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Daily Devotion: Philemon 1:4-6

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Philemon 1:4-6    "I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,  (5)  Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;  (6)  That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

The Apostle Paul had a very strong prayer life. He had concerns for the Lord's people wherever he went.  Most of his letters begin with prayers for those to whom he was writing. He tells Philemon that he is praying for him and giving thanks that his faith is strong. Not only is Philemon's faith strong within, he is strong in sharing that faith "toward all saints". He is diligent in sharing his faith with other people.  It is apparent that this man is strong in giving all glory and praise unto the Lord for "every good and perfect gift".

How can you and I share our faith with others? We sometimes try to make it complicated, when in reality we share our faith oftentimes by a simple, "thank you Lord".  It makes my faith bolder when I hear people with great talent giving credit to the Lord. I would much rather see someone bowing in the end zone to thank the Lord than to run in front of the stands and beat their own chests.  When I see musicians speak of their "God given" talent, my faith is bolstered. When I hear people out in public speak of the Lord and how He has blessed them, my faith is made stronger.

Again I ask how can you and I better share our faith with others?  Paul gives us the answer in his prayer for Philemon. By acknowledging every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus, my faith is made stronger and I am communicating that faith to others. Another way to say it would be, "not I, but Christ in me."  We do not have to be flamboyant; rather we just need to be consistent with our faith.


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