Look closely at
Philemon 1 Paul does not say he is a prisoner of Rome.
Indeed, he was at the time of his writing,
an actual prisoner
of Nero and the Roman Empire. Paul saw himself as a prisoner
of his Source.
He was not there by
accident. His life had been placed in God's care and control
and while everyone else
thought he was a
prisoner of Rome, he knew better. He does not refer to
himself as a " prisoner for Jesus Christ"
but a "Prisoner
of Jesus Christ" indicating he is one whom the
Source of power has brought under His authority.
How do you
suppose Paul's attitude gave him strength while imprisoned?
Question: When you
face hard times, how do you typically react in your thoughts
and actions?
FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Proper, positive, and
productive interpersonal relationships develop from the
inside out.
Matt.
10:39
" Anyone
finding his life will lose it, and anyone losing his life
because of Me will find it"
This process of
developing our relationships from the inside out I refer to
as "being comes before doing".
Example, if you want to
have a more fulfilling marriage, be a more considerate
husband or wife. Begin with yourself. If you want to have a
more cooperative teenager, be a more consistent,
understanding, and loving parent. If you want to have
greater opportunity for advancement in the workplace, be the
most efficient, hardest working, and most pleasant and
cooperative worker in the office.
In short, if you want to
have a true friend, be a true friend. It is a two-way
street.
What is most important
in recovering damaged emotions and low self-esteem is not
what others think about us but what God, the ultimate Source
of all power, thinks about us. And he loves us- just
as we are! God's Son did not leave His throne to come down
to die for someone of no worth or little value. You
are indescribably valuable to Him. And, when you awaken to
this realization you will be well on the road to a
productive and positive self-image that, incidentally, is
only found in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Question: Do you feel good about yourself?
Do you
possess self-confidence and a sense of character?
How does
your self-image affect your relationships?