FRACTURED FELLOWSHIP

Philemon

This very short book/letter in the New Testament has very interesting facts.  It lists people’s names in whom Paul wants to be remembered to and does not contain the kind of teaching that is usually associated with Paul’s letters.  This intrigues me.

I was taught in speech class that when you are speaking you can use complex sentences, but when you really want to make something clear, make your sentence short and to the point.  I tend to think that this is what Paul was doing.  He was trying to make a point.

He was encouraging Philemon to take Onesimus back with forgiveness and brotherly love.  Scholars tend to agree that Onesimus was Philemon’s slave or bond-servant, who had run away.  When a slave was lost, the master would have to purchase another or pay another person to do the work the slave did.  This was more than an inconvenience.  It took income away from the master.  Paul was encouraging Philemon to forgive and take back Onesimus thus restoring not only the original relationship the two men had, but also adding that Onesimus was now a believer and fellow brother in Christ.  Paul was restoring a fractured fellowship between the two.

Paul not only mentions Onesimus to Philemon, but he also mentions a number of other believers.  It is obvious that Paul personally knew these believers he mentions.  Two are only mentioned in this chapter of the Bible (Apphia, and Lucas) that we know anything about other than they were fellow believers whom both Paul and Philemon knew.  The rest we know a little more about:

Archippus – Archippus had a ministry.  (Colossians 4:16-18)

Onesimus – Onesimus was a servant/slave of Philemon.  He was a believer and well loved by Paul. (Colossians 4:8-10)

Epaphras – Epaphras was a minister and Paul considered him a fellow servant.  (Colossians 1:6-8; Colossians 4:11-13)

Marcus – Marcus was Barnabus’ nephew.  (Colossians 4:10)

Aristarchus – Aristarchus was a Macedonian from Thessalonica, a one-time travel companion and fellow prisoner to Paul (Acts 19:28-30;

20:4; 27:2)

Demas – Once a believer but left the faith for worldly things.
(Colossians 4:13-15; 2 Timothy 4:10)

Demas provides another view of fractured fellowship.  The AMP Bible states it this way, “…For Demas has deserted me for love of this present world and has gone to Thessalonica…”  Paul makes such a short statement, but it is so important.  “For love of this present world…” shows that Demas let the things of this world take priority over Jesus and his relationship with Him.  Paul does not say that Demas went into evil acts or vile sins.  He just states that he left him for the love of the world.  The things of this world drew him away.  Demas’ fellowship with Jesus (and consequently with Paul) was fractured by love of the world.

Demas was drawn away from faith by things seen and felt around him.  It is an easy trap for us to fall into.  We have to live in this world.  We have to work, earn money, pay rent, buy food, etc.  We cannot but experience the things we see and feel, but the difference is which will take preeminence?  Which will be more important to us?  Which will we desire?  The things we see and feel or Jesus. Is it really that simple?  Yes, but you may say that we cannot but be focused and concerned about making enough money to pay the bills and rent.  Is it a wonder why Jesus asked us why we were overly anxious and troubled with the cares of this world?  (Luke 25-28)  He encouraged realizing that if God cares enough to take care of the plants in the field, how much more will He care for us.

Another example of how we let the things of this world draw us away is in Malachi 3:7-9.  In Malachi we learn the Children of Israel were ignoring the law of God to give Him a tenth of all their increase.  In fact they were not bringing offerings of any kind to Him.  They had a choice to return to God.  If they returned and obeyed Him he promised to return to them and “pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it…rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground...”  Again, the choice is simple.  If you choose to focus on the concerns of this world you will have broken fellowship with God.  If you choose to focus on God He will give you all you need to live in this world and your fellowship with Him will grow.

Will you focus on Jesus today, or let the world have its sway?

CONSISTANCY

Do you struggle with consistency in your walk with the lord?  I do.  Sometimes I just amaze myself at how I can spend daily quality time with Him and be in a prayerful attitude all day for a number of days in a row, then struggle in meeting with him all the while shooting out “emergency” prayers.  I used to think that it was just a matter of discipline and establishing a routine, and in part it is, but I have found that it also involves faith.

Living a life of faith involves a change from old ways and habits.  We have all heard the phrase, "Old habits die hard."  It is oh so true.  Have you ever tried to break a habit you have done for years?  Yet God tells us in Col. 3:9 that the old (old man, unregenerate self with its evil practices) has been “stripped off”.  If that is the case, why do we still do the things we do?   Verse 10 gives us the answer:

“And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it.” AMP

God knows our old habits die hard.  He knows our frailty and he provided a way.  Our old is stripped off as we grow and know more and more of Him, thus renewing our old into new.  It is not a once-and-for-all procedure.  It is an ongoing process.

How does this help me?  I have found a repeated pattern in every successful effort of life by faith.  This is often (though not always limited to) the process He uses in my life to affect this renewal in me:

1) There is a need in my life

2) I recognize it and ask God for help

3) I receive what God has provided for it and act in obedience to what He directs

4) I realize and give praise for the fullness and deepness of what God has done

When I apply this to my problem of inconsistency I find:

1) I need an ever deeper, growing, consistency in my relationship with God

2) I have recognized this need and ask God to fill it

3) He has instructed me to make it my FIRST priority to have a quiet time with Him every morning.  It has to be done before I do anything else.  “Jesus first” has become my mantra.  I have been obedient in spending time in His Word and prayer (conversation with Him) and allowing the Word of God to do its job as the sword cutting and exposing the subtle differences between the soul (where my mind, will intellect and emotions dwell in what they think is independence) and my spirit (where the deepest part of me that KNOWS God is dependent on the indwelling Holy Spirit.)  (Heb. 4:12) AMP

4) I praise God that in my obedience He has strengthened me in consistency and I am growing closer and closer to Him.

What an adventure this walk in Christ is!

THERE’S A STORM COMING

This morning as I sit at the computer I have been looking out the window at the grassy back yard of my apartment complex and watching over 20 Robins listening for worms and bugs.  I have lived here for almost two years and never saw more than three Robins at one time.  What caused them to all come out at the same time?  Then it dawned on me it must be the coming storm.  Last night’s news stated that a storm was coming that was bringing a lot of arctic chilled air and snow was expected even in the valley floor.  The birds must sense the coming storm.  They were preparing, eating food to sustain them until the storm passed.

Science teaches us that animals have a natural sense for impending danger.  God gave the creatures He created the ability to sense such changes as a storm coming.  It is in their nature to prepare for these things they sense.

God gave us, also His creation, the ability to sense spiritual storms.  He has already given us what we need to prepare.  There is a phrase that the older people in Church tend to say about facing hardships, “You gotta’ be prayed up to stay up!”  Prayer is the preparation for spiritual danger.  Prayer is simply conversation with God.  It involves thanking Him, adoring Him, praising Him, discussing things over with Him, and requesting His help with things on a daily basis.  Prayer is the one thing that works in this physical world and the spiritual unseen world that surrounds us.  Prayer affects both worlds and transcends what we think is impossible, making it possible.

Do not get me wrong, God hears last minute prayers, but how much better to be praying on a regular basis so that when a storm of trials arrives we already have that peace that God has it in control! 

There’s a storm comin’.  Are you “prayed up”?