Author: Kristi Wilson

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Making Memories

Yesterday I spent most of my day sorting through pictures and making a photo book for Sam. We want him to remember the fun he had on his first camping trip. He was only in the mountains for forty-eight hours and we have over three hundred photos of his adventure!

Everything was new – some things he eagerly embraced and at other times he had to be coaxed.

It made me think. Our heavenly Father has a photographic memory. He doesn’t forget a thing. How many images of us doing new things does He have? Are we smiling and enjoying the new opportunities He has for us or do we need to be encouraged to try something different? Are there images of us dragging our feet and greatly resisting the opportunities set before us? Or do we ignore instruction and run off into areas of danger?

Kim had the forethought to bring boundary cones. You know those bright orange/pink cones you see in the grocery store to keep you away from a wet floor or on an athletic field to let you know the ball has gone out of bounds. Sam knew he could go anywhere he wanted within the area of the cones. If he wanted to go passed them he had to ask permission or have an adult with him.

“I am the Lord. That is My name. I will not give My shining-greatness to another, or My praise to false gods. 9 See, the things told about in the past have happened. Now I speak about new things. Before they happen I will tell you about them.” 10 Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing His praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands and those who live on them. ” Isaiah 42:8-10 NLV

The Lord has new things to show us. He wants us to experience all of His goodness.

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 9 For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:8-9 NLT

Another translation of this verse says “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” How did the world get the idea that God is wanting to punish and treat them harshly? All through the Bible God tells of His unconditional love and amazing grace. His desire is to bless us with good things.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Jesus came to give us “new” life, completely forgiven, and made right with the Father. It was a new covenant, one that had never been before. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Lord has put His laws in our hearts and minds. (He put up the boundary cones for our protection) Then He made a promise to forget all that we had done wrong.

“The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:15-17 ERV

So, let me ask you again what pictures did the Father take of you yesterday? Are you enjoying ALL of his goodness? Learn new things, have new experiences and make new and lasting memories with God!

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Lions and Bears – Oh My!

We just got home from another camping trip to the mountains. This was our second trip this summer – the White Mountains of Arizona are beautiful and so relaxing.

However, they are also the natural habitat for many different kinds of wildlife. This trip we saw elk, deer, turkeys, the ever-present chipmunks and squirrels and a couple of skunks (but I’ll tell you about them a bit later).

For several days before we left I was reading systematically through Psalms and Proverbs. I was really impressed with the verses in those two books that promised safety and protection to “those who serve the Lord”. Now, I’m been walking with the Lord long enough to know that when there’s a reoccurring theme to my reading God is trying to tell me something.

“I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.” Psalm 4:8 CEV

“You, Lord God, are my protector. Rescue me and keep me safe from all who chase me.” Psalm 7:1 CEV

“But if you listen to me, you will be safe and secure without fear of disaster.” Proverbs 1:33 CEV

“They will help you to live  a long and beautiful life. 23 You will walk safely and never stumble; 24 you will rest without a worry and sleep soundly.” Proverbs 3:22-24 CEV

“Let all who run to you for protection always sing joyful songs. Provide shelter for those who truly love you and let them rejoice.” Psalm 5:11 CEV

“Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful. 2 Then you will say to the Lord, “You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God, and I trust you.” Psalm 91:1-2 CEV

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.” Isaiah 41:10 CEV

These verses were planted in my heart before we left for camping and through my daily reading I was reminded of the Father’s faithfulness and protection. I knew the Lord was preparing me for a situation that might cause me to fear or to feel unsafe and so I began praying protection over Dave and I and our camping trip. I also prayed over our oldest daughter, Kim, her husband, Austin and our youngest grandson, Sam, who would be joining us on the weekend.

When we arrived at the campground on Tuesday afternoon we were excited to get camp set and begin enjoying our time in the mountains. The camp host gave us the customary reminder that there are bears in the woods although none had been spotted for quite some time. But then she said something I had not expected…3 male mountains lions had been spotted close to the campground the day before. We needed to be alert when out walking, especially if we had small children or small dogs. We should also keep all our food locked away in our vehicle during the night.

At that instruction I felt fear begin to grip my thoughts. We were in a tent – this was not good news. Now I knew what the Lord had been preparing me for – I needed to trust Him to be my safety.

The first night I slept very little. Most of the night I was quoting the Scriptures above and reminding myself that the Lord was my safety and protection. I heard every sound and my body was on alert. During the day there was no worry or fear – none. The second night I was able to sleep better and found a greater sense of peace and rest.

