#prison epistles

[virtualcoach-blog]

Pray for Power to Stand Firm

Having the Scriptures at hand offers us hindsight. Our hindsight has us looking down on folks in the Bible. Our holy hindsight has us speculating on the saints of God of the past.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10 (KJV) Paul was in prison. It was around AD 62 while he was in prison in Rome when he wrote to the believers in Ephesus. It is one of his Pauline Epistles. It is one of his Prison Letters. It was around the same time that he wrote to believers in Colosse (Colossians) and to an individual believer…

[phillipmedhurst]

50/66 Headpiece to Philippians by Simon Brett

50/66 Headpiece to Philippians by Simon Brett Wood engraving by Simon Brett (British b. 1943) in The Reader’s Digest Bible (illustrated edition) 1990

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

by J.R. Miller

Elijah Discouraged and Restored (1 Kings 19:1-16)

It is little wonder that Jezebel was furious, when she learned from Ahab of the slaughter of her priests. She vowed vengeance upon Elijah. “May the gods also kill me if by this time tomorrow I have failed to take your life like those whom you killed!” It was a trying hour for Elijah, and for once he flinched.

“So you intend to be a reformer, young man?” asked an old peer of young Wilberforce. “That is the end of reformers,” he continued, pointing to a picture of Jesus on His cross. Those who would contend with error must always expect opposition, possibly persecution, possibly death! To be a bold confessor anywhere is to face enmity, sneers, reproach. Even Christian boys at school or at work will ofttimes have to endure petty persecutions if they remain true to their Master.

We have been accustomed to think of Elijah as a man who would flinch before nothing. But we are disappointed this time in our man. “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life!” Possibly he did right, We are not required always to face danger. There are times when it would be foolhardy to do so, when we would only be throwing away our life. Jesus said to His disciples, “When they persecute you in this city flee into the next.” On several occasions, in the earlier days of His ministry, Jesus Himself withdrew from danger, because His hour had not yet come. There are times, of course, when we must stand and not flee. At the last, when His hour had come, Jesus made no effort to escape from His enemies but quietly yielded Himself into their hands. There are times in every life when to flee from danger would be cowardice and treason to the Master. But we have no right to sacrifice our life unless it be clearly in obedience to the divine call. We cannot blame Elijah, therefore, for fleeing from the wrath of Jezebel.

In what followed, however, we cannot defend the prophet. Not only did he flee but he became panic - stricken. “Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors!” He was in a state of sad despondency. It was not fright that produced this condition of mind it was discouragement. It seemed to him that all he had done, all the struggle at Mount Carmel, had come to nothing. There are few things we need to guard against more carefully, than discouragement. When once we allow ourselves to come under its influence, we are made weak. Our hope and courage fail.

In every line of life we find discouraged people, and the discouragement takes away much of their power for work. It surely is a sad picture this greatest and bravest of all the old prophets, lying there under a little bush in the wilderness, begging to die!

There are many other illustrations of similar experience in godly men. John the Baptist, lying in prison in the castle of Machaerus, began to question whether, after all, Jesus, whom he had baptized and upon whom he had seen the Spirit descending, was indeed the promised Messiah. Luther, another Elijah in his bravery before rulers, once became so depressed that all joy left him. It is said that one morning, when he was in this mood, his wife came down to breakfast dressed in deep mourning. Luther looked up in amazement, and said, “Who is dead?” His wife answered: “Why, do you not know? God is dead.” He reproved her for her words. “How can God die? He is eternal.” “Yet,” she replied, “from the way you are cast down one would think God must be dead.” Then Luther saw what a wise woman his wife was, and mastered his mood.

Elijah was a man of prayer. He is mentioned in the Epistle of James as an example of a righteous man, whose supplication availed much in its working. Here, however, his prayer for death was not answered. It was well for Elijah, too, that the prayer was not answered. If he had died there what an inglorious ending of life it would have been! As it was, however, he lived to do further glorious work, to see great results, and instead of dying in the wilderness, missed death altogether.

It is never right to wish ourselves dead. People are sometimes heard expressing such a wish but it is always wrong. Life is God’s gift to us, a sacred trust for which we shall have to give account. As long as God keeps us living He has something for us to do. Our prayers should be for grace to bear our burden and do our duty bravely unto the end.

