Wed.’s Devo - The Power of a Changed Life

Read: Lam. 1-2:19; Philemon 1:1-25; Ps. 101:1-8; Pr. 26:20 Lamentations was written by Jeremiah as the Chaldeans came and took over the temple. He describes Israel as a widow who was once the powerful princess. I can’t help but be sad as I think of how this correlates with America. I wonder how long it will be before we will be living Lamentations. I highly recommend every Christian reading “The Harbinger” and “The Mystery of Shemitah” by Joel Rosenberg. I am in the later book right now and it is amazing to read how far our nation has fallen in the past decade. We are living in the day where good is called evil and evil called good. It is important to us to pray for our nation and not be intimidated. We really do have the answer of the universe. It is important to know the history behind Philemon to understand the letter. Philemon lived in Colosse and was wealthy and important. He had been converted under Paul’s ministry. He had owned a slave named Onesimus who ran away from him and fled to Rome where he too was converted to the gospel by Paul. He stayed under Paul’s mentorship until Paul found him mature in the faith. Onesimus wanted to right the wrong he had done to his master, Philemon by running away so he asked Paul to write his master and put in a good word for him. That is the letter of Philemon. Paul praised Onesimus’ faith in Jesus and his love for the body of Christ. He expresses Onesimus’ desire to make amends and pay his debt. He ends with a blessing. It is amazing the power of salvation. It is the power to totally change a life. Lord, help us to remember that with You nothing is impossible. You can change the vilest sinner into another Paul.