On Thursday it was even better. Friday I was able to get a text out to a friend and asked her to pray with me over the situation. I know her to be a prayer warrior and knew she would join me. It was that day that the Lord gave me these verses:

“You let us rule everything  your hands have made. And you put all of it under our power— 7  the sheep and the cattle, and every wild animal, 8  the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and all ocean creatures. 9 Our Lord and Ruler,  your name is wonderful everywhere on earth!” Psalm 8:6-9 CEV

The Bible isn’t just words on a page to me. The verses above, and all the verses from cover to cover, as God’s promises to me that He is my protection, my safety, my salvation, my healing, my joy, my peace, my wisdom and my strength. Regardless of the circumstances my strength comes from trusting Him and knowing that He will never lie to me – if the Father promises to be my protection then that’s exactly what He will do!

Kim, Austin and Sam arrived on Friday morning. It was Sam’s first camping trip and we had a wonderful time. Nature walks, discovering old dead trees, seeing wild turkeys, fishing, making s’mores and so many other things. We took over 300 pictures in two days to document all the fun.

Friday night I went to bed confident in God’s protection. Sam wanted to sleep in the RV that night so we read stories, had prayer time and everyone was ready for bed. Now, to the skunks. I had forgotten to put Glory’s dog food up and at 10pm Dave and I both heard a noise in the camp. We looked out with our flashlights but couldn’t see anything. Dave softly yelled and whatever it was ran off. Then about 2am we heard something else – this time we were able to see that it was a couple of skunks. They were not going to be run off and we weren’t going to disturb them. It was only when we got up in the morning that we discovered they had found the container of dog food, gotten the lid off and eaten to their hearts contentment.

We knew they would be back on Saturday night for a second helping so Sam slept in the RV again instead of the tent. It was an interesting end to our camping. We also learned that the lions had been chased out of the area – hunting season started and they, the lions, weren’t staying around with all the hunters and their dogs who were arriving.

Fear is real! The purpose of fear is to break our confidence in God’s word. I’ve heard it said that fear is a fact that we have to deal with but that God’s word is truth and truth is greater than facts – truth changes facts. Facts must submit and conform to truth.

Jesus told the disciples who were on a ship about to sink to “fear not”. The truth was Jesus had said that the boat would go to the other side of the lake. Fear saw the waves and felt the wind, the facts, but God’s word, the truth, calmed the waves!

I would love to say that I live “fear free” but I have to deal with it as much as anyone. However, I have learned that God’s word makes me an overcomer in fearful situations when I let the peace of God rule my heart.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

I’m not sure what “lion” is bringing fear into your life – it may be a health issue, finances, relationships, your job, physical danger or some world crisis – but I do know that our command from the Lord is to “fear not” so commit the situation to Him and His peace will guard your heart.

One final word on our camping trip – we were not foolish in our actions; we were alert to our surroundings, we didn’t allow Sam or Glory to run off unattended, we had bear spray and we also had other forms of protection and we covered every circumstance with prayer.

God is ALWAYS faithful and He can ALWAYS be trusted!

“We are still alive because  the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 ERV

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Keeping Short Accounts

Today I am recycling a blog that I first published two years ago. Dave and I have been in the mountains on a week’s vacation. It has been so good to get away, unplugged and refresh. As you know last time we went to the mountains we had very poor internet service, the same holds true on this trip so I took time before we left to schedule remote postings of my morning blogs. So that explains why I am reusing a teaching from a couple years back.

“Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day working on bookkeeping. Evaluating some things and determining if they were financially profitable based on the time expended.

Have you ever put together a profit and loss statement? Listing your assests and liabilities can certainly be worthwhile in determining how you should spend your time and your money.

So let’s get down to the bottom line. What do you owe? That’s the question the Apostle Paul was addressing as I read Romans 13.

“8 You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands. 9 The law says, “You must not commit adultery, you must not murder anyone, you must not steal, you must not want what belongs to someone else.” All these commands and all other commands are really only one rule: “Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” 10 Love doesn’t hurt others. So loving is the same as obeying all the law.

11 I say this because you know that we live in an important time. Yes, it is now time for you to wake up from your sleep. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost finished. The day is almost here. So we should stop doing whatever belongs to darkness. We should prepare ourselves to fight evil with the weapons that belong to the light. 13 We should live in a right way, like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or be drunk. We should not be involved in sexual sin or any kind of immoral behavior. We should not cause arguments and trouble or be jealous. 14 But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self.” Romans 13:8-14 ERV

Owe no one anything…nothing except love!

