The most profitable; the most accepted.

Series 11

Episode 2

Prologue

Brothers and sisters, today’s topic of Treasures for the Soul is “The most profitable; the most accepted.” The Letter to Philemon teaches us many precious lessons. Verses 1 to 3: The church was able to continue to progress as Philemon and others were having meetings in his home. Verses 4 to 7: Paul praised Philemon’s love and faith. The effect of faith is love. Verses 8 to11: Paul was a man of age, yet he appealed to Philemon for Onesimus, a person who was once useless, but then became useful because of believing in the Lord. Verses 12 to14: Paul regarded Onesimus as his very heart. It also told us that we were in the Lord’s heart. Verses 15 to 17: Paul asked Philemon to receive his brother. It also tells us that we are united to the Lord and enjoy the greatest welcome and acceptance from Abba and the Lord. May we deeply enjoy these truths.

Message

Philemon verses 1 to 3: 
“Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus,” Paul specifically mentions that he is a prisoner. “and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
At that time, they had church meetings at home. Due to the recent pandemic, we have been having meetings at home more than ever before. It’s quite similar to having cell groups. Actually, big meetings may not be feasible in some countries, yet the church can continue to progress. It’s because the church is not just a meeting place; rather, it consists of you and me. We should be grateful that we are able to come together. We are blessed to be able to enjoy big meetings as well as small gatherings. The church will continue to move forward. Nothing can stop our hearts. The Lord’s presence is the most precious.
Paul faced persecution and was in prison. In spite of his imprisonment, however, Paul was able to bear fruits and even affect people of royal status. There are parts of the letter that don’t explicitly mention the appeal, but they actually are related to Paul’s appeal on behalf of Onesimus.

Verses 4 to 6 read: 
“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective…”
Love is one of the things that faith produces. Galatians chapter 5 tells us, “…but only faith working through love.” Paul mentioned Philemon’s love because a servant stole from Philemon and ran away.

Let’s continue on with verses 6-8:
“…for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required,”
Paul praised Philemon’s love and it was appropriate for him to do so.

Verse 9 reads:
“yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man…”
Though I feel young at heart, indeed, I’m actually advanced in age. We can see from previous verses that Paul did not write this letter with ill intent. In fact, Philemon deserved to be praised for opening up his house for the church. His love was sincere and he refreshed the hearts of saints. I believe he had welcomed many to his house for meetings and had received those who passed by his place. It was difficult for Philemon to reject Paul’s request, because Paul praised him, and also because Paul was an old man in prison.

Let’s continue with verses 9-10:
“…and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.”
Paul regarded Onesimus his son in Christ because Paul brought him to Christ. I’d like to use this letter to help you to see that the Lord is our High Priest and advocate, who makes intercessions on our behalf.

Verse 11 reads:
“(Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)”
The name “Onesimus” means useful. In the past, Onesimus was useless to Philemon because he escaped from Philemon and took things from him. But then, Onesimus was saved and changed greatly. He became a dear brother and was useful to Paul. Paul would have been glad to keep Onesimus with him, in order that Onesimus might serve him and cowork with him.

Verses 12 to 15 read: 
“I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,”

It’s so precious that I also forever belong to you; and you belong to me forever. The love dream of Abba, the Lord and the Holy Spirit is God’s household. It’s very precious that we are members of the household of God. Our relationship with God is much deeper than the relationship with our family on earth. We are not adopted. Our relationship with God is deeper than that between a father and son on earth. The husband and wife become one body through marriage, but we are united with the Lord in one spirit. This union is incomparable. Today, we are the dearest in the Lord’s heart.

Verses 15 to 17 read: 
“For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me.”
It’s very precious that we have been united with the Lord. Abba has accepted us fully. The Lord does not only accept us fully, but Song of Solomon 7:10 says; “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” Before we had done anything for Him, when we returned to Him, He ran out to embrace us to the bottom of His heart, and kissed us with many kisses. What the Lord has accomplished is truly precious. Ephesians tells us many of the spiritual blessings, one of which is God’s full acceptance.

