Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts

Evaluating Our Relationships

It is critical to our growth in the Lord that we associate ourselves with people who uplift us. At the end of a conversation with someone, if we exit feeling down, disturbed and not quite right, we should be wary and watch closely. If this happens consistently, something is wrong.

It doesn't matter if we are praying for that person, always lifting them up and trying to be a Godly example and inspiration to him or her. If we don't feel elevated and at peace at the end of any encounter with them, our growth in God will be hindered. We hear the following statement often and we should take it more to heart. Some people we will need to love and pray for from afar.

How often do we ignore this truth in the name of being good Christians? We are good Christians when we attend to our own advancement in the Lord first, at all costs. We are good Christians when we guard our hearts with all diligence. Our Father does want us to come to him with broken spirits and broken and contrite hearts but not through being ignorant about our detrimental relationships with others.

There is no doubt about it; we need to discuss with God if we should be closely associated with these types of persons. The ones whom we need to love and pray for from afar are the very persons who drain our spirits, depress us and prey upon us, whether purposely or unintentionally. It is difficult to deny these people access to our lives when they continually burden us with the same conversations, the same complaints and the same attitudes.

When we realize, however, that they never take our Godly advice and that they never do what we suggest to resolve their own issues, it becomes clear that our relationships with God are being eroded through our relationships with them. They are toxic relationships, a form of being unequally yoked. If we persist in the belief that we are slowly influencing them and that we are long-suffering for good, then we need to think long and hard and often about the wisdom of that train of thought. 

Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits. (I Corinthians 15:33)

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (I Corinthians 5:6)

We have to also be sure that WE are uplifting to others. If we are critical of them, unfairly judgemental, always oppressive, non-receptive to learning from them, bearers of bad reports, complainers, holier-than-thou, etc., then maybe we should be removed from their lives through their own recognition of the truth. It works both ways. 

If we ask, God will give us seeing eyes and hearing ears to honestly evaluate our relationships so that we can walk in the light. The purity of our close associations is paramount to maintaining and strengthening our connection to God. Healthy relationships inspire and motivate us to higher heights in Christ Jesus.

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)





God Wants Us To Have Friends




Remember someone today who may be without a friend. Pray that he or she may open up to help and loving care from someone whom God sends.

Friends as so important and like love, hard to come by. 



Many times we feel that we just don't have time to cultivate friendships, but it is not God's will that we be alone.



God can provide friendships that adapt to our lives, and that compliment each other. God can move us to a place where we can be a blessing to someone, and vice versa. 



Pray always for those who are lonely, suffering and who need friends. 




2nd/3rd/4th Pic: Pixabay.com

Jesus Prayed For You: Did You Know That?

Jesus Christ prayed for us.

Did you know that before he was led away to be crucified, Jesus prayed to his father for you and me? It was after he prayed for his disciples, who had the enormous and monumental task of remaining committed to their calling, that Jesus then prayed for us. His disciples were to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ on a speaking circuit that could have no other ending than that of a painful and humiliating death. Whom else did Jesus go on to think of as he finished his supplications for those who were fingered by God to wear the great mantle of propagating the Gospel? He thought of the ones who would take to heart the words that his disciples would speak.

He thought of you and I, knowing that the world would continue on for an undetermined length of time. He did not know when he would be returning to launch the reestablishment of the new heaven and the new earth. He had no idea of the appointed time to begin the abolishing of the regime of Satan and his army of fallen angels. Only his father knew the appointed day and time. He knew that we would need all of the grace and help from his father that we could receive. His compassion, foreknowledge and wisdom led him to stand in the gap for you and me, to serve as a proxy in prayer at the throne of God, to for a moment not think of what he was about to endure, but to pray for our strength in a corrupt and dying world.

These are the words, that John recorded, that Jesus spoke to God the Father on our behalf:

20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.


22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:


23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.


24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.


25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.


26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."


(John 17:20-26 NKJV-New King James Version)

The Jesus Christ then is the same Christ that we honor today.
We may be far removed from the timeline of these events, but that Jesus is the same Jesus that we honor today. He loves us because we were given to him by his father. He has never ceased to pray for us. He is even now at the right hand of his father, interceding on our behalf. Let's strive always to remind ourselves of how much he loves us, and always will. Those of us who choose to believe and hold on will be with him throughout eternity, enjoying God's everlasting love.