The desire to live debt free is admirable and is one worth pursuing. An even greater goal is to live a life of loving people, not with an human selfish love but with the same love that Jesus shows us.

So let’s look at that bottom line again, the P&L Statement.

” For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36 KJV

Let love be your daily ambition!

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Finish Strong!

“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1-2 ERV

Dave and I were visiting our oldest daughter Kim in Washington State several years ago. She was competing in an Ironman competition. 70.3 miles of swimming, hiking, and running.

I went with her to the check in. There were athletes there of every age, size and physical condition. Each would compete more against themselves than against the other competitors. Each would ask their bodies, their minds and their emotions to push the limits in order to complete the race.

I remember thinking about us a Christians. How often do we pursue our goal of being Christ-like and then back off when it gets a little too hard or we get injured by the words or actions of others?

These competitors were a reminder once again to keep my eye on the prize, to take time to encourage others in the race, to share things I know about this course and how to battle on through the pain.

It’s worth it you know. Let’s all keep our eyes on Jesus and finish strong!

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Course Correction

Once again Dave and I are on the road. We are in the mountains camping. We spend so much time traveling; God has blessed us with safety on each journey, we are very grateful and never take it for granted.

As we travel I can’t help but think of all those who have traveled these roads before. Those who came on horseback, in covered wagons and those whose only means of transportation was their feet. Looking at the terrain, considering the weather, the elements and the dangers they may have faced causes me to pause. But then thinking of the joy they experienced in seeing new land that no one had ever been to before, the beauty – the grandeur, the vastness of creation, brings an unprovoked smile to my face. We check the Atlas and follow the roads, they followed the dreams of their hearts!

Then I thought about Abram. At a word from the Lord, he set out for a world unknown.

“The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you. 4-5 Abram was seventy-five years old when the LORD told him to leave the city of Haran. He obeyed and left with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and slaves they had gotten while in Haran.” Genesis 12:1-5 CEV

His obedience birthed a nation. His obedience open the door for Jesus, the Messiah to come. His obedience brought blessing to his life and those who traveled with him.

What road has the Lord asked you to take today? Are you being obedient and bringing blessing to the lives of those around you? Or are you like another man that God spoke to about traveling a new road, Jonah? He chose to be disobedient and his disobedience caused a storm in his life. Satan worked to destroy him as he ran from God. But God…but God intervened, kept him safe in the belly of the fish and set him on the right path.

“But Jonah tried to run away from the Lord. He went to Joppa and found a boat that was going to the faraway city of Tarshish. Jonah paid money for the trip and went on the boat. He wanted to travel with the people on this boat to Tarshish and run away from the Lord…While Jonah was in the stomach of the fish, he prayed to the Lord his God. He said, 2 “I was in very bad trouble. I called to the Lord for help, and he answered me. I was deep in the grave. I cried to you, and you heard my voice. 3 “You threw me into the sea. Your powerful waves splashed over me. I went down, down into the deep sea. The water was all around me. 4 Then I thought, ‘Now I must go where you cannot see me,’  but I continued looking to your holy Temple for help. 5 “The seawater closed over me. The water covered my mouth, and I could not breathe. I went down, down into the deep sea. Seaweed wrapped around my head, 6 I was at the bottom of the sea, the place where the mountains begin. I thought I was locked in this prison forever, but the Lord my God took me out of my grave. God, you gave me life again! 7 “My soul gave up all hope, but then I remembered the Lord. I prayed to you, and you heard my prayers in your holy Temple. 8 “Some people worship useless idols, but those statues never help them. 9 I will give sacrifices to you, and I will praise and thank you. I will make special promises to you, and I will do what I promise.” Salvation only comes from the Lord!” Jonah 1:3, 2:1-9 ERV

If you’ve been running from God make a course correction and follow the path of blessing!

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Learned Behavior

It’s amazing how many things we do as adults that we were taught as children. We no longer do them because we fear that we may get a whippin’ or because “mom” is still standing there telling us everytime but we do them because we know it’s right.

Look both ways before crossing a street
Brush your teeth before going to bed
Don’t run with scissors
Don’t talk with your mouth full
Chew with your mouth closed
Don’t tattle
Wash your hands after you’ve gone to the bathroom
Say, “Yes Ma’am” “Yes, Sir”
Don’t punch your sister
Pick up your clothes
Feed the dog

All of these things are simple and right but we had to be taught them and now that we do them we are better for it.

