{"id":32513,"date":"2021-07-28T03:30:41","date_gmt":"2021-07-28T10:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=32513"},"modified":"2021-07-27T10:22:32","modified_gmt":"2021-07-27T17:22:32","slug":"july-28-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2021\/07\/28\/july-28-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"July 28, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201c\u2026you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge\u2026 where there is neither\u2026 slave nor free\u2026\u201d <\/em>Colossians 3:9-11<\/p>\n

Oh, Brother!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Part 1<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Walk His Way Revisited<\/em><\/p>\n

Have you ever had a runaway child? I experienced this several times as my kids hit their older teen years, when they were just old enough to say, \u201cI can live my life on my own. You are too restrictive; I don\u2019t need these rules anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fear and pain that gripped me held tight. I found it hard to breathe normally.\u00a0 My hands shook. My thoughts tumbled with indignation, heartache and fear, as we attempted to talk them down from the position they were taking. We entered a walk of faith at that moment. God would have to do something.<\/p>\n

I remembered those times as I read the Book of Philemon. Onesimus, a slave, had run away from his owner, Philemon. Philemon was a believer who held church in his home. While he was on the run, Onesimus met Christ through Paul, and his life was forever changed. Oh, God did something all right\u2014He caused a meeting between a man on the run and a preacher in prison, and by that, caused a meeting between a slave and the Savior.<\/p>\n

Paul writes to Philemon, asking him to receive Onesimus back into his life because Onesimus is a changed man. Paul specifically uses the word \u201creceive\u201d which means, in this case, \u201cin full.\u201d Onesimus isn\u2019t just back in the flesh, as in forced servitude, but he is fully back, returning in heart and spirit. He is willing, he has a good attitude, and he is a blessing, not a burden. He is no longer looking to get away, be elsewhere, never fully aligned to the master\u2019s will.<\/p>\n

Too many times we do what we \u201cshould\u201d without a heart-change. We aren\u2019t fully His. We\u2019re still looking for loopholes. Looking to do our own thing, get away from the rules, knowing God won\u2019t forsake us.<\/p>\n

We see this in our kids as well. Obedience on the outside isn\u2019t the same as obedience on the inside\u2014having a willing heart.<\/p>\n

Hard things, unfair things, wrong things happen to us, and we want to know why. Although there could be any number of reasons, Paul gives one answer here. \u201cFor perhaps he departed for awhile for this purpose, that you might receive him forever.\u201d<\/em> God\u2019s plan is to use hard, unfair, wrong things for a bigger purpose. He wants to bring change. Maturity. Healing. Restoration. Eternity.<\/p>\n

Our Master, too, is looking for a full heart-return to Him. A changed attitude. An everything-is-different-now homecoming. God knows that when He has our heart, He has us for eternity, no matter what else happens.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t need to crawl toward Him with trembling\u2014although it sure wouldn\u2019t hurt us to do so. Humility and reverent awe are good things.<\/p>\n

Father, use whatever means You must to return us to You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Make us fully Yours in all things.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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