Any discouraging experience, and the things we think have failed us may cast down into despondency. But the things we think have failed us are often only slowly ripening into rich success. Thus the night of discouragement passes away and the day of blessing follows. We have but to be faithful and to wait and in the end we shall always rejoice.

It was only a little bush under which Elijah crept, and its shadow furnished but scant protection from the heat. Yet a blessing came to him there. He slept. “He gives His beloved sleep ,” writes the psalmist. Sleep is a wonderful blessing. God hides us away in the darkness, and while we sleep, he brings gifts of life to us. He fills up again the wasted fountains of life, and we rise in the morning renewed and strong, ready for new service.

It was only a little juniper bush under which the prophet slept that day. There is another tree under which God’s discouraged ones may find real and true comfort the tree of Calvary. Angels come there, too, with their sweet refreshment and gentle ministry. There food is furnished to satisfy the soul’s deepest craving. There all blessings of mercy and grace are dispensed. A story is told of one who fled from a gathering storm, taking refuge under a great tree. He was both hungry and thirsty. On the tree he found fruit for his hunger, at the tree’s roots a spring of water gushed out, and there he quenched his thirst. Just so, under the cross we find not only shelter but also food and drink. When we are in any trouble we should go and sit down in the shadow of the cross of Christ, and we will find there all we need of divine comfort and help.

When he had slept for a time, an angel came and touched him, and bade him arise and eat. Here, again, we see God’s loving gentleness. First, sleep, with its refreshment; then food. God did not cast off His servant because he was so discouraged and depressed. He followed him in his flight and kept watch over him all the way. There is great comfort in this fact for us. God is very patient with us in our weakness and failure. He gave Elijah sleep, and then food, until his exhausted nature was refreshed. Very much spiritual depression is caused by the condition of the body. Ofttimes the best cure for despondency, is sleep and food until the nerves are quiet and the body is restored to healthy conditions.

The prophet was strengthened, and “went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights.” When we have long journeys to take, God prepares us for them. When hard experiences lie before us, we are divinely fitted for meeting them. Whenever God sends us on any journey, into whatever desert it may be He will make provision that we faint not by the way. Many people whose lot in life is hard go through the days with cheerful, songful spirit because every morning, in prayer, God gives them food which makes them strong for the journey. Those who feed upon the Word of God are strengthened for the journey of life.

While Elijah was in the cave in the mountain, God came to him. This was still part of his work of restoration. Elijah was discouraged, and God would bring him back to his usual gladness and hope. He came to him in the stillness and asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” When we find our friends in great sorrow, the best thing we can do for them ofttimes is to give them an opportunity to open their hearts. That was what God did here He asked this question that Elijah might unburden himself. Of course, God knew all about Elijah’s discouragement; but it did the prophet good to tell it. We need never be afraid to open our heart to God, telling Him every anxiety, every care. He understands, and will never chide us. It will do us good to speak freely to Him, even if our fears are only imaginary.

Elijah had thought that he was alone in his loyalty and courage in standing for the Lord. He had thought himself the only loyal follower of Jehovah. No other one had had courage to come out and make himself known that day on Mount Carmel. This made it all the harder for Elijah. It is easy to fight in company with other men but to face the enemy alone, is the sublimest test of a soldier’s courage. The real test of a Christian life is not in church services, nor in a Christian home but where the believer must stand by himself. The young man who finds himself the only Christian clerk in the bank or the office, may find his duty hard. But this should only inspire him with fresh courage and strength. He is the only one Christ has in that place, and he dare not fail. Suppose Elijah had not stood for God that day, had flinched and fled, what would have been the consequence? We never know what may depend on our standing loyally and faithfully at our post, even in lowliest places.

