The Team

“Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. Philemon 1:25

During the mid-20th Century, Billy Graham assembled one of the greatest evangelistic teams to ever serve together. He was assisted by Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea on stage, and served behind the scenes by priceless men like T.W. Wilson.

At the news of his friend’s death, Billy Graham said of T.W., "We prayed, laughed and wept on hundreds of occasions. I feel his loss very deeply, but I know where he is. He is in the presence of Jesus, and that's where he longed to be.”

“In an interview with Christianity Today, song leader Cliff Barrows said Wilson's ‘great gift was to identify, to sympathize, and to minister to people who were such a vital part of our organization. I met him as a freshman in college in 1940, and he was very warm and personal to me as a freshman. Barrows said, ‘Wilson thrived in a team-based approach to ministry…people whose hearts God has knit together.’ ”

Epaphras, Mark, Demas, Aristarchus, and Luke  formed a prototype band of brothers with The Apostle Paul. The world has granted Paul the spotlight, but these men made it possible for him to carry on in spite of his heavy weight of ministry.  Like T.W., they deserve to be remembered and honored.

A team is always greater than the sum of the parts. Someone is always in the spotlight, or the tip of the spear in any great enterprise. The spotlight of success or failure brings name recognition that others on the team are not granted. Wise team leaders know they get more credit and blame than they deserve for any success or failure. The wisdom is not in knowing this is true, but in sharing both success and failure with the rest of the team. Success and failure are both a team effort. But I digress.

Epaphras was described by Paul as, “my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.”  Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke were mentioned as, “my fellow workers.” There is a difference, but the common denominator is Paul’s personal sense of ownership. These men shared a personal relationship with Paul. They were not only on his team. They were in his heart.  As Cliff Barrows would say, “knit together.”

A great team is not built by great talent, but by a healthy personal pride in and identification with others.  There is nothing like the synergy of a plan and a people merging into a powerful force to accomplish more together than they could ever do apart.

Epaphras, whose name meant lovely, was instrumental in the conversion of the Colossians (Colossians 1:7).  He was the messenger who brought Paul the good news of the progress of the gospel, of the Colossian’s "faith in Christ Jesus" and of their love toward all the saints (Colossians 1:4). Paul regarded Epaphras as, "our beloved fellow-servant," "a faithful minister of Christ" (Colossians 1:7), and "a bondservant of Christ Jesus" (Colossians 4:12).

Mark was the John Mark of the New Testament, whose unfaithfulness earlier in his life had been the source of a division between Paul and Barnabas.  Subsequently reconciled with Paul, Mark stood with the aged apostle at his hour of need. The Gospel of Mark bears his name. Paul’s use of Mark’s name, may have been a reminder to Philemon of his own forgiveness towards a brother who had once failed Paul, but had been restored to usefulness. (2 Timothy 4:11)

Aristarchus was a Greek Macedonian of Thessalonica (Acts 27:2), who journeyed with Paul to Rome, and shared his prison experience with him as a fellow worker. This is the same Aristarchus seized by a mob and dragged into the theater of Ephesus. (Acts 19:29).  This is not the place on the stage that most preachers envy.

Demas served Paul well during his first imprisonment in Rome, but unfortunately did not finish well. Paul’s final word on Demas was a disappointing epitaph. He is described in 2 Timothy as having deserted Paul and as, "having loved this present world." (2 Timothy 4:10) God often hits straight licks with crooked sticks, as long as they remain in His hands.

Luke was Paul’s beloved physician. His credentials as a fellow worker are abundantly clear by his authorship of The Gospel of Luke and The Book of Acts.  He didn’t just write the history of the early church. He made history.

It is amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit. An individual who craves the credit for success, but is unwilling to share the blame for failure, is not a team leader, nor a team member. Criticism of a leader or a team member reveals more about a critic’s lack of character than the one they disparage.

At least one member of Paul’s team did not make the final cut. Paul’s consistent prayers for those who were in positions of responsibility fill his writings. Paul prayed for Demas, but the failure to finish the race is evidence that Demas did not start praying for himself. He is the poster boy for those who pray hard enough to get a title, but do not pray long enough to finish the task.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Confidence

“…Refresh my heart in Christ. Having the confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say. At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.” Philemon 1:20b-22

Paul’s “Confidence in your obedience” is developed through the essential process of mutual intercession.  His expectant intercession is expressed by,  “Refresh my heart in Christ.” Paul’s expectancy and confidence in being refreshed by Philemon’s obedience to Christ was based upon his prayer for his friend, and Philemon’s persistent intercession for Paul. He framed his expectancy as a hope “through your prayers.”  

Paul’s confidence in Philemon’s obedience was not based upon Philemon’s great work for The Lord, but his hope rested upon his brother’s great walk with The Lord. Paul and Philemon were not perfect men, but they were both praying men. As such, they were brothers in Christ. When they faced any hint of separation, they did not get in each other’s faces. They fell on their faces before God, on behalf of one another.

Within the climate of their mutual intercession, Paul developed an over-riding sense of a persuasive power at work in him.  Separated by many miles, and facing a possible difference of opinion with his brother, Paul prayed for Philemon. By praying for his brother, Paul was reminded that they were joined in the heart of God as brothers in Christ. Through each other’s prayers, their bond with The Father, produced brothers in love, not brothers in law. May their tribe increase.

