We all love to receive an encouraging note from a friend.

And on one page of the New Testament, we find a very personal letter from Paul to Philemon.

This brief note to a friend is full of doctrinal truth and practical help for us all.

Open your Bible and your heart today as we come to the book of Philemon.

Let's join Scott Pauley now as we study God's Word together.

How would you like to be remembered?

I mean, by the people that know you best, the folks that interact with you,

the people that you worship with and live around and labor with,

how would you like to be remembered?

Well, Philemon was remembered a certain way. I think this is fascinating.

It's found not once, but twice in this brief note to a friend, we call the book of Philemon.

The first time is in verse 7. Paul said to him, for we have great joy and consolation in thy love,

because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. And then he repeats it in verse 20, yea, brother, let me have joy of thee and the

Lord refresh my bowels in the Lord. Twice in this letter, Paul connects Phileman's name to refreshing.

There are two kinds of people in the world. There are drainers and there are refreshers.

One seems to sap the life and strength and joy out of things, and the other seems to contribute

and add so much to the joy and to the

blessing of life. There's a really a theological foundation to this. A sin is a drain. Satan is the

ultimate drainer. Pursue the devil's way, follow the flesh, it always leads to less and less.

It literally drains the joy and every good thing out of life. But the reverse of that is also true.

Think about the Lord Jesus and the salvation he gives. Oh, our Lord is the great refresher. He's the one that renews strength. He's the

one that gives quickening, that makes alive. Do you see the great difference? And so the more like

...