The Lord continued to comfort His servant. He did it now in a wonderful parable in nature. A great wind tore the mountains but the Lord was not in the wind. An earthquake followed but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire but the Lord was not in the fire. “And after the fire a still small voice,” a sound of gentle stillness and that was God. Elijah had been discouraged by the failure of the startling work at Carmel, that it had not altogether crushed Baalism. The Lord shows him that noise is not the most stupendous quality of power, that it is not noise which makes the deepest impression. God works silently, without noise. It is the silent things, the unconscious influences of our lives, that make the deepest and most lasting impressions, and not the things which get advertised in the papers. Jesus was “a still small voice” in this world. He made no noise He did not strive nor cry out, neither was His voice heard in the streets. He did not break a bruised reed, so gentle was He in His movements. Yet that one sweet, quiet life, pouring forth its spirit of love, wrought more than has been wrought by all the armies of conquerors since the world began.

The Lord then sent Elijah on to other duties. “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat to succeed you as prophet.” Elijah was thus assured that other men in their turn would come upon the field, each one doing his part for the destruction of this terrible system of idolatry. No man’s work is complete in itself. Elijah did a part, and then Hazael and Jehu and Elisha, each coming in turn, did a part, until the destruction of Baalism was completed. All we have to do is the little fragment of duty which God gives to us. Others have gone before us and have done a part. Others will come after us and do another part. If we simply do our little portion in our own day we shall please God and bless the world.

[euphternal]

Also can I ask for some protective! Jimmy. I can't think of an original plot line that hasn't been done yet I'll leave it up to you :) <3

₊˚. ༘ ❝ protective!jimmy keene headcanon┆˚✧

epistle: UHM DUHHHH, OF COURSE ANON. UGGHHHHH, PROTECTIVE!JIMMY 😩😩😩😩😩 UR BEAUTIFUL BRAIN IS MY ROMAN EMPIRE &lt;3

FREE PALESTINE

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

this man is NEVAAAAA leaving you...

wanna go out n party w ur gf... he's already tapped ur phone and has access to the club's cctv that ur heading too...

if ANYONE says ANTHING remotely nasty about you or to you,,, they are a dead man walking.

hes constantly standing up about you and obvs talking positively about you if you're not with him at the time

he loves u MASSIVELY UGGHHHHHH

physical touches: his large hands tolding your delicatly when ur trying to tie your shoes laces, so he makes sure you wont fall over, his hand placed on the small, lower part of you back when he is passing behind you, you two constantly holding hands when passing through a busy crowd together, spooning in bed whilst also him hold ur boob in bed 😩, him holding your keys, purse, hoodie or whatever for you if ur busy, and him obvs holding ANY door/s for you<3333

I CAN GO ON FOREVVVVEEEERRRRRR, UUUUGGHHHH

whenever u met him in prison, oh he WILL make sure u have the most protective way getting to him through the prison <3

not buts when it comes to him, u need something... his crew already got it for you <333

but dont worry hes not possessive with you, in fact he fucking ADORES IT when ur off their by urself or w ur gfs doing your thing

hes just watches ur every move with so much love and enderment🥹

`✦ ˑ ִֶָ 𓂃⊹

[fiercynn]

Hey do you have any poetry you can suggest because I saw your response to that OP, I’d love some stuff to read!

so i started responding to another similar ask by @unitedstates0fdakota but i accidentally posted it when it was incomplete so i decided to continue here! check out that post for the first two recs, george abraham's birthright and romeo oriogun's sacrament of bodies

more than organs, kay ulanday barrett

kay ulanday barrett is a poet, performer, and educator, navigating life as a disabled filipinx-amerikan transgnder queer in the u.s. with struggle, resistance, and laughter. pamela sneed, one of the reviewers quoted on the back of more than organs, describes the collection as about “hunger that is physical, spiritual, and queer”, and i think hunger is an excellent way to put it. i love how the pieces in this collection oscillate between visceral and playful – there’s a poem called “pain, an epistle” but also one called “actually, jenny schecter wasn’t the worst”.

you googled “authentic” / & now are seated next to me. / as I speed walk you to the cart / aunty gives me the last dish / gets the idea that I’ve waited too long / for something to just taste right. / I wish for a dumpling stuff / of bullet skins to be the shrapnel / in every white man’s throat. / go ahead / say the word oriental / at my table / one more time. —  “I just want dimsum undisturbed by wypipo”

a theory of birds, zaina alsous

zaina alsous is a prison abolitionist, a daughter of the palestinian diaspora, and a movement worker in south florida. the blurb for a theory of birds describes it as “putting ecological conservation in conversation with arab racial formation, state vernacular with the chatter of birds”, and as someone who wanted to be an ornithologist as a child and now works in climate policy, it feels like she wrote this to speak to my soul.