There may not be any more beautiful expression of expectant intercession than, “Refresh my heart in Christ.”  Praying for his brother raised Paul’s level of expectancy in Philemon because he had confidence, or trust in Christ to complete the work He had begun in his friend’s heart. Christ was Paul’s source of a great relief and refreshing, but have no doubt about it. Confidence came to him by praying for a work that only Christ could do through Philemon.

Paul’s confidence was placed in Christ, not Philemon, but his expectancy was no less of a relief and a refreshing to him. The refreshing was rooted in the source of Philemon’s sense of direction and correction. Refreshing confidence came from Christ, to Paul, as he lifted up his prayers for his brother.   It helped knowing his brother was doing the same for him.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it, until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Confidence in Philemon’s willingness to respond in obedience to Paul’s request of him was generated by Paul’s intercession for him. To the Greeks of Paul’s day, confidence meant, “to be persuaded of a thing concerning a person.” Of course the Greeks had a god by the same name, but Paul’s confidence in Philemon didn’t come from a man-made idol. This kind of confidence came from Paul’s trust in Christ and his intense intercession for his brother.

Note to self: Jesus finishes what He begins. Expect some refinishing to be done on you and in others. Pray through the process, for yourself and for others.  Yielding to the touch of His Spirit’s hand on your heart speeds up the work Christ intends to do in, and gives you patience with His work He has yet to finish in others. Resisting prolongs the process, and postpones the completion.

Paul interceded for Philemon to see things from Christ’s perspective, not Paul’s point of view. Philemon interceded for Paul’s release, and safe return to him.

From a human perspective, Philemon would be hard pressed to receive Onesimus, an escaped slave, as his brother in Christ.

Paul prayed for Philemon and asked him to receive his escaped slave as Paul in the flesh, and welcome him in the same way. Philemon’s obedience to Paul’s request would refresh the aged apostle’s heart, because it would reveal God’s answer to his prayers.

Any separation or irritation between brothers should initiate intercession for one another. Prayer warriors intercede with confidence for their brothers and sisters and expect reconciliation, instead of perpetuating separation between each other. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Benefit

“If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. But if he has wronged you in anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.” Philemon 1:17-20

Early in ministry, I shared a laugh with a seminary buddy of mine, when we were both serving as student ministers. I asked him how it was going, and he responded, “I have discovered that I love the ministry, but it is people that I can’t stand.” We laughed at the clever contradiction in terms. Forty years later, it isn’t so funny. Too many contemporary pastors of the church pattern themselves as ranchers, rather than shepherds. They may be faithful to push the herd towards living water, but don’t know their sheep by name.  Some are better at name-dropping than remembering the names of those under their care.

As brief as it is, this prison epistle to Philemon reveals a great deal about the heart of Paul, and the body life of the early church. With all the uncertainties he faced in his own imprisoned condition, and with his concern for all the new churches struggling to survive, Paul found time to focus on the life of one escaped slave, Onesimus. He took off his church planter hat and turned into a Christian counselor seeking to reconcile the breech between two brothers, Philemon and Onesimus. He prayed for them, and called them by name before he took them to task. Intercession must precede intervention.

Comments on Paul’s writings usually emphasize his passion for God, but short change his compassion for people. Paul’s concern for Onesimus reveals that the early church was not the birth of a new religious order, but a creation of The Father.

Paul described the members of the early church as partners and brothers. The church was not an organization, but a living organism. The Body was made of many parts, and not one of them was insignificant. Anyone who has ever hit a little toe on the corner of the bed has been reminded of this simple truth.

The early church leaders performed as partners, not as greedy competitors. The church meeting in the home of Philemon was under the authority of The Apostle Paul, but the leader and the people were also held closely to Paul’s heart. When he referred to Philemon as his partner, Paul didn’t put the emphasis on his authority over Philemon, but on his relationship with him.

 "Rules without relationship always breed rebellion."

The source of the quote is not clear, but that doesn’t cloud the truth of it. Some say it comes from Jay Strack. Others attribute it to Josh McDowell. Regardless of the source, the truth remains. Parents, pastors and partners who disregard the importance of investing in relationships are in for a rodeo of rebellion when they try to enforce their rules.

The leaders of the early church recognized each other as partner, but received their fellow members as brothers.  These two aspects of relationship may be the most important legacies left by the ancient church to the contemporary church. As the Christians of the Middle East are being exterminated or exiled from lands that were the birthplace of Christianity, only the hardest of hearts cannot find enough compassion to lift up a prayer for their partners in ministry and brothers in Christ.

Paul appealed to Philemon as his partner, and encouraged him to receive Onesimus as his brother. As partners, Paul was willing to assume the cost of reconciliation. The healing of a breech always comes with a price. It takes the sting out of the cost when a partner shares the hit.

In any relationship, someone has to be willing to pay what it takes to make things right.  Under Roman law, Philemon had been wronged, and he deserved to be made whole. Under God’s grace, Philemon was being challenged by Paul to give up his legal rights and receive Onesimus as a product of God’s grace.   