Series 11

The Preciousness of the Letter of Paul to Philemon

Message Date: 2020-03-01

The letter of Paul to Philemon is very beautiful and touching: Paul, an old man, appealed to Philemon for a servant named Onesimus. In the letter, Paul mentioned that Onesimus was his “very heart”, and whatever he owed Philemon, it was to be charged on Paul’s account. Likewise, the Lord is our high priest, asking for God’s grace for us. The debt that we owed was so huge, but the Lord bore it all for us. He even takes care for our whole life till eternity. The Father set the Lord as our high priest forever by an oath; the Lord was willing to come to accomplish His and Abba’s love dream. The garment of the high priest was very special; in particular, the precious stones on its breastplate symbolized that we are the Lord’s “very heart”. Being our Beloved, the Lord became the high priest so that He could completely solve all our problems.
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The preciousness of the Letter to Philemon

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The most profitable; the most accepted.

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Charge That to My Account

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The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (1)

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The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (2)

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We are the Lord’s darling love

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Introduction

01 Introduction of Treasures for the Soul

Series 1: Being Heart to Heart with the Lord

1.1 The Most Blessed Generation
1.2 Message from John the Baptist
1.3 Abide in the Lord Always
1.4 Abide in the Lord’s Love at All Times
1.5 The Lord Speaks to Us and Helps Us in Our Hearts

Series 2: Being Heart to Heart with the Lord Throughout this Year

2.1 God’s Greatest Work Starts in Our Hearts
2.2 To Be Heart to Heart with the Lord Throughout the Year
2.3 Our Spirits can Feel God and Have Fellowship with Him
2.4 The Importance of Peace
2.5 Our Spirits Need the Words of God
2.6 Give the Lord Time and Space to Speak in Our Hearts

Series 3: Let Our Hearts be Influenced

3.1 The World Needs People Who Deeply Experience God
3.2 Just as His Anointing 
Has Taught You, 
Abide in the Lord
3.3 Be Influenced 
by the Lord Throughout 
this Year

Series 4: The Importance of Peace

4.1 Enjoying God’s Peace in Your heart
4.2 Let Not Your Hearts be Troubled, Neither Let Them be Afraid.
4.3 How Should Our Spirit Respond to the Lord?

Series 5: Our Spirit Being Able to Enjoy the Lord

5.1 Our Spirit is Satisfied Only When We Worship God and Deeply Experience Him
5.2 How to Worship God with Our Spirit
5.3 Looking at the Lord with our Inner Eyes
5.4 Our Spirit Needs to Enjoy the Lord Himself
5.5 The Song of Solomon Often Mentions About “Eyes”
5.6 Realize Being Heart to Heart with the Lord in Singing and Worship

Series 6: Live out the Life of being Heart to Heart with the Lord

6.1 Living a life of union with the Lord in a stable pattern every day
6.2 Enjoying the Lord and not being disturbed
6.3 The Importance of Seeing Him with Our Spiritual Eyes

Series 7

7.1 Learn to Protect Our Spirits From Virus Prevention
7.2 Our Spirit Can Hear, Think, and See
7.3 How to Live a Life of Faith
7.4 The Importance of the Mind
7.5 David’s Eyes Beheld the Lord Always

Series 8: During the last supper, the Lord spoke about the essence of the blessings of the new covenant.

8.1 The Lord established with us the eternal love covenant by His blood
8.2 The Lord Treasures the New Covenant and Break-Bread Meeting the Most
8.3 Love Encounters
8.4 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the fourth blessing
8.5 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the first blessing (1)
8.6 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the first blessing (2)

Series 16: We Have Come to Mount Zion and the Heavenly Jerusalem

16.1 See that the Lord is at the right hand of the Father
16.2 Coming to Mount Zion (1): the meaning of Mount Sinai
16.3 Coming to Mount Zion (2): the difficulty in forgiveness of sins
16.4 Coming to Mount Zion (3): to Live in Grace
16.5 Having Come to the Heavenly Jerusalem
16.6 What is in the heavenly Jerusalem (1)?