Inside the dodo bird is a forest, Inside the forest a peach analog, Inside the peach analog a woman, Inside the woman a lake of funerals, disappointed male lovers, scientists, Inside the lake a volcano of whale songs, Inside the volcano a language of naming, Inside the language an algorithm for de-extinction, Inside the algorithm blued dynamite to dissolve the colony’s Sun, twinkle twinkle, I didn’t mean to fall in love with failure, its molting rapture, I didn’t mean to name myself from a necklace of silent vowels, I didn’t go looking from for the bird, I entered through the empty cage, hips first —  “Bird Prelude”

boy with thorn, rickey laurentiis

rickey laurentiis is a poet who was raised in new orleans, louisiana, to study light. this is true for a lot of poetry imo, but every piece in boy with thorn requires reading at least twice in a row, because laurentiis’s use of language is so deft and stuffed with meaning that i needed to experience it from different angles. the description for the collection tells us “in a landscape at once the brutal american south as it is the brutal mind, boy with thorn interrogates the genesis of all poetic creation—the imagination itself, questioning what role it plays in both our fascinations with and repulsion from a national history of racial and sexual violence”.

Therefore, my head was kingless. I was a head alone, moaning in a wet black field. I was like any of those deserter slaves whose graves are just the pikes raised for their heads, reshackled, blue and plain as fear. All night I whistled at a sky that mocked me, that fluently changed its grammar as if to match desire in my eye. My freedom is possible, it said. —  “Conditions for a Southern Gothic”

eye level, jenny xie

this is kind of cheating because i first read eye level when it came out in 2017, but i recently reread it so i feel like it counts! jenny xie was born in anhui province, china, and now lives in the united states. eye level travels with xie from phnom penh to corfu to hanoi to new york city, and her descriptions piercing, sensual, and bottomless.

Sunday, awake with this headache. I pull apart the evening with a fork. White clot behind the eyes. Someone once told me, before and after is just another false binary. The warmed-over bones of January. I had no passport. Beneath the stove, two mice made a paradise out of a button of peanut butter. Suffering operates by its own logic. Its gropics and reversals. Ample, in ways that are exquisite. And how it leaves —not unlike how it arrives, without clear notice. —  “Zuihitsu”

i also post about english-language palestinian poetry (both written in english and in translation) in my #palestinian poets series, each of which features poems you can find online!

[shammah8]

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, 'All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.'"

1 Peter 1:23-25

SATAN'S ATTACK ON THE BIBLE

Brother Andrew continues his teaching on Satan’s strategic attacks:

The second prong of Satan’s attack is on the written word of God. He has historically tried to prevent Christians from having access to the Bible.

Satan understands the power of the Word of God. At the temptation of Jesus, he even made a sly attempt to use Scripture (actually misapplying it) to deflect Jesus from His true mission (Luke 4:1-3). Twisting Scripture is still a favourite tactic of Satan, and we believers need to know the Word so we can respond, just as Jesus did, with a well-applied “It is written…”

Peter recognised the significant role the Word has in our salvation. In his epistle to Christians passing through “fiery trials” he gives the words of encouragement in today’s scripture above.

Now you can understand my life’s passion to distribute the Bible, even in places where its importation or distribution is prohibited. Because I’ve gone around the world preaching that message, many people assume that I must have been the first “God’s smuggler.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

I personally believe that the first Bible smuggler probably was Timothy, the man Paul looked upon as his son in the gospel. This young man of delicate health, but of great spirituality and loyalty, was converted in Paul’s first campaign at Lystra.

At the end of his life, when Paul was in prison in Rome, he looked to Timothy for comfort. In a letter to him, Paul asked his friend to bring his books to the prison the next time he visited.

In 2 Timothy 4:13 it becomes clear Paul was requesting that scrolls of Old Testament Scriptures be brought to him for further study. But how could Timothy get them into Rome and into the jail when, by that time, Christians has already become an outlawed sect? The only possible way would have been to smuggle them in with other items.