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Scripture References: BibleStudyTools

Images:
  1. "Jesus Christ prayed for us," Pixabay Free Images
  2.  "The Jesus Christ then is the same Christ that we honor today," ©SJHolland, acrylic and collage painting

Keep Growing And Flowing

I know that you are committed and faithful about seeking God's face. You are faithful in drawing nigh to him. You don't seek counsel from those who don't love the Lord. You refuse to practice the un-Godly ways of unbelievers. You don't socialize with those who scorn the Kingdom of God.  You delight in the things of God, and you meditate in his Word day and night. You work out your salvation with fear and trembling every day. Because of this lifestyle, you are like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that brings forth fruit in it's season. Your leaf shall not wither, and whatever you do shall prosper. You are on a roll, in God and for God.

waterfalls photo: Cascadas Azul in Chiapas, Mexico 47587CascadasdeAguaAzulChiapasMe-1.jpg 

You will run across others who desire for you to be bound, as they are, because they have not advanced as you have. They will want you to be fearful, as they are, because they are still living in fear. They will want you to draw back, as they do, because they can't move forward in their faith, or lack of faith. Don't buy into it. Don't receive it. Allow your faith, your God-given insight and your power through freedom in Christ to reign. Don't turn back. Don't be drawn back. Keep pressing forward in studying and learning. Rivers of living waters flow from your belly, but that water is only for those who will partake of it, as God ordains.

As you continue to be filled with blessings, you will bless. Flowing waters of blessings from God in to you. Flowing waters of blessings from God out to others who are ordained to receive. Don't allow those who can't receive from you to stop your flow. Get wisdom. Get understanding. Protect your relationship with the Lord.

Dear Lord: Send anointed friends and associates to those who are growing in you everyday. Close the hedge of protection around your servants who obey you, and who prove daily what is your good and acceptable and perfect will. We thank you for only allowing the appointed ones to get through to close fellowship with them. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Psalm 1:1-3
Romans 12:2
Philippians 2:12
John 7:38
Proverbs 4:5,7
Proverbs 16:16


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Image Credit: loewus9_photos
Scripture References: Bible Study Tools
loewus9_photos
loewus9_photos

Hope In The Friend To Send You A Friend


Sometimes life is excruciatingly unbearable, and others don't understand when we try to share.  We implore, we coerce, we cry out in frustration, and then we retreat back into the "house of ourselves," back into alone-ness, and despair.

Sometimes we don't realize that we're trying to share with the wrong people.  Sometimes, the closest people around us can't or refuse to sympathize, and comfort us.  Sometimes, we have to make new friends with those who are compassionate and empathetic about our cause or who we are.

The greatest empathizer is Jesus Christ, who felt beforehand what we feel today.  And only Jesus Christ knows exactly what we're feeling, to the very minute pinpoint of emotion.  Only Jesus Christ can send to us the perfect empathizing friendships that we so desperately need, in order for us to feel healed, to feel normal, to feel a part of the world.

Have hope in what God through Jesus Christ can do.  Though you are lonely, and feel that you can't go on, God does care.  No matter how it looks, He is aware.

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
(Proverbs 17:17 New Living Translation-NLT)
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Image Credit: jillis_


 

Go Out, Be Noticed, Make Friends

Mom was lamenting that her nail polish did not match her blouse, afterall.  The color looked different out of doors and she was quite annoyed.  To quell her unrest, I said that it was okay, and that probably no one had noticed.  Throwing up her hands, she said jokingly, but seriously, No one notices me anyway.  To that I soothingly replied, People will notice you more when you start going out to more places, other than just to the doctor.

Though the Lord can direct a new friend to arrive at wherever we are, it's good to make a habit of getting out.  Go to the places that you like, and some new places along the lines of what you like to do.  If you like to do nothing, go to a place and do nothing.  Just sit, and look, and smile.  Say a simple prayer in faith before you go.  Continue to go whether you meet anyone at first or not.  Go for your own encouragement, and to open the way for the Lord to bring new friends into your path.


The scripture ....we should not stop gathering together with other believers....(Hebrews 10:25, God's Word  translation c1995) can also encourage us to go out and make friends.  If you want a friend, go out and be friendly.  If you want to have friends, go out and meet friends.  Trust God to lead wholesome, positive people into your path.  He'll lead Christians to you so that you can receive strength.  He'll lead non-Christians and babes in Christ to you so that you can strengthen them.  How exciting it is to be giving and receiving strength through meeting and gathering together.

Why is my mom not going out more?  Well it's not her fault.  She's prepared to go out much more when transportation circumstances change in her favor.
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Image Credit: Active Rain