he wanted to get out. He did not want to be there. As you will see in the book of Philemon and also in Philippians, he asked for prayer to be released. He felt like a muzzled ox, eager to share the gospel. However, he recognized that while he was there, he still had an opportunity to minister in a significant way through prayer.

Sometimes, we develop a false understanding of this powerful weapon of our warfare called prayer. We tend to think of it as a last resort when things are difficult or when people are going through tough times.

Well, I guess all we can do is pray. I've heard people say that more and more over the years, and as I hear people use that exact phrase, it bugs me more and more. Yet, I believe that as you read through Paul's life in the Book of Acts and the way he lived through the epistles, you see that this was a man who recognized that prayer was of the utmost importance. That's why he would tell the church at Thessalonica to pray without ceasing and to pray always.

In Philemon chapter 1, verse 4, he says, "I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers." In verse 5, he continues, "Hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints." He emphasizes that "the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." Paul acknowledges that he has heard more and more of Philemon's testimony.

As you read through this letter, it becomes very clear that Paul knew Philemon personally and had led him to the Lord. Even though Paul is now very far from Colossae and from Ephesus or Laodicea, where it is possible that Philemon lived, he says, "I still hear about you." He describes Philemon as one who refreshes the saints. In verse 7, he states, "For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints are refreshed by you, brother."

Paul heard testimony from people who had come through the city where Philemon lived, and even through the house that he lived in, because there was a church in his house. He says, "I've heard testimony of you that you refresh the hearts of the saints as they come through." He mentions that he has heard of Philemon's love, love displayed in works, and love displayed in action. He also speaks of Philemon's faith, faith displayed in works and faith displayed in action.

How do you know if a person has faith? James gives us a very good answer to that, and we will be looking at his letter in just a couple of weeks. He tells us that faith without works is dead. You see a person's faith by their actions, by their works. The faith and love that God has given to us, which He has shed abroad in our hearts, will be worked out in our lives in practical ways. The faith that we have in God will also be worked out in our lives in practical ways. There was a testimony of Philemon throughout the world at that point in time that he was a man of faith.

He was a man of love, and Paul says, "We've heard of your love and your faith toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints." The communication of your faith may become effectual; it may be even more abundant by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Underline that at the end of verse 6: "every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

Now, the prophet Jeremiah rightly observed in Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 9, that the heart of man is desperately wicked. Jesus revealed to us in the Gospel of Mark, in Mark chapter 7, that it is out of the heart that evil thoughts and evil actions come forth. In reality, when we look at ourselves in our flesh, there is nothing good in us, as Paul declared in Romans chapter 7: "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing."

However, when we are in Christ and He dwells in us, good things begin to be produced. Paul says here of "every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." There are good things in you and in me because Christ dwells in us, and we are abiding in Him. Some of those good things are described as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. He goes on with the list; all these good things are manifested in my life and in your life as we have Christ in us.

Paul says the more we get to know God, the more we draw near to God, and the more we acknowledge who God is in our lives, the more we begin to see these good things become effectual. They begin to pour out from us, and it is the sign of a mature individual in Christ. As they become more and more mature in Christ and grow closer to Him, these things begin to overabound in our lives.

Philemon was a man who had that in him—the fruit of the Spirit. It was evident; it could be seen. He had a testimony; people knew that he was a man who had love and faith. He was kind and tenderhearted. Paul says, "We have great joy and consolation." Even though Paul was in prison and going through difficult circumstances, he was filled with joy and consoled by the fact that other people in the body of Christ were being encouraged and refreshed by this man Philemon. That was fruit to Paul's account because Paul was the man who led Philemon.

To the Lord, he brought him to faith in Jesus Christ. He is the one who shared the gospel with him. Wherefore, he says in verse 8, "Though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, yet for love's sake I rather beseech you."

In verse 8, we have a new turn in this letter. There are kind of three sections in this letter. The first seven verses contain the prayer that Paul has, or the prayer that he brings before God on behalf of this man, Philemon, his salutation to him. But then, starting in verse 8, we begin to read of the purpose of Paul's letter. He says, "Now I could come and command you. I could write to you in a letter and say this is what you need to do, but instead, I'm going to beseech you. I'm going to pray to you. I'm going to beg you for love's sake because I know that you're a loving man. Christ dwells in you, and the testimony of your love is sounding throughout the world at that time."

So he says, "For love's sake, I'm going to beseech you, being such a one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I beseech you for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds." This was, of course, not a physical son, but a spiritual son, just as Timothy and Titus were, and even Philemon. Paul was a spiritual father to these individuals because he shared the gospel with them, and they came to the knowledge of the truth through the message that Paul brought to them.