Billy Graham, in his book Hoofbeats, suggests that John the apostle had to write his Revelation secretly, while closely guarded by the Romans. The parchment manuscript pages would have been smuggled off the island of Patmos and Christian volunteers copy them for the churches…

This world is an enemy-occupied territory filled with souls to whom Christ holds rightful claim. Under Christ’s command, we invade countries by any means that will help us to get in with the Word of God…

Today I want others to have what makes me grow spiritually — the Bible.

Response

Today I will make every effort to ensure that the Bible is available to everyone to read and practice.

Prayer

Pray for many believers around the world still waiting for their first personal Bible.

© 2013 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

[clovernment]

2.1 liveblog - The Devil in Velvet

let's begin. won 5050 for acheron and got gallagher within 20 pulls at zero pity AND pulled her lc in a single tenpull needless to say my mood is extremely elevated.

aven was ann unlucky bystander to robin's murder acc to him

so apparently the Family guarantees the "safety" of dreamers by forcibly yanking out whoever's in distress. so that they can die in reality and their record technically remains clean

and the only way a "death" can occur in the dreamscape is if the Family wills it

the Dreamweaver's hivemind acts as a defense line and prevents unwanted occurences in the dreamscape

the only one powerful enough to disregard all of this is acheron, the emanator, the murderer

all of this is acc to aventurine

he says everyone has their own agenda when it comes to the watchmaker's legacy and to keep away from acheron

acc to him, any "schemes out in the open" are better than a "monster in the shadows" he wants us to align with him, i think

Black swan confirms that the memory of robin's dead body they saw was real and not tampered with. aventurine says the ipc couldnt have fabricated it anyway.

he outright says he wants to team up with the astral express

he says he wants to reclaim penacony as the frontier prison that it used to be. a property of the ipc which theyve tried to reacquire many times before

he claims the family has covered up "deaths" before and will do it again

he wants to "uncover the truth behind robin's death" to appeal to the sense of justice for tb and also to have a bargaining chip against the family. win-win.

he encourages us to talk it over with the rest of the nameless and also... bribes us?

black swan guesses that even though aventurine technically doesn't about firefly yet, he must have noticed something going on and hit harder on the tb's sense of justice and uncovering the truth about "death" in the dreamscape

she wants us to prioritse our own safety

she isnt sure both murders have the same culprit but both wounds look like theyve been inflicted my the Memory zone meme. and she says its unlikely there'll be two lethal entities loose in the dreamscape

she's in consensus with aven about staying away from acheron

she says two murders in rapid succession is unusual. either the dreamscape is deteriorating much faster than anticipated. or it was all planned out by someone deliberately.

if it was a murderer behind them both, the motives are unclear since the two victims are a smuggler and a family celebrity, with no apparent connnection between the two

black swan leaves us with a "gift" of some kind to help us if we get stuck in the memory zone without a memokeeper. item called Fate's Epistle a card numbered zero

[bibleversegarden]

God’s Anointing and Power in Our Lives

Mankind in a fallen, captive state, is incapable of rising to the high stature, high calling of God. Thanks be to God, for the anointing that removes burdens and breaks the yokes of sin, that keeps us bound.

God anointed Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. (See Acts 10:38)

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3)

At God's appointed time, "The Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)

Jesus who appeared in the flesh, and was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin, was able to resist the devil, and cast Him out of many, for He was full of the Holy Ghost and power. This Jesus, is calling disciples to Himself, to live holy lives, and to proclaim the good news of salvation in the earth, with signs and wonders following.

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."  (Luke 10:19-20)

In order to be effective ambassadors for Christ, we must be sanctified and consecrated vessels, reconciled to God, fruitful in every good work; bringing glory to His name.

"And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:10-11)

"Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

"Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Corinthians 1:21 and 22)

A Prayer:

All thanks and praise to God our Father, for Christ His Son: Prophet, Priest and King; for the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and the anointing that breaks the yokes, and sets us free; for the power to daily walk in the Spirit; for a new and living way; for an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, that doesn't fade away. Amen.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Related Bible Readings:

In the Scriptures, God instructed Moses to make a holy anointing oil. (See Exodus 30:22-33 for its use and purpose.)