You know the same is true with Scripture.

“So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.

9 I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 CEV

Joshua was taking over for Moses, leading over a million Israelites into the Promised Land. Big shoes to fill – he needed wisdom and courage. This was his instruction from the Lord…remember what you were taught, you will be successful!

Today I want to remind you what you were taught. Several times through Scripture the theme of all Scripture was summed up in two instructions, love our God and love our neighbor. Just as our earthly parents taught us to do the right thing our heavenly Father wanted to make sure that we learned what He thought was best.

“36 “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 38 This is the first and most important commandment. 39 The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” 40 All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 23:36-40 CEV

When we love the Lord with all our heart we will naturally or supernaturally love others as well. We learn from His example of love, unconditional love and we give. We give our time, our possessions, our acceptance, we give our very lives if necessary.

Love well today!

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Encouragement

Encouragement…we all need it from time to time. Maybe you know someone who has been going through a really tough time or maybe you see a stranger and sense that they just need a smile or a kind word. It might be your child or spouse, it could be a waitress or checker at the grocery store.

Keep your eyes open and your heart ready – ask the Lord to use you to bring hope, strength and joy to someone today.

But maybe you’re thinking, I wish someone would do that for me today. I need to be encouraged – I need a kind word! Take heart. I have good news for you!

“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” I Samuel 30:6 KJV

David’s wife and children had been stolen along with the wives and children of his men. His men were so distraught they were considering killing David because they felt it was “all his fault”. David needed someone to encourage him but there was no one, so he encouraged himself…one version says he strengthened himself.

“All the men in the army were sad and angry because their sons and daughters were taken as prisoners. The men were talking about killing David with stones. This upset David very much, but he found strength in the Lord his God.” I Samuel 30:6 ERV

Maybe that’s how you feel today. If you need to encourage yourself today start with this verse. Look in the mirror and read it to yourself.

“You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way. I know how amazing that was! 15 You could see my bones grow as my body took shape, hidden in my mother’s womb. 16 You could see my body grow each passing day. You listed all my parts, and not one of them was missing.” Psalm 139:13-16 ERV

If no one else is there to offer words of encouragement this should put a smile on your face and hope in your heart! God formed you and He saw to it that nothing was missing in your development. He is still with you promising to never leave you or abandon you! You’re not alone!

Now take what the Lord has done for you and give hope to others. It’s wonderful to know that you can be used even in your toughest moments!

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Can Do Ability

Knowing that God is able gives me confidence to jump into each new day with renewed strength and vision.

What is God “able” to do? ANYTHING! ALWAYS! FOREVER!

He is able to keep, able to save, able to empower, able to heal, able to protect. HE IS ABLE!

“God is strong and can keep you from falling. He can bring you before his glory without any wrong in you and give you great joy. 25 He is the only God, the one who saves us. To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all time past, now, and forever. Amen” Jude 24 & 25 ERV

Confidence comes in knowing God’s word. Not just reading it as our little “Christian” duty but truly knowing it and by knowing His word we grow in knowing Him.

Recently I took a couple of afternoons and went through old pictures and letters. Reading those letters gave me insight, a knowing, of the friends and family that had written them. Reading them again after so many years, I could recall specific times and events and hear their hearts.

That’s the way it is with God’s word. Reading it we learn His heart and that is what gives me confidence to know that He hears and answers my prayers. God’s word is His will. Praying His word gives a steadfast confidence that He will ALWAYS answer.

“God has also said that he gave us eternal life and that this life comes to us from his Son. 12 And so, if we have God’s Son, we have this life. But if we don’t have the Son, we don’t have this life.

13 All of you have faith in the Son of God, and I have written to let you know that you have eternal life. 14 We are certain that God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases him. 15 And if we know that God listens when we pray, we are sure that our prayers have already been answered.” I John 5:11-15 CEV

Trust Him today. He is able. With God we can do it!

“Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.” Philippians 4:13 ERV

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Our Armor is God’s Word

Did you know that the seeds of God’s word grow and when they are developed they produce a harvest of armor? Think about that for a minute.

What happens when you plant God’s word in your heart? It grows! It provides you with strength, strength for daily living. The Apostle Paul tells us to put on armour for daily living so that we can stand strong. Each piece of armour can be tied to God’s word so it is safe to assume that the crop produced when we harvest the seeds of God’s word is armour.

“Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. 11 Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. 12 We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. 13 So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day[a] comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.

14 Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. 15 Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. 16 Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit. 18 Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18 ERV

Let’s look at the individual pieces of our armor:
Belt of truth – Jesus said “Thy word is truth” John 17:17
Breastplate of righteousness – “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172
Shoes of peace – ” God has spoken to the people of Israel. He sent them the Good News that peace has come through Jesus Christ, the Lord of all people.” Acts 10:36
Shield of Faith – “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
Helmet of Salvation – “…whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.” Acts 13:6
Sword of Spirit – “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,” Hebrews 4:12
Prayer – “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:” I John 5:14

Prayer is effective when we speak the will of God which is his word.

When we plant seeds we will get a harvest. I am praying that you have a harvest of armor from God’s word today and that you stand strong!

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More Than Forgiven – Restored

Good hearted people let go of the past. I was thinking about Jesus and the way he reacted to those who treated him badly.

Focus on Peter, he was one of the inner circle. He knew Jesus up close and personal. He saw Jesus calm the sea, he walked on water, he saw the miracles of raising Lazarus from the dead, feeding the 5000 and he saw Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and heard God the Father’s voice from heaven. And then…a young girl by a fire questioned him about his relationship with Jesus and Peter denied knowing Him. The heartbreak for both men must have been unfathomable! The betrayed and the betrayer.

But repentance brought forgiveness. Jesus reached out to Peter after the resurrection and restored Him to a place of usefulness. That’s grace! Have you ever done something that would make others feel that you were unusable? Consider the Apostle Paul, as Saul of Tarsus he persecuted the Christians. He had arrest warrants drawn up for their imprisonment, he stood holding the coats of the Pharisees at the stoning of Stephen. And God…found him usable!

Paul wrote to Philemon about a runaway slave named Onesimus. He instructed Philemon to look beyond his past and find him usable.

“ I remember you in my prayers. And I always thank my God for you. 5 I thank God because I hear about the love you have for all of God’s holy people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that the faith you share will make you understand every blessing we have in Christ. 7 My brother, you have shown love to God’s people, and your help has greatly encouraged them. What a great joy and encouragement that has been to me.
8 There is something that you should do. And because of the authority I have in Christ, I feel free to command you to do it. 9 But I am not commanding you; I am asking you to do it out of love. I, Paul, am an old man now, and I am a prisoner for Christ Jesus. 10 I am asking you for my son Onesimus. He became my son while I was in prison. 11 In the past he was useless to you. But now he has become useful for both you and me.
I am sending him back to you, but it’s as hard as losing part of myself. 13 I would like to keep him here to help me while I am still in prison for telling the Good News. By helping me here, he would be representing you. 14 But I did not want to do anything without asking you first. Then whatever you do for me will be what you want to do, not what I forced you to do.
15 Onesimus was separated from you for a short time. Maybe that happened so that you could have him back forever, 16 not to be just a slave, but better than a slave, to be a dear brother. That’s what he is to me. And I know he will mean even more to you, both as your slave and as one who shares your faith in the Lord.
17 If you accept me as your friend, then accept Onesimus back. Welcome him like you would welcome me. 18 If he has done any wrong to you or owes you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this in my own handwriting: I will pay back anything Onesimus owes. And I will say nothing about what you owe me for your own life. 20 So, my brother, as a follower of the Lord please do this favor for me. It would be such a great encouragement to me as your brother in Christ. 21 I write this letter knowing that you will do what I ask, and even more than I ask.” Philemon 1:4-21

True forgiveness isn’t just letting go of a past hurt. It also means restoring someone to a place of genuine loving relationship. That’s what Paul is asking Philemon to do for Onesimus. That’s what Jesus did for Peter and Paul. That’s what God, the Father, has done for us. Forgiveness sets us free from bitterness, anger and a broken heart. Restoration brings new life to a relationship that was badly damaged or destroyed.

“For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun. 18 All this comes from God. He is the One Who brought us to Himself when we hated Him. He did this through Christ. Then He gave us the work of bringing others to Him. 19 God was in Christ. He was working through Christ to bring the whole world back to Himself. God no longer held men’s sins against them. And He gave us the work of telling and showing men this. ” II Corinthians 5:17-19 NLV

Is there a Peter, a Paul or an Onesimus in your life? Live a “grace-filled” life and find them useful. We shouldn’t do any less from them than Jesus has done for us!

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