Category: Friend

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EXODUS 33 Moses speaks with God

Let God speak

God had chosen Moses to lead His people but they were a stiff necked people. What does that phrase bring to mind but a people who were disobedient and proud and rebellious. The Israelites were familiar with that expression as one speaks of an ox who refuses to obey. Imagine being compared to that? God is saying you are no better than the animal I created. When the people heard that they humbled themselves and removed their ornaments.

A second thing noteworthy was how the people showed their humility after that rebuke from God. When Moses passed by on the way to the Tent of Meeting, as he called it, they rose at the door of their tent and worshiped. We stand in reverence when the scripture is read as a sign of respect and humility. 

A third noteworthy thing to see is that Moses and God spoke face to face while the pillar of the cloud stood over the tent. How bold was Moses to speak what was on his mind to the Lord God Almighty. Am I that bold to speak to God as Moses spoke? 

A fourth thing from this passage is that after leaving God to return to the people, his face shone. Does my face shine after being in His presence? 

Great lessons just from this chapter. 

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11.25.24.Darkness is Revealed

God is Light
He is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path

John 18 Friends vs Enemies

John accurately describes those who love Jesus and those who seek to kill Him. Friends will stay by your side, but enemies will seek you out. This is the darkness that John wrote about early in his book: they loved darkness for their deeds were evil. But, what about Peter? Why did he fail Jesus in the hour of need? John wants us to see how easily our faith is tested and found wanting. Jesus reminded the disciples to be on guard, but Peter failed this warning and if truth be known we do as well. Satan knows our every weakness and the perfect time to reveal our true heart. Beloved, be on guard even now for the enemy of our soul knows your weakness and where you will fail. But…thankfully the story does not end here for Peter. There will be tears of repentance but John holds this close to our hearts so we can equate in this moment of darkness and see ourselves. 

Today as you have done many a time, fall to your knees and repent early lest He who holds the key find you wanting. 

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10.30.24. Be an Encourager Today!

Snail ,mail

3 John A Balm in Gilead

The Apostle John is writing to a personal friend, Gaius. His words to him remind us of this hymn: There is a Balm in Gilead. “Sometimes I feel discouraged,And deep I feel the pain In prayers the Holy Spirit revives my soul again” So it is when we need that balm that heals, a friend sends us words of encouragement. 

John has learned from others that Gaius is living according to the truth. In fact, John records this phrase twice! How encouraging to know that Gaius “ demonstrates faithfulness by whatever he does for the brothers”  and even more so in that he demonstrates that to complete strangers! What a great compliment to receive and how encouraged Gaius must have been at receiving this letter from a dear close friend. 

Today, who needs this word of encouragement? Who needs the words of that great hymn: There is a Balm in Gilead? Remember this stanza as you wade through today’s many appointments: “If you can’t pray like Peter,If you can’t be like Paul. Go home and tell your neighbor, He died to save us all.”

Be an encourager today to someone, pray for them, and send them gracious words that are a balm.  You are where you are today to  edify and lift someone up. 

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Psalm 86: A Prayer of David

Psalm 86 Who I am & Who God is

King David is the author of this psalm; it is his prayer to God. David reflects on who he is: a servant of the Most High God. Then he reflects on who God is by extolling His character: ‘For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.” Thus, David understands and speaks of the relationship between he and God. David is the servant ready to do God’s bidding and God in turn reveals that as Romans 1:20 says: His invisible attributes. How beautiful are the feet that bring the good news of the gospel message to those who do not know Him. 

How do you see yourself? Do you see that you are a servant? Or do you see yourself as one who seeks to be served? Jesus said He was a servant who is dressed and ready to meet the needs of His Father, the Holy God of Israel. 

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A Heart of Compassion

Have compassion on a fallen brother

Matthew 9 I Desire Compassion

One of the marks of the ministry of Jesus was His compassionate spirit for His people who were suffering. Twice in this chapter He reminds the religious leaders that this is the true ministry of His kingdom. What was it that He saw and the religious leaders did not and often we do not as well? He saw the heart of mankind, but unlike like the religious leaders who saw with their physical eyes but not their spiritual eyes, Jesus saw the heart and had compassion. 

Matthew recorded these stories to remind his Jewish audience that Messiah sees and understands all. Also, he shared these stories one after another to remind them that one must see with the heart not just the physical presence, which is what Messiah did. 

So where should we have a heart of compassion? Recently a friend shared out of her heart the hard news of her son’s suicide. How do we respond to news such as this? It is not to wear the cloak of the Pharisee’s judgment but the cloak of the words of Jesus: “But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[Matt 9:13] 

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Works, Purified or Fried?

Pray for a pure heart

2Thess 1 I love you! These words radiate across the centuries from the hand of Paul. How he, Silvanus, and Timothy loved the Thessalonians. Even today as we read these words we are transported back in time to this city where the believers faced afflictions and persecution similar to those who come into Christianity today. Threatened with death, loss of jobs and sometimes family connections they hung tough. As we saw in reading 1Thessalonians, the fruits of Paul’s labors are even seen today.  

Paul begins his letter to these precious Thessalonians, We ought to give thanks and we do so. Why? Their faith is greatly enlarged, their love for one another has grown even greater, and their perseverance and faith in the midst of their trials is an example to the entire Macedonian continent.  