Luke 4:1-15; Luke 9:1-3; Luke 10:19 & 20; Acts Chapter 2; Isaiah 10:27; Matthew 11:28-30; Galatians Chapter 5; Colossians Chapter 1, 2, 3 and 4; Psalm 23, Jeremiah Chapter 1; Ephesians in its entirety; First Epistle of John 2:27-29; Acts Chapters 1 and 2; Romans Chapters 6 and 12; Hebrews 1:8 & 9; First Epistle of Peter in its entirety; Philippians Chapter 3; 2 Corinthians Chapter 5; Joel 2:28-32

[feedingtheflockministry]

Handling loneliness

Somewhere beyond loneliness, there’s a contentment that’s born of necessity. When all your options in the natural realm seem closed, doors can spring open in the spiritual realm. That’s when you begin to see the possibility of having a relationship with God you never had before. John was alone on the island of Patmos, a penal colony like Alcatraz when God caught him up and took him on a trip through the glories of heaven. As a result, we have the book of Revelation. Paul was in prison when he wrote his greatest epistles. In Genesis, God did His miraculous work of creation when He was alone with no one to applaud Him, so He praised Himself saying, ‘It was very good’ (see Genesis 1:31 NLT). And it would help if you learned to do that too. When others say nice things, it reflects their opinion of you. But when you can speak well of yourself, it reflects your opinion of you – and that’s the one you live with every day. To get a handle on loneliness, you must do away with the notion that anybody’s company is preferable to your own. Genesis 2:18 reminds us that we were designed to have companions, but there are still times when you need to draw close to God to remind you that you’re not alone and help you fill your spiritual emptiness. Think about it for a moment, and you’ll realize that sometimes the solution to loneliness isn’t people; it’s purpose. It’s not a lack of affection but a lack of direction. And when you need purpose and direction for living, there’s only one place to go – to God!

Prayer Point

When loneliness threatens to overwhelm me, Lord, please help me to realize that You are the solution I need. Even if I can’t enjoy being alone, help me learn to be content with my own company. Thank You, Lord, that You’re not a distant God but a God I can draw near to without any fear of rejection, in the name of Jesus I pray, amen!

YouVersion Bible plan Where is God when I am lonely?

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (February 16)

St. Onesimus was a slave to Philemon, an influential man who had been converted by St. Paul.

Onesimus offended Philemon and fled in order to escape any sort of retribution.

He then met St. Paul while Paul was in a Roman prison. Shortly after, Onesimus was baptized.

Paul then sent a letter to Philemon asking for Onesimus' freedom, so Onesimus could become one of his own assistants.

This letter is the Epistle to Philemon and entreats Philemon to accept Onesimus “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me.”

Philemon pardoned Onesimus and he returned to faithfully serve St. Paul.

We know that St. Paul made him, with Tychicus, the bearer of his Epistle to the Colossians (Col. 4:7-9).

Later, as St. Jerome and other fathers testify, he became an ardent preacher of the Gospel and succeeded St. Timothy as bishop of Ephesus.

He was cruelly tortured in Rome for 18 days by a governor who was infuriated by his preaching on the merit of celibacy.

Onesimus' legs and thighs were broken with bludgeons before he was stoned to death.

His martyrdom occurred under Domitian in the year 90.

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Tuesday, December 5, 2013

november 22_december 5

THE HOLY DISCIPLE PHILEMON AND HIS SPOUSE APPHIA (109)

The Holy Apostles of the Seventy Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and Onesimus

The Holy Apostles of the Seventy Philemon and his wife Apphia lived in the city of Colossa in Phrygia. After they were baptized by the holy Apostle Paul, they converted their house into a house of prayer, where all those who believed in Christ gathered and attended services. They devoted themselves to serving the sick and downcast.

Saint Philemon became bishop of the city of Gaza, and he preached the Word of God throughout Phrygia. The holy Apostle Paul continued to be his guide, and addressed to him his Epistle filled with love, and in which he sends blessings “to Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, and to our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house” (Phil 1:1-3).

Saint Onesimus (February 15), also mentioned in the Epistle, was Saint Philemon’s former slave.