Series 9: Being Heart to Heart with the Father

9.1 Being Heart to Heart with Abba (Part 1)
9.2 Being Heart to Heart with Abba (Part 2)

Series 10

10.1 The Love Desire in the Depths of Abba and the Lord’s hearts
10.2 Fruit of the Lord’s Crucifixion: Eternal Life
10.3 The Lord Came to Manifest the Father’s Name
10.4 The Father Sent His Only Begotten Son
10.5 Reminders on enjoying heart to heart with the Father
10.6 The Father’s Desire for Me is Forever Steadfast

Series 11

11.1 The preciousness of the Letter to Philemon
11.2 The most profitable; the most accepted.
11.3 Charge That to My Account
11.4 The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (1)
11.5 The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (2)
11.6 We are the Lord’s darling love

Series 12

12.1 The Lord’s Words at the Last Supper
12.2 Apart from the Lord, we can do nothing.
12.3 What is true faith?
12.4 Look upon the Lord in glory
11.5 Trust and Peace (1)
12.6 Trust and Peace (2)

Series 13: The Lord’s Gentleness and Humility

13.3 The Lord’s Gentleness and Humility (Part 2)

Series 14: Manifold evidence

14.1 How does the infinite Lord see us?
14.2 We are the ultimate and final love of the Lord
14.3 The Lord is forever a Man; He once died for us
14.4 The Lord’s manifold love evidence (Part 1)
14.5 The Lord’s manifold love evidence Part 2

Series 15: Understand How Our Spirit Works And Be Heart To Heart With The Lord Continuously

15.1 We Can Only Enjoy God By Faith
15.2 His Words Abide In Us
15.3 Live With The Lord
15.4 Seek The Things That Are Above
15.5 Understand How Our Spirit Works: Will, Mind And Feelings
15.6 Guard And Uplift Our Mind

Series 17: Know that the Church is the Firstborn

17.1 Know that the church is the firstborn
17.2 The Blessing of the Firstborn (Part 1)
17.3 The Blessing of the Firstborn (Part 2)
17.4 The Lord redeemed us to be the firstborn (Part 1)
17.5 The Lord redeemed us to be the firstborn (Part 2)

Series 18: The Blessings to be the First Born

18.1 Israel is God’s Firstborn Son (Part 1)
18.2 Israel is God’s Firstborn Son (Part 2)
18.3 To be united with the Lord and become the Firstborn
18.4 The Lord is the Firstborn
18.5 The Blessing of the Firstborn: Kingship
18.6 The Blessing of the Firstborn: a Double Portion of the Blessings

Series 19: Coming to Mount Zion to Appear Before God

19.1 The Lord is the way, and the truth, and the life
19.2 Live in Grace. Enjoy the Father and the Lord
19.3 Mind the things that are above (1)
19.4 Mind the things that are above (2)
19.5 Appear before God in Mount Zion

Series 20: The final destination of our spirit and eternity is the heavenly Jerusalem

20.1 The Lord Desires Most for Us to Draw Near to Him (1)
20.2 The Lord Desires Most for Us to Draw Near to Him (2)
20.3 The Lord Becomes the Way so that We can Come Before God with Confidence
20.4 The Heavenly Jerusalem, Destination of Our Spirits and Eternity (1)
20.5 The Heavenly Jerusalem, Destination of Our Spirits and Eternity (2)

Series 21: Live Out the Life of the Firstborn: Be A Priest

21.1 The Father made the Lord the High Priest
21.2 Priesthood: One of the Blessings of the Firstborn
21.4 The Precedents of Priests in the Bible (2)

Series 22: When Believers Die, They Will Go to the Heavenly Jerusalem

22.1 The Heavenly Jerusalem is paradise (1)
The Heavenly Jerusalem is paradise (2)
The Spirits of the Righteous Made Perfect

Series 23: New Jerusalem is a real city

God has prepared a heavenly home for us
Is the heavenly new Jerusalem a real city?
Satan causes man not to be clear and assured about the things in heaven
Are physical substances not spiritual?
New Jerusalem is a real city (1)
New Jerusalem is a real city (2)

Series 24: God prepares for us

Genesis 22: Father and Son went together
Genesis 22: For us, the Father gave His only Son
Genesis 22: The Lord will provide
24.4 God’s preparation for us

Series 25: The Father and Son Affection

25.1 The Lord Came to Make Known the Father
25.2 The Father and Son Affection (Part 1)
25.3 The Father and Son Affection (Part 2)

Series 26: We are a royal priesthood

26.1 God who alone does wondrous things
26.2 The Lord is the High Priest
26.3 We are a royal priesthood (1)
26.4 We are a royal priesthood (2)