Then Paul inserts an odd verse…your suffering is evidence of God’s righteous judgment to make you worthy of the kingdom of God. We stop, we ponder, we ask …is suffering a part of every believer’s walk that will make them worthy? Is suffering a “given” no matter what century you live in? What is Paul saying? He is saying, precious friends, you are like the gold taken by the miners which comes forth with unwanted elements. Yet you are, of all minerals, the most malleable and ductile. Your tensile strength is the strongest of all. Yet, one cannot see your beauty until you have been through the refining process and your dross is removed.  And just like the gold from the smelter’s furnace, when you are pure, you will “Brighten” (suddenly emitting a bright flash of light and immediately solidifying).  As you are being refined, it is our prayer that by God’s power your desire for goodness and every work of faith be accomplished so that He alone receives the glory. How grateful we are for these precious saints even today. Father, give us a heart to face our refining fire so we too will brighten for you!  

This post was written by a dear friend long long ago.

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Fruitful or Fruitless?

2 Peter 1 How is your life going today my friend? Are you experiencing fruit both in your own life and in the life of others? If you feel you are lagging, take heart and listen to Simon Peter who was witness of our Lord’s transfiguration on the mountain. It helps to listen to the wise and aged for their wisdom and so Peter tells his readers that they need to check if they are filled with the Fruit of the Spirit and are demonstrating those points to the lost. Just as Paul gave us his list of the Fruit of the Spirit, so Peter gives us his list that we may test our life. Peter reminds us that we need to have this checklist before us so we can measure how we are doing so he begins: add to your faith and then lists the practical points. 

Peter begins with the foundation: faith. Without faith we are lost and cannot produce fruit that will last the test of time. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith,  you have no kernel of wheat to plant that it may germinate and grow. So what is this kernel of FAITH? It is being able to say Forgetting All I Trust Him who died and rose again so I may have life eternal. But, it doesn’t stop there, Peter reminds us to add to our faith several qualities that will be our fruit. “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love.” [2 Pet 1:6-8]

Where are you today friend? What are you lacking in the fruit department? 

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Faithful Friends

Mark 2 In chapter 1 Jesus leaves Galilee and begins his preaching career with his new disciples who have obeyed and followed Him. When Jesus calls, we must surrender and follow. They had moved from town to town quickly and after some time, they returned to Capernaum where Jesus had healed Peter’s mother in law and He had spent the night in prayer. Even though there were no town criers or newspapers or text messages, the people became aware that this man, Jesus, had returned. Many had heard, perhaps, of how he had healed and taught and so they came wondering if he would do the same here. Amongst this crowd four precious friends brought a paralyzed friend in hopes of his healing. 

The friends were persistent and left no stone unturned for when they could not enter the house, they went up on the rooftop and removed the covering to lower him to see Jesus. Unlike the religious leaders sitting listening, these friends came for the healing touch of Jesus and were not disappointed. Did they realize that Jesus would point out their sins? Probably not. They came for physical healing but went away with both physical and spiritual healing. Jesus sees the heart as well as the physical need. 

Where do you have a need that only Jesus can supply? Will you be as persistent as these four friends to bring someone to Jesus? 

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Forgiving as Christ did

Bitterness divides/forgiveness unites

Philemon 1 Today we send notes and letters via email but rarely snail mail. Imagine being in the time of Paul when a letter was handwritten and then hand carried across the many miles to a dear friend. Even though Paul is in a Roman prison as he writes, his first note is that he is prisoner of Christ. A prisoner is one who is beholden to another out of force, not willingly. In this dark, dank place, Paul was refreshed by the runaway slave, Onesimus from Colosse. How he got there and what he was doing there is a question for eternity, but God used that time to introduce him to Christ. Now Paul, probably after many a discussion, has sent Onesimus back to Philemon with this letter.

What can we learn from this letter? One is that Paul, even though having never met Philemon considers him a dear friend. Prov 17:9 says that the one who forgives an offense seeks love and that is what Paul is saying to Philemon. Yes, Onesimus has done wrong but now Paul says that as a new creation in Christ, I am imploring you to forgive him and include him as a brother in Christ. 

How quick we are to hang on to offenses rather than forgiving? This Sunday is Easter and it is the plainest example of forgiveness . Christ on the cross said: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. 

Do you have a grudge or an offense you are carrying? Pray as Jesus prayed. 

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Responses…

Acts 28 Responses 

Paul and the people abandoned the ship due to torrential rains and winds. The people on Malta are skeptical, but then see the power of God and bless Him. Later, the shipwrecked people go on another ship which takes them to Italy. Paul goes on to Rome and there he meets with the Jews who do not believe what he is saying about Jesus. Two responses of two different people. Today, we meet those who scoff but then turn to belief and those who scoff and go on their way. 

Last night as I sat watching the SOTU, I was amazed to see these same two responses. There was a lot of scoffing both during and after the speech. I choose not to say here where I was in that “audience,” but I was amazed at how God reveals people’s hearts by their words and actions. People do not change; only God can change a heart. 

Today listen to the words of God and choose ye this day whom you will serve, were the words of Joshua and they ring true today. Where are you my friend? 

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