Saints Philemon and Apphia, and also Saint Archippus (who also lived at Colossa), all received the crown of martyrdom during the persecution of Nero (54-68). During a pagan festival an enraged crowd rushed into the Christian church when services were going on. All fled in terror, and only Saints Philemon, Archippus and Apphia remained. They seized them and led them off to the city prefect. The crowd beat and stabbed Saint Archippus with knives, and he died on the way to the court. Saints Philemon and Apphia were stoned to death by order of the prefect.

The memory of the holy Apostles Archippus, Philemon, and Apphia is celebrated also on February 19.

SAINT KALLISTOS II PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE (Mt ATHOS_1397)

Saint Kallistos (Kállistos) lived a life of asceticism at the Magul Skete on Mount Athos (opposite Philotheou Monastery), abiding there for twenty-eight years. He was a disciple of Saint Gregory of Sinai (August 8), whose Life he wrote.

He became closely acquainted with Saint Ignatius Xanthopoulos, who was born in Constantinople. They have been described as two bodies united with one soul, in a spiritual sense, for both were godly-minded and attained great heights of noetic prayer. According to Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki (September 15), Kállistos and Ignatius Xanthopoulos beheld the Uncreated Light, just as the Apostles had on Mount Tabor, and their faces seemed to “shine like the sun.” Together they wrote the "Directions to Hesychasts in One Hundred Chapters," a treatise in 100 sections on the ascetical practices of the Hesychast monks. This was incorporated into the Philokalia of the Wakeful Fathers by Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, and it had a profound influence on Orthodox spirituality.

In 1397 Saint Kállistos was elevated to the patriarchal throne, but for only three months during the reign of Manuel Paleologos (1391-1425). He agreed to travel to Serbia in order to bring peace to that church, stopping along the way at Mount Athos. There Saint Maximos Kavsokalyvites (January 13) predicted: "This Elder shall not see his flock again, for the funeral dirge, "Blessed are the blameless in the way" (Psalm 118/119:1) is sounding behind him.

When he reached Serbia, Saint Kállistos exchanged this temporal life for everlasting life.

PHILEMON 1:1-25

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved 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. 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 in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. 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. 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. 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. 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.

LUKE 17:20-25

20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them. 24 For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

[ophelia-network]

"No words can express how much the world owes to sorrow. Most of the Psalms were born in the wilderness. Most of the Epistles were written in a prison. The greatest thoughts of the greatest thinkers have all passed through fire. The greatest poets have "learned in suffering what they taught in song." In bonds Bunyan lived the allegory that he afterwards wrote, and we may thank Bedford Jail for the Pilgrim's Progress. Take comfort, afflicted Christian! When God is about to make pre-eminent use of a person, He puts them in the fire." ~ George MacDonald

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

In his service to Christ, the Apostle Paul suffered many perils and was arrested numerous times. Today, R.C. Sproul considers the edifying theology and wisdom for the Christian life found in the letters Paul wrote from prison.

[thesynaxarium]

Today we celebrate the Holy Apostle Timothy. Saint Timothy was from the Lycaonian city of Lystra in Asia Minor. Saint Timothy was converted to Christ in the year 52 by the holy Apostle Paul (June 29). When the Apostles Paul and Barnabas first visited the cities of Lycaonia, Saint Paul healed one crippled from birth. Many of the inhabitants of Lystra then believed in Christ, and among them was the future Saint Timothy, his mother Eunice and grandmother Loida (Lois) (Acts 14:6-12; 2 Tim. 1:5). The seed of faith, planted in Saint Timothy’s soul by the Apostle Paul, brought forth abundant fruit. He became Saint Paul’s disciple, and later his constant companion and co-worker in the preaching of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul loved Saint Timothy and in his Epistles called him his beloved son, remembering his devotion and fidelity with gratitude. He wrote to Timothy: “You have followed my teaching, way of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, and patience” (2 Tim. 3:10-11). The Apostle Paul appointed Saint Timothy as Bishop of Ephesus, where the saint remained for fifteen years. Finally, when Saint Paul was in prison and awaiting martyrdom, he summoned his faithful friend, Saint Timothy, for a last farewell (2 Tim. 4:9). Saint Timothy ended his life as a martyr. The pagans of Ephesus celebrated a festival in honor of their idols, and used to carry them through the city, accompanied by impious ceremonies and songs. Saint Timothy, zealous for the glory of God, attempted to halt the procession and reason with the spiritually blind idol-worshipping people, by preaching the true faith in Christ. The pagans angrily fell upon the holy apostle, they beat him, dragged him along the ground, and finally, they stoned him. Saint Timothy’s martyrdom occurred in the year 93. May he intercede for us always + Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2021/01/22/100262-apostle-timothy-of-the-seventy (at Klistra) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnsPsV7BdOf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[albertfinch]

LIVING TO THE HIGH CALLING

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6

Anytime that you are living outside of your calling, it is like being enslaved to the very thing that you are living according to at that moment.