He says, "I beseech you, I beg you on behalf of Onesimus, who is now a son in the faith. In times past, he was unprofitable, but now is profitable to you and to me." This is an interesting thing that Paul is doing here as he writes this letter to Philemon, a man who appears to be somewhat wealthy, a free man, and a master of slaves, as we will see. He was one who had a church in his house.

When I say that he was a master of slaves, you might think, "How could this Christian man be a master of slaves?" It is important for us to understand the cultural context of the Roman Empire in the first century. In Rome, about half the population were slaves; it is believed that around 60 million slaves lived in the Roman Empire. Some of these slaves were captured during the Roman conquests as they moved throughout the empire.

Many people became slaves because of great debt that they owed. As a result of their debt, they were sold into slavery to the one they owed the debt to. It's very likely that this was the case with the man Onesimus, who is spoken of here. Whatever the case, Philemon had a slave by the name of Onesimus. The name Onesimus, if you're taking notes, means "useful" or "profitable."

Notice Paul's little play on words in the next verse. In verse 11, he says, "I beg or beseech you on behalf of Onesimus," but he also notes that Onesimus, who in times past was unprofitable, is now truly living out his name. He is profitable to you and to me. In verse 12, Paul says, "Whom I have sent again, you therefore receive him, that is, my own heart." This is my own heart that you would receive him, whom I would have retained with me. I desired to keep him here with me, in verse 13, that in your stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. However, without your mind, I would do nothing.

It appears that Onesimus, being Philemon's slave, ran away. He fled from Philemon, from the city of Colossae or Laodicea, or wherever it was that Philemon lived. Somehow, he came to Rome, this runaway slave. When he arrived in Rome, he happened to come upon Paul and made his way to Paul's house, where Paul was under house arrest. When he came to Paul, Paul was able to share the gospel with Onesimus, and Onesimus became a Christian.

In the Roman Empire, which had 60 million slaves—half of the population—there was great concern that the slaves could rise up against their masters. If they decided to fight back, the Roman Empire might have faced significant problems. As a result, very harsh penalties were put in place for slaves, who were considered the complete property of their masters. They were under strict control.

The complete authority of their masters was absolute. If you were a slave in the Roman Empire and you ran away, the punishment for being caught and brought back to your master was death. Here, Paul writes to a man named Philemon, who had a runaway slave named Onesimus. Onesimus' name means "profitable," but because he ran away, he was unprofitable to his master. Very likely, he also owed his master some money, as we will see as we go through the rest of this letter.

Onesimus comes to Rome and happens to find Paul. Paul shares the gospel with him, and now this man, Onesimus, is no longer unprofitable; he has become profitable not only to Philemon but also to Paul and to the ministry of the gospel. Paul says, "I'm going to send him back to you. I've sent him back to you, and I want you to receive him."

If Philemon were just your typical master of a slave during this time, and he was not a Christian or a loving man, Onesimus would have been under the punishment of Philemon. He could have been legally put to death for being a runaway. In one sense, Philemon receiving Onesimus and Onesimus going back was like a death sentence. Yet, one of the things we see in this letter is an exhortation to integrity and honesty.

Here was Paul, who had this man, a runaway slave, who had now become a Christian. He could have greatly benefited from keeping Onesimus in Rome, but he says, "No, the right thing to do in Christ is to go back. You need to go back." I believe this is an important exhortation because there have been some over the years who have come to Christ with a very bad background.

In fact, some years ago, Pastor Richard told me a story about a man who became a Christian at Calvary Chapel Ramona. He came to Pastor Rob, and of course, the guy had come from a very bad background of selling drugs. He had money that he had stolen and wanted to give it to the church. They said no, and in fact, they told him he needed to bring this money to the police department and turn himself in because that was the right thing to do in integrity.

Here, Paul had a man who, for all intents and purposes, had broken the law. Even though he had now become a Christian, the possibility of severe punishment still loomed over him; he could be put to death.

And yet, Paul, being a man of God and a man of integrity and honesty, says, "Listen, Onesimus, you also are called to be one who is honest and filled with integrity. You need to go back. Now, I'm going to write you a letter, and I'm going to send this letter along with you." In fact, Pastor Rob, I believe during that time, said, "Listen, I'll go with you to the police. I'll stand by your side as you turn yourself in." But nonetheless, you need to turn yourself in.