Talk is cheap, and advice is worth what is paid for it. Advice is much more valuable if the one who is dispensing it is willing to foot the bill for it.  Paul stepped up.

“I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).”

In my last church building project, I vouched for the services of a contractor who had been recommended by the contractor’s pastor. The contractor cheated our church, by taking payment without finishing the job, and lied about making it right. I ended up paying out of my own pocket to make the church whole.  The contractor’s pastor advised me to just let it go. His advice was accurate, but it would have been easier to swallow if he had offered to split the cost with me. Can I get an Amen?

Paul was not just willing to pray, but was offering to pay to prime the pump for the grace of God to flow through Philemon’s heart to his brother Onesimus. Paul was willing to pray as long as it took, and to pay whatever it cost to bring Philemon and Onesimus together, by God’s grace.

“Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.”

Paul had called on Onesimus to return to Philemon and make restitution. He prayed for Philemon to offer Onesimus restoration. Being reimbursed financially was not all Philemon needed. To be made whole he needed to embrace his former slave as his new brother in Christ. Paul could require Philemon to do it, but he interceded for him to hear from God and follow The Father’s heart, not his own. To take the sting out of the process of the birth of grace in Philemon’s heart, Paul offered to pay for the cost of the delivery.

The Benefit that came to Paul for his praying and paying, would be the privilege seeing the grace of The Lord in the heart of Philemon.  A movement of God in one person’s life is often a prelude to a movement of God on a grand scale. Imprisoned as he was, Paul envisioned and anticipated the answer to his prayer. He said The Benefit would “Refresh my heart in Christ.”

“Refresh” is used interchangeably in the Bible with the concept of rest. The Blue Letter Bible Commentary defines it as…

“to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strengthto give rest, refresh, to give one's self rest, take rest, to keep quiet, of calm and patient expectation.”

Jesus described refresh as the relief that can be found in The Yoke with Him. “I will give you rest.” - Jesus Matthew 11:28

Intercession softens the hardest of hearts in believers, and prepares them to make restitution and to offer restoration.  Prayer reaches to Heaven, and calls on The Father to heal the breeches between His children on earth. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Heart

“I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.” Philemon 1:12-14

“Sending my very heart” indicates that Paul had a heart for prayer and a heart for doing what was right. When church leaders want to get their way, they are tempted to bring the heat to remove the obstacle in their path.

When Paul expressed his desire to get what he wanted, he gave away his heart. Bringing the heat from exerting personal effort and exercising the art of gentle persuasion may bring a good idea into reality, but miss God’s idea in the long run.

Paul set the example of a man who didn’t need to lead with his need to get what he wanted. His life was marked, by giving his heart away, not getting his way. He didn’t lead by compulsion, but by intercession.

Compulsion operates on “My Will.” Intercession has a heart for “Thy Will.” The process of intercession conforms “Free Will” to Thy Will.” Prayer is an investment of one’s time and one’s heart into a heart transplant in the life of another person. The Spirit’s surgery cannot be rushed, but it can be ushered in by intercession.

Paul refused to rationalize his need and use it as leverage over another person to get what he wanted. He was aged, imprisoned, and in need of comfort. Onesimus offered to him relief of his need, but Paul saw a danger in it.

If the service given to Paul by Onesiumus appeared to be theft on his part, in the eyes of Philiemon, it could cause a breech between two brothers, and disrupt the fellowship of the local church. An escaped slave was no small matter. The escape of Onesimus caused a loss of face for Philemon in the community, and constituted a substantial loss to him financially.

Rather than command Philemon to get on board with what God had done in the heart of Onesismus, Paul prayed for the master to have a change of heart towards his slave and receive him, as his new brother in Christ.

Praying begins by yielding one’s will to The Father’s will. This is how Jesus prayed. After hearing Jesus pray, His disciples said, “Teach us to pray.” Jesus began with two words, “Our Father.” All believing prayer begins by a child placing compete trust in a loving Father to do what is right for them. Prayer is not about getting what the child want. Prayer is all about the child getting on board with The Father’s will.

Again, Jesus modeled the purpose of prayer. He prayed until His will was conformed to His Father’s will. When Jesus prayed, He gave His heart away to God, and received The Father’s heart as His own. The heart of prayer is the matter of the heart. Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” The purpose of prayer is for the Father to implant His heart into His children. Prayerless children are heartless indeed.

To know The Father’s will is one thing. To receive The Father’s will is quite another thing. Praying softens the heart and opens the hands of the prayer warrior to receive The Father’s will.

Intercession is the process by which a prayer warrior calls on The Spirit of Christ to develop the mind of Christ in the heart of another person. Paul prayed for Philemon, not because Paul needed a devotional exercise, but because Philemon needed a heart transplant only The Father could give.

Leaders without followers are not marching at the head of an army. They are only taking a walk by themselves. Shouting out orders to people who have no heart to follow will never launch a movement of God. Praying for potential followers to receive a new heart for The Father prepares the church to receive the next Great Awakening. Unless hearts are prepared to receive the change The Father is capable of bringing into a person’s life, new believers will be stiff armed in the parking lot, before they ever get to the pews. Prayer prepares the heart and improves the vision of the local church to have new hearts and open arms.

