The importance of friendship in hard times.

The last year or two has been a very difficult time in my life. It’s been full of some of the biggest hurdles that I have ever had to face, and despite what I preach and teach, it’s taken it’s toll on me. I have become emotionally and spiritually worn down. These aren’t things that one typically like to admit, but there’s a reason I bring it up…an example of how to recharge your batteries in a way that so few of us think about.

Yesterday was my birthday,and the first part of it was filled with the typical stress and hurdles that I’ve become used to for so long. I was beginning to think that even my Birthday would be a downer. I know this sounds negative, but here comes the positive in it..:)

Last week, a very long time friend of mine  had emailed me and announced that him and his wife were coming to Vegas and wanted to know if they could take us out to dinner for my Birthday. I have known this man since childhood, and had a treasure chest of amazing memories of our friendship, but a part of me wanted to just say no, and stay home and wallow in self pity. But I could never say no to this guy because of how much he means to me. Wow, am I ever glad I did.

My wife and I drove to the hotel to meet Larry and his wife, and as soon as I saw them, I remembered how great it was to have such a friend. The four of us ate dinner, went over old times, and made new memories. But as we sat there laughing and reminiscing, I suddenly noticed my mood and thoughts changing from gloomy Gus to one of hope. Knowing that we could talk to someone about or fears and concerns just took the weight right off of our shoulders, and it was such a blessing. This morning as I write this, I am sleepy, but recharged. I have found another piece of the puzzle, and that’s called friendship.

God never made us to be alone.There are times in our lives that are going to be rough, and it’s better to go through it with someone than to try to do it alone. I call it the wolf-pack syndrome, Satan is like a wolf, they always go for the weakest in the herd. the ones that try to face the adversary alone. They leave the safety of the herd and try to defend themselves alone. When we try to face our trials and tribulations alone, the wolf will attack us at our weakest point, and will often win. Our strength comes from our bonds… with other believers of the herd.

If you’re feeling like I had been recently, alone and vulnerable to Satan’s attack, run for the safety of a friendship. Don’t try to do it alone, you’re at your wekest point if you do. It’s easier to face a trial with the comfort of a good frined than to try to do it alone. Don’t be the straggler in the herd, be part of the strength found in a herd. I promise you that it will make you a lot  stronger, and will bring you more joy in the times of crisis.

Below are some great verses on friendship, and I hope tou enjoy the,

 

Proverbs 18:24 ESV / 281 helpful votes

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

 

John 15:13 ESV / 207 helpful votes

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV / 198 helpful votes

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

 

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

 

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

 

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

 

Proverbs 27:9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

 

If Jesus came to your house…what would you do, what would you hide?

If Jesus came to your house
To spend some time with you,
If He came unexpected,
I wonder what you’d do.

Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room
To such an honored guest
And all the food you’d give to Him
Would be the very best.

And you would keep assuring Him
You’re glad to have Him there–
That serving Him in your home
Is joy beyond compare.

But when you saw Him coming,
Would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome
To your heavenly visitor?

Or would you have to change your clothes
Before you let Him in
Or hide some magazines
And put the Bible where they’d been

Would you hide your worldly music
and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right
in, or would you rush about?

And I wonder – if the Saviour
spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing, the
things you always do?

Would you go right on saying, the
things you always say?
Or would life for you continue
as it does from day to day?

Would you take Jesus with you
everywhere you go?
Or would you maybe change your
plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him
meet your closest friends?
Or would you hope they stay away,
until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him
stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great
relief when He at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know,
the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person, to spend
some time with you.

Which path are you taking, obsession with what you have, or your spiritual life?

It’s OK to have money it’s what you do with it that makes it a sin. Some people become so obsessed with making money and reaching their “Dream” of having what they want (Which usually overshadows what the Lord has given them), that they focus more on trying to reach material goals over spiritual ones.

I’m going to include some great scriptures below on why materialism is so wrong. It really bothers me that people will get grouchy and angry over their finances when they call themselves a follower of Christ. If you really put your complete faith and trust in God, then you’d be willing to live on the streets without a penny to your name, without complaining. Now most people would say that this isn’t God’s plan for them, but to that I say, if you’re so focused on money and possesions, how can you know what God’s will for you is when you’re so focused on money?

