Read the Bible
Today's Devotion
From Dr. David Jeremiah
Small Groups, Big Blessings
March 4, 2026
To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house.
Philemon 1:1-2
Recommended Reading:
Philemon 1:1-71 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved[{{f}}] Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you[{{f}}] in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have[c] great joy[{{f}}] and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
Philemon 1:1-7
According to the World Happiness Report, 19 percent of young adults across the world have no one they can count on for support. That’s a 39 percent increase from 2006. At the same time, loneliness has risen with half of all U.S. college undergraduates facing significant loneliness.1 While this report targeted young adults, the same trends are true for all population groups.
When Jesus left for heaven, He left behind His Church. In those earliest day before church buildings, the Church met in homes. In Colossae, one of those groups met in the home of Philemon. Paul told him, “The hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother” (Philemon 7).
During difficult times, small groups are vital to fellowship as we lift up each other. If you aren’t part of a small group, look for one you can join. Pray for each other and strengthen each other during the good times and the bad.
There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator.
J. Vernon McGee
