The word friend has been cheapened, thanks to social media. We "friend"someone to give them virtual access to our personal information. Yet, how many true friends do we have? How many do we need?
A close, faithful, earthly friend is rare and precious. "The pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice." (Proverbs 27:29b)
A heavenly friend is necessary and priceless. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) It is no small thing to be on terms of friendship with God. (Streams in the Desert)
TV:
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
[Proverbs 18:24]
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Awake at Night
Do you ever lie awake in the middle of the night? Sometimes the reasons are physical, often they are emotional. Stressful circumstances at home or work, anxiety about an upcoming test or big event, worry about a loved one.
You don't need to fear the "terror of the night." God has set his love on you; he knows your name. You can call upon Him and He will answer you. He will be with you in trouble. He will deliver you. He will honor you. Meditate on Psalm 91.
TV:
"My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises." [Psalm 119:148]
You don't need to fear the "terror of the night." God has set his love on you; he knows your name. You can call upon Him and He will answer you. He will be with you in trouble. He will deliver you. He will honor you. Meditate on Psalm 91.
TV:
"My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises." [Psalm 119:148]
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Feeling Tired, Stuck?
Meditate on 'TV' from Psalms:
Blessed be the Lord my STRENGTH.
The Lord lifteth up all those that are down.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry and will help them.
The Lord careth for the righteous.
Psalm 144:1a; 145:14b, 19; 146:8b
Blessed be the Lord my STRENGTH.
The Lord lifteth up all those that are down.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry and will help them.
The Lord careth for the righteous.
Psalm 144:1a; 145:14b, 19; 146:8b
Monday, May 6, 2013
No Sunshine in Heaven
I'm one of those people affected by SAD ~ Seasonal Affective Disorder. Come February, I yearn to bask in hot, bright sunlight. And, I fight depression. On that first 70 degree, sunny, April day, I sit outside and soak in the sunshine. It's a shortage of Vitamin D, so they say, that causes this problem.
There won't be any sunshine in heaven, but there will be plenty of light. Vitamin Deus, I call it. Vitamin God. SONshine. The Lord will be to us an everlasting light, says the prophet Isaiah. Heaven: No more crying, no more pain, no more SADness.
Look at TV:
"And there shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever." (Revelation 22:5)
There won't be any sunshine in heaven, but there will be plenty of light. Vitamin Deus, I call it. Vitamin God. SONshine. The Lord will be to us an everlasting light, says the prophet Isaiah. Heaven: No more crying, no more pain, no more SADness.
Look at TV:
"And there shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever." (Revelation 22:5)
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Adam's Rib
God chose to form woman from Adam's rib. He didn't form her from Adam's head, so Adam would worship her. He didn't form her from Adam's feet, so Adam would stomp on her. He formed her from Adam's side, so they could be companions side-by-side throughout life.
I was at a wedding yesterday and heard that perspective.
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
I was at a wedding yesterday and heard that perspective.
TV: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Develop a TV Habit
"What?" you say. "Habitualize that conduit of immorality and tabloidism?"
Well, no. I mean, develop a "Today's Verse" habit. I use a 3x5 card, slipped into my back pocket. The verse comes from a quick devotional reading, or Morning/Evening Prayer from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, or the weekly scripture assignment for a Bible study I attend.
Most often, a verse will stand out. My best friend calls them "little diamonds," those verses.
Then, when the inevitable loveless, loud, self-centered, short-sighted, rude, unbelieving, unenduring, imperfect, faithless, hopeless thoughts occur, I pull out my TV and it sets me straight.
Well, no. I mean, develop a "Today's Verse" habit. I use a 3x5 card, slipped into my back pocket. The verse comes from a quick devotional reading, or Morning/Evening Prayer from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, or the weekly scripture assignment for a Bible study I attend.
Most often, a verse will stand out. My best friend calls them "little diamonds," those verses.
Then, when the inevitable loveless, loud, self-centered, short-sighted, rude, unbelieving, unenduring, imperfect, faithless, hopeless thoughts occur, I pull out my TV and it sets me straight.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Gardening in Heaven
I've been reading through the book of Revelation this spring. Revelation 21 talks about the new heaven and new earth. It cross-references
Isaiah 66:22, " They shall not build and another inhabit. They
shall not plant and another eat. The elect shall enjoy the work of
their hands."
It reminded me of our last house... all the gardening and things we did to make it nice, and then another inhabited it. We had a flourishing little vegetable garden in our backyard the summer that we moved. The house we moved to had more land, but no garden. I remember thinking about it after we moved - that the people who inhabited our former house were eating the harvest that we had planted.
The lesson could be that within our striving to improve and beautify our personal areas, we want to keep God's kingdom as the ultimate goal. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God's word will never pass away.
In this new heaven and new earth, that Isaiah speaks of, the elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. So, gardening will be a part of the new earth! Gardening without the effects of the curse. No weeds, pests or drought. No poison ivy. Delicious tomatoes.
It reminded me of our last house... all the gardening and things we did to make it nice, and then another inhabited it. We had a flourishing little vegetable garden in our backyard the summer that we moved. The house we moved to had more land, but no garden. I remember thinking about it after we moved - that the people who inhabited our former house were eating the harvest that we had planted.
The lesson could be that within our striving to improve and beautify our personal areas, we want to keep God's kingdom as the ultimate goal. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God's word will never pass away.
In this new heaven and new earth, that Isaiah speaks of, the elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. So, gardening will be a part of the new earth! Gardening without the effects of the curse. No weeds, pests or drought. No poison ivy. Delicious tomatoes.
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