I want you to think of a scene here, and think about which one you would do….If you saw a path that led to Jesus, and one that led to money, which one would you take? Which one are you taking now? If you’re constantly dwelling on what your life would be like without something, then you’re obsessing, and taking the wrong path. Focus on what God has to offer you, treat people right, and see what happens to your spiritual bank.

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

 

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

 

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

 

1 Timothy 6:7-10 For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

 

Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

A perfect article on being grateful even in times of trial…this is a great one.

Habakkuk 3:18 – Yet I Will Rejoice

yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:18, ESV)

Early on in my faith, I imagined that Jesus was going to make my life perfect. The impression that I had of my savior was that if I prayed, all the bad things in my life would go away. Eventually I discovered that following Jesus didn’t work like that. I had to reassess my faith in light of this new revelation.

I can’t help but wonder if Habakkuk had to re-exam his own faith when he realized what was about to happen to his people by God’s hand. The people of Israel were once again caught in a state of rebellion and through Habakkuk, God told the people of Israel that they were going in to exile under the cruel Babylonians. Habakkuk took issue with that and had a couple of tough conversations with God about His plans for the future of His people.

And yet, despite his misgivings about God’s purposes, he was willing to say, “…yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” I had to learn that lesson early on in my faith journey, just as Habakkuk learned to trust the Lord implicitly no matter the circumstances. In fact, I’m still learning after 20 years of faith.

Do you trust God as Habakkuk did? I know I could use some work in this are. How about you?

Guest Devotional by Jeremy Andrews. Jeremy is the Pastor of College Ministries at the CMA church of Morgantown in Morgantown WV. Learn how you can become a guest writer.

The Church in times of need, and how they should respond.

You can always count on a church or christian organization to arrive on the scene when there has been a natural disaster of some sort. Hurricane Katrina was a great example of this. Churches continued helping in New Orleans by cleaning and rebuilding years after the storm struck. Why does the church live this way? Why do Christians spend their money and time to help others in trouble? There are many reasons for this, but a great component is the comfort we receive from our Father in heaven when we are in need of it. A person who has truly experienced the grace of God in these events simply cannot stand back and watch others suffer. Especially after they have experienced the comfort and peace that comes from none but the Almighty God (Philippians 4:7).

We do not only provide a physical comfort to those who are suffering though. The Christian’s is a comfort that cannot be matched by food, money, a new house, or anything here on the Earth. The early church actually grew, in many ways, because of the manner in which Christians treated and helped non-Christians in their time of need. There is something special when a person helps someone who is not of their family without expecting to receive anything in return. Remember the words of James, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV)

Faith in the present tense….

Hebrews 11:1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. NOW faith is … not yesterday … not next week … NOW. You can’t believe that God is going to heal you someday. You’ll never get healed. You have to believe you are healed right now before it will work. “Now faith is …”

(Mark 11:24) Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Jesus is speaking and He is saying something very important. Therefore I say unto you, what things soever you desire … things … Health or other promises of God. Believe that you receive them … Received them … He didn’t say feel you receive them … He said when you pray believe you have received them, and you shall have them! When you pray … is now believe you have receive … is now. And you shall have them … is future. If you believe Gods word …and act on it, (that’s faith) … you shall have them. In other words He will bring them into the physical world to you. If you don’t act on His words you will not get it.

Now if you believe that you have received it than you will not pray for it again. Why ask God for something you already have? If you ask again it would mean you didn’t believe you got it the first time … If that is what you believe than you won’t get it. Faith is acting on God’s word, even if you don’t see it. For we walk by faith not by sight. If we act on God’s word He will fulfill the promise. “Believe you have received them, and you shall have them.” Many of us are waiting for God to work a miracle or give us a healing, and then we will believe it. (Luke 6:46) And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? But, you see, you have to believe you have it NOW. Act like it’s true, and then the power of God comes. Because that’s how faith works, dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, following God’s instructions exactly.

A Tuesday (Or whatever day) Prayer

Lord, for many the circumstances in life are so uncertain.  The solutions to our problems can be very perplexing and seem beyond our grasp.  There are many things about tomorrow that we don’t seem to understand.   But we know Who holds tomorrow, and we do know Who holds our hand.* Thank you, God, that You don’t expect us to have all the right answers or to fully understand all that concerns us.  You simply want us to trust You as we hold on to Your unchanging hand while You go before us making our paths straight.  Grant us the grace to trust You more.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Shoveling your way out of a negative attitude.

