Study Desk

When I was on public display against him, nobody stood up and helped me. The silence of the supporters hurt worse than anything, but I pray nothing is held against them. Fear drives people to silence, but I will not be silent.

But even though others deserted me, God did not. He gave me the strength to speak the good news of love, grace, and forgiveness so the outsiders would hear it. I was saved from the lion's teeth.

There'll be many a cowboy and cowgirl who wear the cross and claim to know God, but the way they ride says something completely different. They deny God with their actions while claiming him with their words. These are charlatans, rustlers, and liars. I'd call them coyotes, but that would be too good for them.

God didn't give us what we deserved, but showed his grace by allowing anyone to be able to come and ride for his brand.

We do this by turning away from sinful pleasures and living a life worthy of the gift God gave us. Sure, we ride through sorry pastures, but we can do so with wisdom, right living, and obedience to the Boss.

There was a time when we were all troublemakers. We thought we were tough, but we were merely slaves to sin, lust, and personal pleasures. Our lives were guided by our own opinions filled with evil, lust, and jealousy. It's no wonder we squabbled with everyone over everything.

But everything changed for us when Jesus came.

He saved us, not because we'd done something good, but because he did it all perfect and had mercy on our souls. He took the tally book of our sins and erased it once and for all through our new birth and new ride through the Holy Ghost.

If someone starts causing trouble, warn them a couple of times. Everyone gets caught up sometimes and makes a mistake. But if they continue, show them their walking papers, and have nothing to do with them.

but I'd rather show you the same kind of love you've shown me and just simply ask you. Consider it a simple request from a friend. I'm just an old friend who is out riding pastures and looking for strays for the sake of Christ.

Onesimus has been of little value to you in the past, but now he has become something great for the both of us.

But I didn't ask you first so I'm sending him back. I really do want your help, but not if you didn't have a choice in the matter.

He was a slave who ran away, but now he's coming back as one of Jesus's cowboys. You lost him for a while, but now you're getting him back for good.

I don't want you to look at him like a slave anymore, but rather a brother like he is to me. You have not lost anything by this, but gained so much more because now you have a cowboy who rides for the Lord.

But now God has chosen to speak directly to us through his Son, who he has given all things and all authority to. It is also through his Son that all the universe was formed.

But when speaking of his Son he says, "Your throne will last forever. With justice you rule.

You will fold them and throw them away for the old things they are, but you will always be the same, forever and ever."

You made them less than angels, but still they were given honor and glory.

You gave them authority over all things."When God said "all things", he meant all things. But this hasn't come to pass yet.

But what has come to pass is that Jesus, who was a man and a little lower than the angels for a time, is now crowned with God's glory and honor. Jesus was God's grace for us by suffering the death that should have been ours.