Chapter 1

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philemon+1&version=ESV

STUDY

• Verse 6: "...and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective..."        Do you share your faith with others?  Have you seen fruit from sharing Jesus?  Although we might not always see people come to know Christ through our testimonies or from sharing the gospel, we should see evidence of God working through us at some level.  If we are vessels for honorable use (2 Timothy 2:21), then we will be used by God, and His desire is that all would know Him through a relationship with Jesus.  Although it is completely by the Holy Spirit that one is saved, we can be apart of His work.  Even if you don't see a person transformed because of God working through you have faith and pray that God is continuing His work in that person, in His timing and way.   I ask that you pray, along with Paul, that the sharing of your faith would be effective.  It's not about the words you say, it's not about where you take them to share the gospel, it's not about how much faith you have- it's about His timing, Him speaking through you, and what His will is.  If we try to do it without Him,  it will fail.  If we try to do it in our timing, it will fail.  Trust in Jesus, and ask to join Him in the opportunities where HE is at work, instead of hoping He will come to the rescue when YOU'RE at work.  

• Verse 7: "...because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you."        Do people feel refreshed in their faith when they spend time with you, or do they feel condemned, judged and heavy with baggage?   Pray about that.   Ask the Lord, "are others refreshed in their faith by me?"  Let us encourage one another and love one another!

• Verse 14: "...your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord."        Do you do good because you have to or because you want to?  Is the good works that you do because you want others to praise you and approve of you, or because you want the praise and approval of Jesus?  In Titus 3:8, it says to devote yourselves to good works.  Paul doesn't instruct them to do that under compulsion, but if you follow Jesus, good works is the output of a relationship with Him.  When good works come out of you, it is evidence that the Holy Spirit is doing a good work in you.  The two go hand-in-hand.  If you find yourself doing good things, so that others' will praise you or approve of you, please pray and ask that God would re-direct your reasoning.  We all are selfish and proud, and sometimes our exaltation is put before Jesus' exaltation.  This is sin.  Let us repent, ask Jesus for forgiveness and let our love and devotion for Him produce good works through us, so that He alone is glorified!

PRUNING ME

        I have shared Jesus with many people.  Sounds great, doesn't it?  But I'm sure that if you are someone I went to school with, worked with or have even been friends with, you'd say- I didn't do it effectively.  I say "have been friends with" because I think I have lost friends because I tried to share my faith with them.  My problem?  I did it in my timing, in my way, and without grace.   Some of the people I witnessed to could see me at church on Sunday- singin' praises to God, but complaining about my job on Monday, smoking weed on the way to the bus stop on Wednesday, and getting hammered on Friday.  This was obviously not God's timing, or God's way- which is why it was so uneffective.  It wasn't only uneffective, but probably more damaging to the receiver's future in faith.   What a great representation I was of Jesus, eh?  Father forgive me for humiliating the name of Jesus!  Some of the people I shared my faith with, saw that I did love Jesus, did walk with Him, but were not ready to accept Him as their Savior.  This became uneffective when I pointed out all their sin and tried to "push" Jesus into their lives.  It is nothing I do that saves people.  It is all God.  If God hasn't prepared their hearts to receive Him, then they won't.  That's why it is so important to ask God, "Where can I join You in YOUR work?",  rather than asking HIM to join YOU at work.  One other area that I still struggle with,  is trying to share my faith with believers.  It's not so much sharing "Jesus" with people who already know Him, but more, sharing what He is doing in my life with fellow believers.  It is awesome to share what God's doing in and through you with your brothers and sisters in Christ, but beware of sharing it in a way that condemns them.  Too often, I shared what the Holy Spirit was teaching me- things like, alcohol, birth control, having more faith, being a better wife, finances, etc., and when I share with my friends, I would share it in a way that made them feel as if they needed to learn the same things- NOW.  God transforms everyone at different times, in different ways and exposes different sin to different people.  Although the ultimate aim for every believer is to be more like Jesus, sin to some is not sin for others.  There are obvious things that we are called not to do in the Bible- like get drunk, have sex outside of marriage, lie, steal, etc.  But there are many things that get exposed in one's life that they didn't even know were there.  For me, this was selfishness, the need to submit to my husband or my need for others' approval.   These are examples that only Jesus could have exposed in me.  Even though the Bible teaches about most of these things, it isn't until the Holy Spirit allows us to see them that we can know them and be changed.  Although I know that God can use me and things He has done in me to speak truth and expose truth to another believer, their eyes need to be opened and their heart softened, which happens in His way and in His timing.  It's when we do it on our own that we become or sound condemning, judging and proud.  Let us put our own agendas aside- pray for those you are burdened with.  Ask God to show you where He is at work- in unbelievers as well as believers, and let Him open up opportunities to share your faith with them.   Be in tune with the Holy Spirit and where He is guiding you and what He asking you to do.  Then respond and let the Holy Spirit do His work through you!

• Leanne