In order to better understand people’s views of the world, a researcher once placed two children, one a pessimist and the other an optimist, alone in separate rooms.

The pessimist was placed in a colorful room full of all kinds of imaginative toys…the optimist was put in a room filled with horse manure.

The first child played in the room for a little while, but soon came to the door asking to leave because the toys were boring and because they broke too easily.

Likewise, the young optimist soon came to the door…but rather than asking to leave, she asked for a shovel.

Of course, the researcher asked the child why she wanted a shovel.

She replied, “With all this manure around, I know that there must be a pony in here somewhere.”

So which are you? Have you been smacked around by life so many times that it’s hard to find anything positive? Is it just against your nature to see the good through the bad? Most people are, but just don’t like to admit it. But the Word gives us hope that no matter what the circumstances are, we can find that “Shovel” through prayer and daily Bible Study. Hang in there, and know that you can always call on me to pray for you as well. I’ve posted some verses below to give you peace during your difficult times. ay the peace of the Lord be with you.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

 

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

 

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

 

Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

 

Romans 5:2-5 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

A light Saturday…Church bloopers

Here’s some great bloopers from Church bulletins to lighten up yourSaturday…:)

Stewardship Offertory: “Jesus Paid It All”

The music for today’s service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister’s daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.

22 members were present at the church meeting held at the home of Mrs. Marsha Crutchfield last evening. Mrs. Crutchfield and Mrs. Rankin sang a duet, The Lord Knows Why.

A song fest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday.

Today’s Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.

On a church bulletin during the minister’s illness: GOD IS GOOD Dr. Hargreaves is better.

Potluck supper: prayer and medication to follow.

Don’t let worry kill you off – let the church help.

The 1997 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.

Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.

Next Sunday a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the carpet will come forward and do so.

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday.

Thursday night–Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

The Lutheran men’s group will meet at 6 p.m. Steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.  A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

8 new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.

The preacher will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, “Break Forth With Joy.”

Today… Christian Youth Fellowship Sexuality Course, 8 p.m. Please park in the rear parking lot for this activity.

During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when A.B. Doe supplied our pulpit.

The Rev. Adams spoke briefly, much to the delight of his audience.

The church is glad to have with us today as our guest minister the Rev. Shirley Green who has Mrs. Green with him. After the service we request that all remain in the sanctuary for the Hanging of the Greens.

Theology…is it the study of God, or Meology, the desire of how we want God?

As many Christian leaders throw around the term Theology, it occurs to me that many people don’t even know what it means. So having said that, before I tackle the subject, here is the Wikipedia definition…Theology (from Greek Θεός meaning “God” and λόγος, -logy, meaning “study of”) is the systematic and rational study of concepts of God and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.^[1]. So now, on to how I feel about Theology.

There are to many Pastors and lay Theologians out there trying to make the Study of God something they see and how they feel instead of taking their emotions out of it and just taking tha Bible at face value. We all tend to do this, but when we do, we try to put God in our box, like the picture in today’s post. I will be the first to admit that there are things about the Bible that I wish would be more like I want. A lot of people will even ask why God would put rules and regulations on us that go against our desires of the heart. The answer is simple, we are sinful, and He is not. If we dwere allowed to do what we wanted, it would be like letting your kids go out and play in a busy street because they wanted to. We wouldn’t allow it because we know that such an action would edanger their lives.  God knows that without rules, we would endanger our own eternal lives.

So what does all of this have to do with Theology? It’s simple! While I was in Seminary, one of the ways we were taught to exeget (Break down) the Word of God was to look t it as black and white, and to keep our feelings out of it. The reason is that if we begin to questions the Word, then it becomes Meology over Theology. If you want to study the Bible and become a Theologian, make sure that you obey what the Word says and to not twist it into your own feelings and thoughts. Realize that you need to take the Bible for exactly what it says, and not allow anyone else to change the wording into what they think is right. Obey Gods law to the letter, but if you fail, remember that Jesus died on the cross for our shortcomings, and we ar forgiven when we confess. It’s that simple.

As I write this, I wonder if the words are going to help anyone. The Lord has really laid this on my heart, and it will be interesting to see how it’s received. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts. In the mean time Here’s some scripture dealing with theology…

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Hebrews 6:1-20 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, …

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. …

John 20:19-23 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”