DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13:
WORD OF WISDOM
The shortest path to healing is to help heal someone else.
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DAILY DEVOTION
The Prince of Peace
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the
throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with
judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the
LORD of hosts will perform this."
Isaiah 9:6-7
According to the latest report I've seen, there are about sixty wars, armed
conflicts, revolutions, and skirmishes taking place in our world right now.
In Syria alone, the civil war that has raged for six years now has left
almost half a million people dead and more than two million others have fled
their homes to try to avoid the fighting. We live in a world filled with
strife and conflict. But this is not new. Division has been a part of human
life since sin entered into the world.
The bottom line of human conflict is not resources, borders, tribes,
languages, or glory, but sin. Indeed apart from God we have no expectation
of anything but warfare and division. "There is no peace, saith the LORD,
unto the wicked" (Isaiah 48:22). No matter how diligently we work or how
devoutly we wish, the sinful nature lurking in the hearts of mankind
constantly works against peace.
But in the person of Jesus, we are offered the solution to every conflict.
He is the only ruler who offers hope for a lasting peace, and peace is His
promise to those who are His children by virtue of receiving His salvation.
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"
(John 14:27).
Our only hope for peace with God, with ourselves, and with others is found
in Jesus Christ.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
PhilemonNew King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved[a]
Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon's Love and Faith
4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of
your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the
saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the
acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you[b] in Christ Jesus. 7
For we have[c] great joy[d] and consolation in your love, because the hearts
of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
The Plea for Onesimus
8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is
fitting, 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you-being such a one as
Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ- 10 I appeal to you
for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once
was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back.[e] You therefore receive him, that is, my own
heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might
minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I
wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it
were, but voluntary.
15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might
receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave-a
beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the
flesh and in the Lord.
Philemon's Obedience Encouraged
17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But
if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul,
am writing with my own hand. I will repay-not to mention to you that you owe
me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in
the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you
will do even more than I say. 22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room
for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
Farewell
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.
25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Footnotes:
a.Philemon 1:2 NU-Text reads to our sister Apphia.
b.Philemon 1:6 NU-Text and M-Text read us.
c.Philemon 1:7 NU-Text reads had.
d.Philemon 1:7 M-Text reads thanksgiving.
e.Philemon 1:12 NU-Text reads back to you in person, that is, my own heart.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
