Posted on in Personal Reflection

Philemon

This prayer is dated May 17/22

ADORATION (v.1-7)

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister andArchippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers,  because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints,  and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you

Oh, Lord, the testimony about our Lord Jesus’s sacrifice for our iniquities, his death, and that he rose again has been told from one generation to another. I thank my God for his grace and peace toward his people. He showed us how to love and share our testimony with others. Renew this generation’s mind, heart, and soul and increase our love for Him.

CONFESSION (v.8-16)

8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant[c] but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Oh Father, forgive your servant for not wanting to be more in prayer, more in your word, more in relationship with you and other believers, more of service. Hear my request, O Father, and let me still learn of your goodwill for my life. Teach me to do your will and notice and become bolder for Christ. Give me wisdom that I may be able to give instruction and teaching that are sound in doctrine and rebuke those who contradict it.

“Prayer change things, all kind of things. But the most important thing that changes is us. As we engage with this communion with God more deeply and come to know the One with who were are speaking more intimately, that growing knowledge of God reveals to us the all the more brilliantly who we are and our need to change in conformity to Him. Prayer changes us profoundly.” ~ R.C. Sproul

THANKSGIVING (v.17-20

17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

Oh, Father, thank you for our home, land, gardens and friends. Thank you to our churches that have stayed faithful to you as a bride awaiting his beloved’s return. Let my mouth continue to praise your glorious name and teach me to be humble, patient, kind, loving, and wise. Help me retain the memorized scripture more efficiently to cherish it in my heart and mind longer.

“Our prayers cannot force God to do anything, but He used them as His own instrument to bring about His will.”~ R.C. Sproul

SUPPLICATION (v.21-25)

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

I pray for my children and my friends. It is with confidence that I approach the throne of grace. Prepare my heart today by writing a word of encouragement in my blog so that others will desire to pray and read your comment.

Let’s go pray!

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