Life's Little Frustrations

I visited my friend with things to say,

But she never let me have my way.

I just sat there silent and gawking

While she did every bit of the talking!

Fellowship

Hebrews 10:25a, "Let us not give up meeting together....."

When God saves us, He puts us into a family of fellow believers because he knows that we need each other very much. He doesn't intend for anyone to live a solo Christian life. The Greatest Commandment tells us that we are to have a vertical relationship with our Heavenly Father--to "love God with all your heart, soul, and mind"--but also to have a horizontal relationship with our fellow man--"to love your neighbor as yourself."

Why do we need friends, fellowship with others? For love, acceptance, comfort, encouragement, accountability, rebuke, advice, instruction, challenge, to develop our confidence and enthusiasm, to help us when we're in need.

It has been well said that the best way to have a friend is to be one. Khalil Gibran wrote in his book "The Prophet" that we should seek our friends with time to spend, not with time to kill. How do we become the right kind of friend? How can we enrich Christian fellowship? Scripture gives us some direction.

A friend is loyal and loving. Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Friends help each other weather the storms of life. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up." Friends comfort each other with the comfort they have received from God, according to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

Friends sharpen each other, encouraging each other, holding each other accountable, rebuking when necessary, instructing, advising, teaching, and learning together. Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Hebrews 10:24, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction." 1 Timothy 2:11:12, "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory."

Jesus is the Friend who sticks closer to us than a brother, the best friend we will ever have, and the model of what a perfect friend is like. He sums up Christian fellowship by saying, John 15:12, "Love each other as I have loved you."

Father, thank You so much for my Christian friends. Help me to be the kind of friend to them that Jesus is to me. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

I want to eat a healthy diet, and goodness knows I've tried,

But broiled foods just can't compare to those that are deep fried!

And how about eating oatmeal rather than bacon, eggs, and toast?

It's not hard for me to know which one I like the most.

I don't always eat the foods and way I know I should,

But I have constant conflict--eat what's healthy or what's good!

Worthy of Worship

Revelation 5:12, "In heaven the angels and the living creatures and the twenty-four elders sing this song, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"

What is worship? How could we define it? Worship is adoration, reverence, regarding someone with the utmost love and with a deep respect tinged with awe. Worship and praise are different from thanksgiving. We are thankful to God for His gifts to us, but we worship and praise Him, not for His gifts, but for Who He is--for His attributes and characteristics. We worship God because He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, Creator, Redeemer, holy, righteous, truthful, just, full of grace and goodness, loving, forgiving, merciful, kind. We worship Him because, as great and glorious and magnificent as He is, amazingly He loves us.

Worship will be the primary activity in heaven. Revelation 5:13, "Then every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them will sing, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!'" Is our God worthy of our worship? Indeed!!!!!!

Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, I worship and praise and adore You. I honor You for Your greatness and Your goodness and Your love. Amen.

Waiting on God

I must admit I really do hate to wait. It seems like such a waste of time. Think of all we could accomplish with the time we spend waiting. We live in a fast paced, instant gratification world with information overload. We are surrounded by noise and activity. I think our world makes waiting more difficult for most of us.

Have you ever wanted to tell people to hurry up and move along or give them a little push? Have you ever been tempted to tell God to hurry up, to get a move on, that time's a'wasting? I don't notice that He ever seems to get in a rush. Pastor Ron Dunn said, "God is never late, but He certainly misses a lot of good opportunities to be early."

If we want to be successful, we must do the right thing in the right way AT THE RIGHT TIME. And the right time is always God's time. Psalm 27:14 exhorts us, "WAIT FOR THE LORD; be strong and take heart and WAIT FOR THE LORD."

Father, may I exercise patience and wait for Your timing in my life. May I not get in a hurry and try to run ahead and do things in my own strength. May I stay right in step with You. Amen.