Here we see Paul saying, "I can't go with you to stand by your side, but I'm going to send a letter with you. Take this to Philemon, even though he may disregard it and decide to punish you. This is the right thing to do in Christ and in integrity." He says, "I've sent again Onesimus to you; therefore, receive him. That's my own heart. That's what I desire. I would have retained him here with me. I'd love to keep him here with me, but I know that's not the right thing to do."

Without knowing your heart and without knowing what you would want me to do, Philemon, I couldn't do anything. The benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. I don't want you to do this because I'm telling you to do it; I want you to do this because you want to do it.

In verse 15, Paul writes, "For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that you should receive him forever." I love that verse. In fact, I put a star next to it. He says, "Perhaps this guy ran away from you for the very purpose that he would come to the knowledge of the truth, that he would become a believer, and that he would be with us and with you forever in eternity." Even though what he's done is wrong, perhaps the Lord was able to use that which was wrong for good.

Just as we see in the book of Genesis, you remember that Joseph's eleven brothers beat him, threw him down in a hole, and then sold him into slavery. He ends up down in Egypt in the house of Potiphar. After a period of time in Potiphar's house, he's accused of rape, although he didn't do it, and then he's thrown in prison again. Ultimately, the Lord takes him up out of the pit and out of the prison and sets him in the place of the prime minister over Egypt. God uses Joseph to save his people alive, to save his family.

After the death of his father, his brothers are now down there in Egypt with him, and they're fearful that maybe our brother Joseph's not going to be too happy with us. Joseph catches wind of this, and he's very grieved that his brothers would think this. He said...

Listen, what you intended for evil, God has used for good. Although Onesimus fled from Philemon, and it was not the right thing to do—because Paul, in his letters to the Colossians and the Ephesians, exhorted slaves to be obedient to their masters—this slave had run away. He had done that which was wrong, and Paul says, "Listen, here's how you're going to make it right."

Paul recognized that perhaps God used even this wrong action of this man. God didn't endorse it; God didn't tell him to do it, but God was able to use it to bring him to true faith. This way, he might receive him forever, not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, especially to me. But how much more unto you, both in the flesh and in the Lord?

He says, "Not only does he return to you as a servant, but now he returns to you as a brother in the Lord." There are some Bible teachers who even believe that Onesimus was the physical brother of Philemon. Now, you may wonder how it was possible for Philemon to have his own brother as a slave. It wasn't too far from possibility during that time in the Roman Empire.

Let's say that you had a debt that you could not pay, and your brother or family member came in and paid your debt. Then you would be indebted to him and sometimes become a slave to that individual. It's interesting because someone paid my debt and your debt, and now we have become the bondservants of Him, haven't we? The bondservants of Christ.

So, there is a small possibility—I don't know for sure—but there is a possibility that Onesimus was actually the physical brother of Philemon. Whatever the case, he is now a brother in Christ, having the same spiritual father that Philemon did. Paul says, "You don't just receive him now as a servant; now you receive him as a brother forever."

In verse 17, he writes, "If you count me therefore a partner, then receive him as myself." That's pretty heavy. Imagine the Apostle Paul writing this letter to you. If you really count me as a partner in the ministry, then receive Onesimus as if you were receiving myself. Even though you have the full right under the law to punish him, even to put him to death, he says, "I desire that you would receive him as if you would receive myself."

In verse 18, he adds, "If he has wronged you or owes you anything, then put that to my account. If he owes you anything financially, if he has taken anything from you, then I'll pay you."

In verse 19, Paul writes, "I, Paul, have written it with my own hand. I will repay." I love the way Paul works here. He says, "Albeit, I do not say to thee how you owe me even your own self besides." There’s got to be some humor in that as well. It’s kind of like he says, "Listen, if he owes you anything, put it to my account." But just to remind you, you owe me your life, buddy—your eternal life.

He continues, "I don’t even need to put you in remembrance of how you owe unto me even your own self." He then says, "Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord."

Now, remember what Paul said back in verse 7. He mentioned, "We have great joy and consolation." Paul was in prison when he wrote this. He says to Philemon, "I have great joy and comfort in your love because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you."

Now he turns it back around at the end in verse 20. He says, "Brother, let me have joy in you. Let me continue to have joy in you and be refreshed." He asks Philemon to refresh his heart in the Lord just as he has already refreshed the hearts of many saints.

Paul urges Philemon to receive Onesimus as if he had received him. He expresses confidence in Philemon's obedience, saying, "I wrote unto you, knowing that you would do this. I trust that you will also do more than I ask." He believes Philemon will do even more than he is writing to him about.