My wife and I assist our local church by serving on the front lines. I put out the Welcome Mat in the parking lot, meeting and greeting people as they arrive. She serves at the Welcome Desk in the entrance of the church, seating guests in the Worship Center.

Most churches would be well served to give some fresh attention to the way they meet, seat and greet guests. Like fresh paint, hospitality covers a great deal of sin. Effective hospitality begins by showing up before guests arrive, and involves meeting, greeting and seating them before there is any hope at connecting with them. Ninety percent of success in connecting people to a local church hinges on the first ten minutes they spend on the parking lot. But I digress.

Philemon was being asked by Paul to see the change The Father had made in Onesimus. He was no longer a slave, but a saint. He was Paul’s child, and Philemon’s brother. Paul interceded for Philemon to have a change of heart towards a man that had wronged him. Prayer softens a hurting heart to receive healing, and prayer gives courage to risk being hurt again.

A great deal was at stake in the life of Onesimus and the local church. The Father is grieved when His children do not value what He has done in giving a person new life in Christ and adopting them into His family.

Onesimus was a real slave, but his life also serves as a poster child for what happens when The Father unleashes a Great Awakening. Relationships get cleaned up with The Father and get real messy with His children, all at the same time.

A hardened heart only leads to a stiffened arm. A softened heart leads to open arms. This only happens when The Father’s children pray for one another to love one another, to forgive one another, and welcome one another with open arms. When they pray for one another His children send each other His heart. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The R.E.S.T.

“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore, though I have confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.“ Philemon 1: 7-9

Paul’s prison epistle to Philemon is filled with beautiful word pictures that serve as a glimpse into a time capsule of the early church.  Paul received “joy” and “comfort” and the saints were “refreshed” as a result of Philemon’s investment in their lives by hosting a local church in his home. He gave the members of the early church more than the use of his home. He gave them his heart.

One of the temptations facing the contemporary church is the lure to follow the lure of the current culture and exchange priceless joy for cheap entertainment.  Laughing at someone else’s expense, giggling at a child’s use of foul language, convulsing over a comedian’s bathroom humor are all poor substitutes for Christian joy.

Joy is not a matter of temporary happiness gained by connecting a perfect chain of events or waiting breathlessly for the perpetual punch-line. Joy is an over-riding confidence in the heart of a child of God, who has learned to trust The Father to guide them through the stalls and the storms of life. Some things take time.

“Paul, the aged” had learned his lessons well. If prison was a test, he was not going to stay after school, or skip the final exam.  His joy was not in recess, but in rest.

Paul led an escaped slave, Onesimus, to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and sent him back home to make things right with his master, Philemon. For social justice advocates, the little book of Philemon is always a troubling piece of Scripture.

The simple truth is this. Dead men have no rights. Long before there was an American Christianity that elevated Religious Liberty to unknown heights, there was a Biblical mandate for believers to make things right with those they had wronged. Onesimus had to have struggled with his decision. Doing the right thing is never easy, and personal rights always die a hard death. Onesimus died to himself, and his will and went back home.

Perhaps the freedom Paul discovered in his own imprisonment encouraged Onesimus to obey Paul’s counsel to return home to slavery. If Onesimus had not done so, Paul’s letter to Philemon would not be in our hands today. Obedience has consequences. Disobedience does too. Thanks, Onesimus, for praying and obeying. May your tribe increase.

My friend, Michael Catt, has been led to develop a ministry with a message of personal revival to pastors and people all over America. He has called these gatherings, “ReFresh.” I thought of him and Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Georgia when I read, “The hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”  Thanks, Michael!

“The saints have been refreshed through you” is a great life message. This statement reveals the impact of Philemon’s life on the early church. It should be the personal passion of every preacher standing in the pulpit delivering a message to the people in the pews.  PREACH IT!

“Refreshed” means to give a person the opportunity to cease from labor in order to recover, to collect strength, or to catch their breath. It carries the concept to take a rest, to take ease or give rest. It is the same word used to describe the way of life Jesus had in mind for His disciples, when He said,

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The paradox of Christianity includes the unique relationship between spiritual freedom and the slavery of the yoke. Those who yield to Jesus as their Savior, also receive Jesus as their Lord. These two concepts are inseparable to salvation.

Note to self: EMBRACE BOTH!

Walking with Jesus is not a free exchange of ideas between two people holding independent lecture series. It is a life of obedience and submission to the will of The Master. Anything less is rebellion, and a spirit of independence will never lead to dependence on Jesus.  Refreshing rest is found in His Presence.

Prayer is the pause that refreshes. It is the real thing, and the only thing that keeps a believer walking in a synergistic relationship with The Captain of The Yoke. Many come to Jesus for the rest that is found in the initial forgiveness of sin, but they fail to continue yielding to His will for the rest of their lives.  

Restless Christians are prayerless people who proudly gather no moss. Sadly, they never bear fruit.  Sound familiar? “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” The Lord, Jesus Christ

Philemon discovered a way to refresh the saints of the early church. Michael Catt is calling the contemporary church to rediscover prayer as the missing ingredient in finding this kind of rest. The message of ReFresh is a call to prayer for the next Great Awakening. Join him in it, and let it begin in you.

