Today's Inspiration
My Friend, Greetings!
Welcome to Morning by Morning, your Internet Inspiration.
This is a Friendly Friday, September 3, 2010.
Share the morning Son-shine in love to your friends and family.
Everyone wish a Happy Birthday to Teresa Roubideaux!!!
A Forest Hymn
(a portion)
Father, thy hand
Hath reared these venerable columns, thou
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down
Upon the naked earth, and, forthwith, rose
All these fair ranks of trees. They, in thy sun,
Budded, and shook their green leaves in the breeze,
And shot towards heaven. The century-living crow,
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old and died
Among their branches, till, at last, they stood,
As now they stand, massy, and tall, and dark,
Fit shrine for humble worshipper to hold
Communion with his Maker.
~ William Cullen Bryant ~
Our Week's Theme is "Mastery of Self.” The Apostle Paul gives us a lesson about Christ restoring our lives, even when we made terrible blunders and failed publicly.
Scripture Reading 
Philemon 1-21
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,
2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,
5 hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
6 that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus.
7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Therefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
9 yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,
11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,
16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
18 But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to 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 beyond what I say.
Commentary 
From Paul, the apostle’s writing, it is stated that Onesimus was once useless to Philemon, but has now become a valued person in Paul’s ministry. Paul sends him back to Philemon and the church there. Paul says he has become as a father to Onesimus now that he is under house arrest. He testifies to Philemon of the transformation in Onesimus’ life.
Many of us will find our own lives parallel with Onesimus. Perhaps in our youth, we squandered much time, maybe several years of opportunity. Conversely, some very poor choices in mid-life left us with tattered lives and lost reputation. But God in his grace, takes what we submit to him, and redeems our lives. He fashions a positive contribution to the present and the future, in spite of the past.
Mastery of self is not self-help, a process of mere human renovation. It is reconciliation with God, and receiving his direction in our lives. Christ redeems our failures, and restores us to his service. A popular bumper sticker stated, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.”
My Friend, have you tried to be and do things in your own strength, rather than in God’s enablement? He really does take away failure and guilt, leaving us content in him. Just like Onesimus, you can return to places you failed, and find Christ renewing you to succeed. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory!
Declare aloud these affirming words drawn from our reading:
v. 4 - I thank my God always, making mention of those I live and work with in my prayers.
v. 6 - I pray that the fellowship of my faith may become more effective.
v. 3 - May the hearts of the saints be refreshed through me.
"Whatever you have achieved, there is always more to achieve, more to explore, more to master."
- Anonymous
Daily Proverb 
Song of Solomon Chapter 4, verse 6
Until the day is cool, and the shadows flee away, I will go to the mountain of myrrh, to the hill of frankincense.
The Shulamite maiden resolves to cultivate consistent faithfulness and trust until her Lover returns. Romans 13 speaks similarly of a New Testament believer’s challenge,
"You know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand.”
Weekday Fruit of the Spirit 
Faithfulness
Lamentations 3:22, 23-
The LORD’s many kindnesses never cease, for his great compassion never comes to an end. They are renewed every morning; great is your faithfulness!
God is faithful. His mercy renews us morning by morning. Likewise, God's spirit within us engenders faithfulness in us, as well. Fruitful Christians are dependable, trustworthy and loyal. Say this aloud, "Today I show God's faithfulness in my life."
Prayer 
Thank you, O Lord, that your Spirit works in us to make us faithful. We know that in our own strength we would not be loyal to the mission to which we are called, but that in your strength and enablement, we may be unwavering. Guide us into your truth, we pray, morning by morning.
Amen.
Today's Inspiration was prepared by David L Stoops 
