Skip to main content

DON'T BURN THE BRIDGE

Text: Philemon 1:10

I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

We have more teachings today telling people to cut off relationships that are unproductive in their lives. While this may be sensible sometimes, it is not helpful most times.

Though wisdom will demand that you should know when a particular relationship has expired or when it is staled, yet you must see to it that you do not deliberately kill a relationship that you ought to maintain or restore.

For one reason or the other, Onesimus had left or fled from Philemon, his master. Some bible commentaries had accounted the reason for the break in relationship to theft. 

Apostle Paul met Onesimus in Rome, preached to him, and got him converted.

Paul the Apostle now wrote to Philemon, appealing to him to restore Onesimus who once was unprofitable to him, but now is profitable to  both of them (Paul and Philemon).

It is possible that a one-time unproductive  relationship in your life can someday become productive. Hence, *It is better to switch certain relationships into sleep-mode, than outright shut down. For you do not know when your unproductive Onesimus can become productive.* 

Brother Mark for which Barnabas and Paul had a sharp contention, later became a productive fellow to Apostle Paul who had once rejected him. (Acts 15:37-40).

Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy asking him to take Mark, and bring him with him because he (Mark) is profitable to him for the ministry. (2 Timothy  4:11).

You must be careful how you burn relationship bridge in your life.*It is better to stop plying a certain bridge (relationship) because they are no longer productive for now, than burning them down. Such may be the only bridge to your next level tomorrow.

Bible  Reading:

Ruth 1:7-22.

*PRAYER FOCUS* 

1.) Father God, please grant me the grace and patience not to burn the bridge that ought to take me to my next level in Jesus name.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

IT IS WRITTEN AGAIN

Text: Matthew 4:6. He told Jesus, “Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, because it is written,   ‘God will put his angels in charge of you,’ and,   ‘With their hands they will hold you up, so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.’ Jesus knocked devil off with "it is written" when he came to him with the first temptation. So, the devil too decided to use "it is written" for Jesus for the second temptation.  Don't be deceived, the devil knows the scriptures too. Second Corinthians 11:14 says,  "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." So, it's no surprise when you see Satan's messengers masquerading themselves as Apostle of Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:14.  The word of God is perfect. Yet, many people can twist it to their advantage and ultimately to their disadvantage. A drunk, smoker, fornicator, liar and all sort can justify their sinful lifestyles with a Bible verse. See to it that you do not twist the word of Go...
Post a Comment
Read more

WHEN GOD IS SILENT(2)

Text: Matthew 4:1  *Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.*  We saw yesterday that God was not pleased with many israelites that left Egypt for the promised land  (Corinthians 10:5).  A good percentage of the Israelites were overthrown in the wilderness.   Wilderness experience is not what any child of God desires, but it is an experience God sends or allows his children go through. In Deuteronomy 8:2, God says that He *LED* the Isrealites through the wilderness for forty years to humble them, to prove them, and to know what was in their heart whether they would keep his commandments or not.  Our Lord Jesus Christ was also *LED* into the wilderness by the Spirit of the Lord to be tempted by the devil. You will  notice there is a similar feature of the number *40(forty)* between these two wilderness experiences. That is, that of the Israelites and our Lord Jesus Christ. The Israelites spent 40years, Jesu...
Post a Comment
Read more

GULLIBLE BUT INTELLIGENT

Text : Mat 25:31-32  *When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:*   *And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:*  Have you ever wondered why Jesus compared His followers to sheep and not goats?  Sheep has reputation for being stupid, defenceless and harmless creatures that mope about on hillsides doing not very much. They are good for two things: being eaten and producing wool. According to a study by Keith Kendrick, he said in reality, Sheep are actually surprisingly intelligent, with impressive memory and recognition skills. They build friendships, stick up for one another in fights, and feel sad when their friends are  sent to slaughter. The truth is that sheep are far smarter than we know., All these reasons and more are the basis for Jesus' comparism of His followers with sh...
Post a Comment
Read more