Rest is only a prayer away on a personal and a corporate level. Those who pray will find they are refreshed when they R.E.S.T. and Release Every Single Thing to Jesus.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Appeal

“Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – since I am as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment,” Philemon 1:8-10

A demand hardens the will, but an appeal softens the heart. No doubt, the church is the army of God, and led by The Champion, Jesus.  Those who receive His marching orders will follow His lead wherever it takes them.

Those called to mobilize the church must do so by appealing to them, without barking orders at them. Paul placed the highest priority on appealing to God and leading Christian brothers to pray for one another, and for those who are in authority. For a an appeal to soften the heart, and not harden it,  The Appeal must begin as a prayer to God, before it is put before a brother.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”  I Timothy 2:1 KJV

Paul used an unusual word to express, “I rather appeal to you.” Six times this word is translated as pray or prayer, and it directly related to the word that at times is transliterated into English as “paraclete.” It describes the work of The Spirit of Christ as the one who is called alongside, and comes alongside of a person in distress to bring comfort and strength for courageous living.

Paul resisted the temptation to exercise his authority over Philemon.  He didn’t get in his face, but appealed to his heart. This glimpse into the early church reveals Paul understood that there were times when the fellowship of believers functioned best as a family. Wise leaders can discern when it is time to go to war, and when it is time to throw a family reunion.

Paul had no fear of stepping up to the plate when it was time to lead. He also had enough confidence in Christ to lean into The Yoke and to trust Him to do the heavy lifting in changing a person’s heart.

The Appeal begins with a prayer to God, in the name of Jesus and releases the power of The Spirit to soften the heart of a person who needs to be reconciled with his brother. Philemon was in need of a blood transfusion for courageous living that had no cultural expression or legal precedent.

Paul was not a afraid to be the lead off hitter, but also knew that fearlessness and prayerlessness become a toxic tonic when mixed together, and injected into the Body of Christ. He was humble enough to dial it down a notch in his exercise of his authority, and appeal to The Spirit of Christ to change the heart of Philemon towards Onesimus.

Paul was gifted by God with power and authority that over-road and outranked Philemon’s status at almost every level except one. Philemon was his brother, and that precious relationship put Paul’s will on pause. He refused to make demands of his brother, but prayed for him and appealed to him as one.

Paul and Philemon shared the same spiritual DNA. Christ’s love had created their relationship, and that same love had birthed new life in Onesimus. Paul prayed for Christ to reveal to Philemon the new relationship he shared with Onesimus. They were no longer master and slave. They were brothers in Christ.

The Appeal was not a demand for Philemon to show love to Onesimus. It began as a prayer of intercession for Philemon to hear from God before he received communication from Paul.

The Appeal was a call for a work of God to soften the heart of Philemon. He exhorted Philemon to resist the urge to react to Onesimus as a wronged man, but to respond to him as a changed man. Every work of God’s grace is an answer to prayer.

Intercession involves praying for people to respond with softened hearts, when they have been wronged. Praying begins by yielding to God’s will, and resisting the urge to react with hardened hearts to those who have brought the offense.

Note to self: Talking to people without praying for them rarely improves your communication with them.  If you want them to hear from God before they hear from you then pray for them before you talk to them. Intercession softens their hearts. Even the slightest observation sounds like an accusation when it has not been bathed in prayer.

Preparation for the right words to say to people is secondary to intercession done for them. Talking is a waste of breath and misses divine appointments. Precede any communication with intercession. The Appeal begins with intercession and leads to reconciliation. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Mention

“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” Philemon 1:4-7

Paul, assisted by Timothy, wrote a brief, personal letter to Philemon “our beloved brother and fellow worker.” Over the years, this brief epistle has been a source of conflict and confusion. The subject of the letter has to do with the return of an escaped slave, Onesimus, to his rightful owner, Philemon. From a human perspective it appears that Paul is perpetuating an injustice, not making it right. Short as it is, Philemon has never been an easy read.

The Roman world was filled with slaves, and as far as Roman Law was concerned, a born-again slave was no different from one who had never heard The Gospel. The rights of Philemon’s ownership were not invalidated by the invasion of The Spirit into the life of Onesimus. Under Roman Law an escaped slave was a fugitive from justice, not a victim of injustice.  

After Paul led Onesimus to a saving knowledge of Jesus, he encouraged him to go home and make things right with his master, Philemon. Though Onesimus was still a slave, in the eyes of the law, he was also Paul’s brother, in the eyes of God. Paul leveraged the brotherly love that existed between himself and Philemon, to prepare the master’s heart to put out the welcome mat for his slave, not the whipping post.

In a world of electronic mail, instant messaging, Facebook posts, and tortuously slow snail mail, contemporary culture may be in the death throes of genuine communication. Thel current phenomenon of two friends walking down the street with their eyes glued to their Smart-Phones make them look like fools. A restaurant table filled with patrons posting pics of their food while ignoring the people around them reveals a cultural wasteland, not an image of improved communication. But I digress.

Paul reminded Philemon, “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,” Paul had no access to E-Mail, but he made abundant use of KNEE-Mail. Communication without intercession is man’s idea, not God’s idea. To be clear, it is never a good idea. Before you hit SEND, take a KNEE.