You may be like Joseph in the prison, who was favored by his father and had a big dream.

Egypt represents the worldly system. Many people don't recognize that the calling on your life (the dream you've been having) needs a breakthrough.

When Joseph was reunited with his brothers, he said, "What you intended for evil, God has turned to good" (see Genesis 50:20). Listen to what God says to you when it comes to your identity ("Christ in you the hope of glory" - Colossians 1:27). The voice of the Lord is over the sound of many waters and breaks the cedars of Lebanon (Psalm 29:5). It is time to get out of where you are right now, and step into where you are supposed to be.

ALTERNATIVE DESTINATION

Many of us are in an alternative destination right now. We are trying to figure out where it is we are supposed to be and where we are to go. But where you are looks different than where you know you're supposed to be, what you're supposed to be doing, and what you're supposed to be going towards.

Jonah was supposed to go somewhere and deliver a message, but he didn't want to. He ended up in an alternative destination (Jonah 2:1-10). Being delivered from where you are at is as simple as doing what you were originally asked to do.

LIVE IN YOUR DIVINE IDENTITY

If you are stuck right now and feel like you are going through difficulties, the key to your breakthrough is coming  to understand your Christ identity through affirming and meditating on the epistles of Paul.  You will be seasoning your soul and spirit to receive the revelation you need to breakout into your Christ calling. .

God is not done with you yet. Where you are right now does not dictate or determine where you will finish. If there is anything about you that is contrary to the divine identity within you, God will bring it into perfection through and by His love.

Live! Live the life that you were meant to live. Live to the high calling that's been placed upon you, and live according to the destiny that is on your life today.

THE CALL TO GREATNESS

There is a preparation time that has to take place, growing in maturation in the things of the spirit and in the natural. They are like the young David, anointed to be king, but right back to the fields taking care of sheep. This generation was anointed and called to greatness before its time and we've been in the fields, tending sheep, and fighting off the bears and the lions. But God says, "If you cry out to Me and return to who it is that you are supposed to be and repent, you will find grace, favor, safety, and provision for where you are right now and where you will be going." (God’s purpose for your life)

It is time to speak to your ruins! It is time to speak to the dry bones that are in the valley of your soul and life (Ezekiel 37:3-14) . Prophesy that they shall live again and that the breath of the Lord shall be upon them. It is time to prophesy that muscle, sinew, tissue and organs shall be upon them again, and that they shall breathe, once again.

Live! Live the life that you were meant to live. Live to the high calling that's been placed upon you, and live according to the destiny that is on your life today.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

[cassianus]

The Holy Philemon and his companions

These four Apostles were all disciples of the Apostle Paul, and are mentioned individually in his Epistle to Philemon. In the first verse of this epistle, he writes: "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker - also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier — and to the church that meets in your home."

Philemon was made the Bishop of Gaza by the Apostle Paul. He drove away from the inhabitants the darkness of ignorance and illuminated them with the light of the knowledge of God. Then he and his wife, Apphia, with the Apostle Archippus his son, ministered to the town of Colossae from its Christian center, Philemon's home. There also they preached the word of truth.

During a pagan feast to the goddess Artemis, the Christians of Colossae had gathered in Philemon's home for prayer. When the pagans learned of it they became enraged and raided the home and took the Apostles Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus to be killed. The other Christians managed to flee in fear. At first, they were whipped and afterwards they were buried up to their waists and the pagans began to stone them. They then killed Philemon and Apphia by laying them on the ground and beating them with sticks. Archippus they removed from the pit barely alive and left him to the amusement of the children. The children pierced him throughout with knives, and then he was stoned to death.