In verses 22 through the end of the letter, Paul sums up or finishes his letter. He says, "But withal, prepare for me also lodging." He asks Philemon to prepare a place for him, for he trusts that through their prayers, he shall be delivered or given unto them. This is the very same thing that Paul wrote to the church at Philippi in Philippians chapter 1, verse 19. He says, "I trust by your prayers and the supply of the Holy Spirit that I shall be delivered from this present situation" there in prison.

In fact, Paul was released for a time. He was released from his first Roman imprisonment for a period and was able to travel again to some of the cities where he had planted churches before he was ultimately arrested the last time, put in prison, and beheaded. He concludes by saying, "Prepare a place for me because I'm..."

Looking forward to returning to you, I trust that through your prayers, I shall be given unto you. Salute Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, and Mark, and Aristarchus, and Demas, and Luke, my fellow laborers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

So, Paul writes to this man Philemon, who appears to be a wealthy man. He had a church that met in his house, and he had a family that was devoted to Christ. However, he had potentially a brother who had never bowed to the Lord and had become a slave because he was in great debt. He ran away and was under punishment. He was in a position where he should rightfully be punished, and yet the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ came in and transformed the heart of this man, Onesimus.

Paul says, "Listen, the right thing to do, the thing of honesty and integrity, is to return. Go back, but when you go back, I'll send back with you this letter. I will stand with you, even though accusations will come against you, even though punishment awaits you. I will stand with you."

Do you see a correlation to a similar story? You and I were slaves to sin, runaways trying to escape punishment, but the punishment still followed us until the grace of the Lord came in. There is an accuser that stands against us, our adversary the devil, and there is a punishment that awaits us because of the law of God that we've broken. Yet, our Lord Jesus Christ stands with us. As Paul says here, "Put it to my account." Jesus already paid the price for you and me. What a blessing it is! You and I, who once were unprofitable, are now profitable. You and I, who once were under death, will now live forever because of the work that Jesus has done on our behalf.

Now, one of the neat things about this is that Paul says to this man Philemon, "I know that you're going to do more than I say." A number of years after this letter was written, we believe it was written around 60 to 61 AD, and after the death of the Apostle Paul and after many of the Apostles had gone to be with the Lord, there, near the end of the first century, there was a guy that we call one of the early church fathers, a man by the name of...

Ignatius, have any of you ever heard the name Ignatius before? Ignatius was arrested and was being taken to Rome, where he ultimately would be put to death for his faith in Jesus Christ. As he traveled from Antioch to Rome, he wrote a number of letters, and we still have manuscripts from those letters. One of the letters was written to the church at Ephesus.

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, he addresses the bishop of Ephesus, Onesimus. Interestingly, many within the body of Christ, including many Bible teachers throughout the years, believe that it was the very same Onesimus. Ignatius makes a note about the one who was once unprofitable but now is profitable in his letter to the church at Ephesus.

You may remember who the first overseer or bishop of the church at Ephesus was after Paul planted the church. We just looked at his letters a couple of weeks ago: Timothy. It is quite possible that after Timothy left Ephesus, he left Onesimus in charge there. It would appear that not only did Philemon not punish Onesimus, but he also let him go as a free man, a brother in Christ, and one who became very profitable in the ministry as the Lord saved him.

This is an awesome story. Even though it is only 25 verses, it is interesting that the church at Ephesus was the first church in the first century to begin gathering together all of Paul's letters. These letters had been scattered around various areas of Europe and Asia Minor, including the letters to the church at Colossae, Philippi, and Corinth. Ephesus was the first church that began to gather all those letters together and keep them as one whole book in the city where Onesimus was the bishop.

Perhaps it was Onesimus himself who said, "Listen, this book of Philemon, we need to hold on to this one because it was by this book that God set me free."

Let's stand and pray together. Father, I thank You tonight as we stand here that we have been set free, just as we read of.

This man, Onesimus, who had once been unprofitable and had once been a slave, represents every single one of us here tonight. We were once unprofitable, and we were slaves to sin, headed towards death. Your punishment for sin abode upon us; it was over us.

But God, You have saved us. You have stood by us, and You will stand by us at every trial that we face. Lord, I thank You that we don't stand alone and that we don't stand in our own strength. We have been given grace, mercy, and peace by You, our King of Kings, our Lord of Lords. Thank You for saving us and for calling us with a holy calling, giving us new life.

I pray, Lord, that as we prepare to go from here tonight, You would remind us once again of the great grace that You have given to us. Help us to stand strong in the ministry that You have called each of us to, even though we may not recognize that the family we’re in, the job that we’re in, or the school that we’re in is our place of ministry.

I pray, Lord, that You would help us to stand strong as bright lights. We ask this in Jesus' name. All God's people said, "Amen." I love You.