Sharing a prayerless piece of one’s mind is not improved by speed. The faster a slap in the face remark is sent doesn’t soften the blow. It only hardens the heart of the one who receives it. Hitting “Delete” before “Send” is a huge improvement over prayerless communication.

Note to self: Just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you have to express it. Reading and responding to every foolish Facebook post is a fool’s way to share wisdom. It is like throwing rocks at every barking dog while walking to town. Unbridled comments result in an aching arm, more barking dogs, a town with a lot of broken windows, but with very little communication. Stop throwing. Start praying.

Paul’s letter was put on a slow boat, and delivered to Philemon in the hands of an unlikely messenger. Before, during and after the writing of the letter, Paul prayed for Philemon, “making mention of you in my prayers.”  

Without the benefit of E-Mail, Paul invested his time in KNEE-mail. He thanked God for Philemon, and prayed for him to receive his letter with open hands and a tender heart.

Prayer calls on The Father to mend a breech between two brothers. The Father created the relationship between brothers. He is able to mend it when brothers mention one another to The Father in prayer. The Mention begins the mending, and starts with thanking God for a brother, not criticizing him.

Much has been made of the covenant relationship that exists between God and a husband and wife. Christian marriage is not a contract between two independent people. Marriage is a covenant between two people who are dependent upon God for His direction, protection and correction.  They choose to join together, but they mutually choose to live under the eyes of God, and under the authority of God. Christian marriage is not a 50-50 contract between two independent people. It is a 100% absolute surrender of two people, choosing to be totally dependent upon God. Big difference.

The covenant relationship, between two Christian brothers, is no less powerful. Brothers do not exist because they have the right to live, but because they share a common father. In the same way, Christian brothers created by The Father are bonded to Him and to one another.

Paul thanked God for his brother, Philemon. He interceded for him to hear Paul’s heart, not just read his words, when he received his letter from the hands of their common brother, Onesimus.

Knee-mail is the lost art of Christian communication. Intercession for one another within the family of God is certainly not over-done. Sad but true, it is often under-utilized. Prayer begins the bonding of brothers by thanking God for one another, and leads to interceding for each other.

Thanking God for brothers that may not agree with us is a key component to authentic intercession. Gratitude for one another avoids having an attitude towards one another. Intercessors do not “PRAY AT” one another.  God’s purpose for intercession is for brothers to “PRAY FOR” each other.

Paul’s letter gives a glimpse into God’s method for changing a culture, one life at a time. The Mention of Philemon in prayer prepared the heart of the one who had been wronged to make things right in the life of Onesimus.  Intercession is the heartbeat of the next Great Awakening. The Mention begins with thanksgiving and leads to intercession. The next Great Awakening is a prayer away.  Thanksgiving and intercession begins with you. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Fellowship

“I hear of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; And I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.” Philemon 1:5-6

One of the greatest challenges of a minister or member of a local fellowship of believers is the maintenance of the balance between a love for The Lord of the work, and a passion for The Work of The Lord. Without an understanding of the difference between these two powerful forces, ministers and members lose their intense, immediate intimacy with The Lord Jesus, and the life-changing joy He provides for His work.  

In December of 1975, while completing my first year of ministry in the local church, I was invited to attend a Christmas luncheon held to honor the ministers and paid staff of our local Baptist association. It was held on a Monday, and the pastor of the host church was invited to say a few words of welcome to the hundreds of ministers. He failed to keep in mind that the crowd was gathered for a meal, not a message. This never ends well.

Our host began his weary remarks with, “On Monday I am not looking for any place to speak, because I don’t have anything left to say.” It was a rough start, a weak effort, and a poor ending. The words of the late Jerry Clower came to my mind, while enduring the insufferable, “Shoot up here amongst us! One of us needs relief.”

As I looked around that room, I was overwhelmed with the suffocating air of fatigue and mediocrity. It was a sea of earth tone suits, scuffed shoes, Expandamatic slacks, rumpled shirts, and nodding heads. It looked like a Sleep Apnea Convention, not a fellowship of soldiers celebrating a fresh victory and the birthday of The Champion. It chilled me to the bone, and I made a promise to myself, to never end up in that sorry state.

Paul referred to Philemon as a brother, a fellow worker, and fellow soldier. Philemon exhibited a priority for a love and faith toward Jesus, and he also expressed this same love and faith towards the saints. Paul’s use of the conjunction “towards Jesus and towards all the saints” forms the junction of the unction for effective ministry.

“Love and faith” are the essential oils needed to soothe the soul of The Body of Christ.  Undefeatable good will towards the saints and absolute trust in Jesus are powerful, life-giving components. Minsters and members of the fellowship must protect them from becoming cold-blooded theological terms.

Without the life-giving intimacy of a consistent companionship with Jesus, minsters turn ministry into a science, and members become glorified lab rats used for the next best experiment. When Love and faith is expressed towards Jesus, they build a fire in the heart of a minister that will never leave the saints cold. Energy expended in ministering to the saints, without intimacy with Jesus, loses the blessing of His unction, and the joy of the function. Again, this never ends well.

Note to self: Take a page out of Philemon’s playbook. Keep moving closer and closer towards Jesus. He fuels the flame of your love and your faith in Him, and turns it into a light that guides the way, and a fire that warms the hearts of the saints.

