The Things of This Life – Greg Laurie Devotion – May 13, 2026

Biblical Context

Paul, the writer of Philemon, was a prisoner for the gospel. Philemon is one of his shorter letters, often called a “prison epistle,” written while he was confined, likely in Rome. Paul wrote this personal letter to Philemon about his runaway slave, Onesimus, who found faith in Christ while with Paul. This letter shows us so much about Paul’s heart and his relationships with his ministry team. This specific verse, Philemon 1:23–24, gives us a quick look into Paul’s inner circle, naming those who were with him during his confinement. These weren’t just casual friends; they were fellow laborers, and in Epaphras’s case, a fellow prisoner. It gives us a window into the companionship and support system Paul had, even while he was in chains for the Gospel.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at the word “prisoner” from “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner.” In Greek, this word is desmios (δέσμιος), which means a person bound, one in bonds, or a prisoner. It comes from the word deo, which means to bind. In this context, it describes a literal physical imprisonment, which was Paul’s reality and Epaphras’s too. But for Paul, it also carried a deeper meaning. He often called himself a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1). This shows his complete submission and dedication to Christ’s cause. He wasn’t just in prison; he was for Christ. It means a willing submission to God’s purpose, even when that purpose led to chains and hardship. It’s about being bound to Christ, not just by circumstance, but by choice.

The Fame That Lasts

You know that saying, “everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes”? It’s a common idea. But imagine if your moment in the spotlight stretched far past minutes, turning into centuries and even millennia. That’s exactly what happened for a few people mentioned in the apostle Paul’s letters. Think about what an honor that would be! For example, when he wrote to Philemon, the apostle said, “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers” (Philemon 1:23–24 nlt).

I bet it would’ve been really tempting to bring up those name-checks in normal conversations. You can almost hear it: “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Aristarchus. You may have heard of me from one of Paul’s epistles.” It’s a fun thought, right? Being forever linked to such a giant of faith. But sometimes, being known isn’t always good news.

The Story of Demas: A Warning

One of the men Paul mentioned was Demas. His name didn’t just show up in one letter, but two. In Philemon, Paul identified Demas as a coworker. This means he was right there with Paul, serving and sharing in the ministry. He was part of Paul’s inner circle, a trusted companion. But then, something went wrong. The sad truth is, his second mention involves him turning away from the faith, what we call apostasy.

Something clearly happened to Demas between the time Paul wrote his letter to Philemon and his second letter to Timothy. We read in that later letter, “Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10 nlt). It’s like Paul was saying, “Hey, remember Demas? Yeah, well, he’s not with me anymore.”

What was the reason for him leaving? Demas loved “the things of this life.” That phrase carries so much weight, doesn’t it? It means he chose temporary comfort, worldly success, or immediate gratification over his commitment to Christ and his partnership with Paul. He chose what was easy, what felt good, what he could see and touch, over the eternal call on his life.

The Danger of Worldly Love

Demas serves as a really strong example of why the apostle John gave us a clear warning. He said, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you don’t have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever” (1 John 2:15–17 nlt).

John isn’t telling us that enjoying things is bad. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with God blessing you with a nice home, a good career, or financial stability. In fact, the Bible tells us that God “richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17 nlt). He wants us to enjoy the good gifts He gives. The problem comes when those good things take the place of God Himself in our hearts. If those things become the most important to you, more important than your relationship with God, then you’ve got a serious problem, my friend.

Holding Loosely to Earthly Blessings

We need to see the things of this life for what they truly are: temporary blessings. They aren’t meant to be our ultimate security or our main source of happiness. We’ve got to be ready to step away from them if the Lord tells us to. This idea of “traveling light” in this world means always being ready to sacrifice anything that starts to get in the way of our connection with God. It means our hands are open, not clenched around what we have.

The Christian walk is already challenging enough on its own. It’s a journey that asks a lot of us. The last thing any of us need is to trip and stumble because we’ve got our priorities all mixed up. We can’t let our love for worldly things become an obstacle to following Christ wholeheartedly. Remember Demas; don’t let his story be yours.

So, how can you keep a godly perspective on the things of this life? It starts with honest self-reflection and continually putting God first in everything you do. It’s a daily choice to value Him above all else.