Paul interceded for Philemon, “And I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective.”  There is a difference between effective faith and efficient work. The knowledge of effective faith is found in spending time in The Presence of Jesus, not in doing more efficient work for Him. Paul honored Philemon’s love and faith expressed towards Jesus. He prayed that Philemon would continue to grow in “the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.”

Believers reach a great turning point, when they come to the learning curve in their knowledge that The Father never withholds any good thing from His children. Anything that looks better than The Son is a myth, or a mirage, not a more effective method. Seeking better methods, and missing Jesus may lead to a good idea, but will never lead to God’s idea, focusing on love and faith towards Jesus.

Some gifts take time for a recipient to appreciate their value. Jesus is no exception. When God gave His Son as His gift of love to sinners separated from Him, there was no greater love that The Father could give. Growing in the knowledge of God’s love takes time. The old Gaither song says it best, “The Longer I Serve Him, The Sweeter He Grows.” Thanks, Bro. Swank!

What The Son willingly gave, many have quickly grabbed, but then selfishly ignored. The Fellowship begins and ends with Jesus. Those who embrace His love for them, should race to walk and to talk with Him. Too often The Fellowship becomes a focus on the service to the saints, without intimacy with The Savior.

Two “Lines That Linger” my Dad often states are,
     “Never let the system overshadow The Savior.”
     “Anything that cools your love for Jesus is sin.” Don Miller

The Work of The Lord “towards the saints” must never overshadow a ministers “love and faith” towards Jesus, The Lord of The Work. When ministers focus more on the fellowship of the saints, than intimacy towards The Savior, they are out of fellowship with Jesus, and of little use to the saints. Prayer restores fellowship with Jesus, and provides His unction for the function of ministering to the saints.

Prayerless ministers and members of The Fellowship become trapped in the function of ministry, by losing the touch of The Savior’s unction for ministry. Function without unction leads to the junction of dysfunction. Prayer puts the priority of ministry where it belongs.  Prayer points ministers towards Jesus, and then Jesus points ministers towards the saints.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Grace

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.”  Galatians 6:18

Paul’s prayer for “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” was his final word for the Galatian church. He closed his letter with, “Amen.” The contemporary church could use a heavy dose of Paul’s prayer and a full measure God’s grace. Can I get an, “Amen?”

Unfortunately those who talk the most about grace walk in it so little. When they encounter those who use their vocabulary of grace, but do not share their definition of it, there is very little grace expressed. Framing the debate gets lost in shaming their opponent.  Shedding more heat than light never produces sweet fruit, but it does leave a bitter after-taste.

Today the blogosphere and too many pulpits are platforms for the public ranting and ripping of relationship over the ways and means to receive God’s grace. Those hungering and thirsting after righteousness are often invited to a debate, not to a banquet. When the knives come out, and the educated opinions slice and dice the definition of grace into gauze-like fabric, it barely resembles the blanket of love God throws over those exposed by His holiness.  

Sin strips people of dignity by shaming them with their own nakedness. The enemy is never satisfied, by doing this privately, and makes sure the shame is as public as possible. Sin humiliates the sinner. Grace covers sin. God hates sin, but He loves sinners. His grace is greater than sin, and He loves people too much to leave them trapped in sin. Grace wins over sin. This only happens…EVERY TIME.

God’s grace covers a multitude of sin, one person at a time. When Paul prayed for “The Grace of The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” he did so as the chief of sinners, not as a self-appointed fruit inspector. Big difference.

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” 1 Timothy 2: 15

“The Grace of The Lord Jesus Christ” is not a cosmic cover-up. It is not a fine print escape clause that allows a sinner caught off-course to continue heading toward a point of no return.  Grace began in the heart of God, but it is best revealed by a personal turnaround in the life of a grace-filled believer.  Paul shared this personal testimony.

“I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet, I was shown mercy…and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:13b-14

“ARE WE THERE YET?” This one phrase may be the most innocent and annoying question ever uttered by a child. Every parent on an endless road trip has heard it. Every child has said it, over and over and over and over and over, but I digress.

Paul’s personal turnaround began at a point of grace, but he continued to walk in the “grace of the Lord Jesus.” He did not outrace or reject His pace, while racing toward a cliff in a spirit of uncorrected rebellion. Paul was shamed by his sin, but didn’t remain in his shame. He was renamed by The Risen Lord, but he was tamed by His grace. He was not less Paul, but “The Grace of our Lord was more than abundant.”

When Jesus invests His grace in the life of a believer, it is a coin marked by two sides of equal value, faith and love. A child’s simple prayer plants the grace of Jesus into a heart of faith, but only consistent companionship with Jesus matures grace into a personal fruit bearing of His love. This love is not a man-made imitation, but The Fruit of The Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)

In 1972, recently graduated from Baylor University, my Dad and I took the long road trip from Waco, Texas to Long Island, New York.  I had been a Christian since the age of six, but The Fruit of The Spirit remained scarce in my life due to one crop failure after another. When my Dad heard me out, he said, “You need to be filled with The Spirit.” I responded, “I tried that once, and it didn’t work. If the Holy Spirit is that weak, who needs Him.” He said quietly, “I hope you and Jesus become friends one day.” From the Shenandoah Valley to the Long Island Expressway, not much was said. Talking rarely improves walking. It only postpones it. The choice was mine.

Abundant grace is not discovered by talking about Jesus, but by walking with Him in faith and love. Over the past 42 years, the definition of the grace as God’s undeserved, unmerited favor has been inspiring. The simple expression of  G.R.A.C.E. – God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense has been informing, but consistent companionship with Jesus has been transforming.

Stunted or interrupted fruit bearing are not a result of a lack of information, but the lack of transformation. The Spirit of Christ conforms believers to Jesus, and produces His character in them.

Believers who ask Jesus into their heart must keep praying or they begin straying. Grace is planted by a prayer, but the fruit of grace is nurtured by praying. Praying people are not perfect people. They are only connected people. Prayerless people are separated from The Vine, and they lose their connection with The Source of life-giving power for The Fruit of The Spirit.

Prayer keeps the power of The Presence of Jesus flowing into the life of a believer. Prayer is the connection with His life-giving root. When it is interrupted, it must be restored for consistent companions of Jesus to have any hope of bearing His fruit.

Prayer restores a walk with Jesus with the breath that is in a believer’s lungs. Prayerless people are prideful people who settle for their own imitation fruit. The world isn’t buying what they produce. Neither is Jesus.  Grace filled believers bear The Fruit of The Spirit in their spirit.  

Prayer races to grace, but persistent praying turns The Race to Jesus into The Walk with Jesus. The proof of The Walk is in The Fruit of The Spirit. Settle for nothing but the best, the character of Jesus. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Brand

“From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren.  Amen.” Galatians 6: 17-18

The tipping point in any personal relationship is the capacity of two people to grow in their awareness and their appreciation for the pain they cause one another. Long lasting relationships are not death-defying partnerships.  They are life-giving creations of God’s grace and they are sustained by “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Grace filled people don’t just admit to God when they are wrong. They change behavior to avoid repeatedly hurting those they have offended.  Paul was not ashamed to say, “Let no one cause me trouble.” He had been hurt and wanted it to stop. There is simply no education in the second kick of a mule.

Change in behavior is not made by saying, “I’m sorry.” It begins by admitting to God, “I was wrong.” It leads to the humility to say to others, “Please forgive me.”  Forgiven people should be the first to forgive. When they don’t race to forgive, they are full of themselves, not God’s grace.  The point: Race to grace.

Note to self: Praying for someone who has offended you, doesn’t make what they did to you any less offensive. Praying for them softens your heart to forgive them, and to let go of the offense. Prayer may not always change the offender, but praying for “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” changes you.

Holding onto past offenses requires a white-knuckled grip of the soul. It transforms offense, real or imagined, into life-sapping resentment. Relationships based on an expectation of perfect treatment from imperfect people have the life expectancy of a fruit fly, and bear no fruit.

The Fruit of The Spirit fills a person with the capacity to forgive, to let go, and to move on with the offender. Grace is revealed, by letting go of the offense, not choking the life out of the offender.

Citizens of Graceland are marked by “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The very sight or thought of an offender can release a revealing narrative. When the offended meets the offender, the conversation should not begin with “Once upon a time.” Paul came to the point of grace with those who offended him when he could say, “From now on.” Grace makes a difference between repeating a story and creating a new one.

Paul prayed for those who hurt him, and found “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to say, “From now on.” These words reveal a willing spirit to begin again with those who hurt him, not a passion to punish them.

Relationships within the body of Christ are rarely pain-free, and those who enter into the fellowship of believers will need grace to deal with hurting people. People who have been hurt will hurt other people. It is never wise to look towards hurting people as the source of “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” They must be recipients of this grace before they become conduits of His grace.

Paul bore brand-marks on his physical body that were a result of the hatred of his enemies, the betrayal by his friends, the rejection by his peers, and the constant conspiracies of his competitors. They were not painless encounters, and they left a mark on him. When Paul ran his hands over his scars, they reminded him of Jesus, not his offenders. Grace always will.

Paul’s words indicate an expectation on his part to see a change in those who hurt him. “From now on” expresses willingness, to move one with his offenders, not a death-wish hold on a grudge against them.

Praying for those who hurt him turned Paul’s brand-marks into signposts of God’s grace in his life. The cowboy culture has an expression, “Riding for The Brand.” This describes a cowboy’s willingness to identify with the owner of the outfit, obey his orders, and protect his cattle, come what may. Paul’s identification with The Owner over-rode any pain or price he experienced “Riding for The Brand.”

“From now on” kind of grace requires a passion for prayer in those who have been offended. Praying for offenders is not a one-time event but a life-long process. Grace is not a short ride in a rodeo. Grace comes from a close walk with Jesus down a long road with hurting people. Prayer is more than a little talk with Jesus. Prayer is a long walk with Him, and releases His grace.

Painful scars have the power to trigger stories that begin with “Once upon a time.” “The grace of The Lord Jesus Christ” releases the power to say, “From now on.” When holding on to an offense gets in the way of moving on with the offender, let go of the offense and take hold of Jesus. Pray your way to grace.

Prayer releases the offense, and releases grace in your spirit for the offender, by bearing in you The Fruit of The Spirit. Anything less is Brand X. Don’t settle. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!