True Friends or Just Acquaintances

As I often told my boys when they were teens, water finds the lowest level. . .and it's the same with friends.


Will you choose friends who will cause you to "lower" yourself to become like them. . .it's very rare to find that "true" friend. . .the one who will hold you to a higher standard. . .who will encourage you to be more than you are. . .


A friend's daughter says it perfectly in her blog post: They're not Healthy for You. . .let 'em go!  I hope you will take a few moments to check out and read her thoughts on the subject.  It has given me pause. . .


I loved the translation of 2 Corinthians 6:17 that she used. . .


The (KJV) King James Version says. . .come out from among them and be ye separate. . .


The (MSG) Message Version says. . .don't link up with those who will pollute you. . .


here is the entire quote from the MSG. . .found here:

2 Corinthians 6:17

The Message (MSG)

^14-18Don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That's not partnership; that's war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God's holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way:

   "I'll live in them, move into them;
      I'll be their God and they'll be my people.
   So leave the corruption and compromise;
      leave it for good," says God.
   "Don't link up with those who will pollute you.
      I want you all for myself.
   I'll be a Father to you;
      you'll be sons and daughters to me."
   The Word of the Master, God.


Wow. . .can it get much more clear than that?


I love when I read something that makes me think. . .and today's thought from Susan Hill aka the bossy Mom definitely made me think. . .thanks Susan, I'm learning a lot from you. . .keep up the good work!

Falling in Love With Jesus: Counting Your Blessings

My sister in law recently returned from a missions trip to a third world country. . .I keep begging her to stop going to these places. . .but God uses those who are willing. . .and she just happens to love it. . .

As I read this article listing 10 Basic Blessings You Should Be Thankful For, I thought of two stories she told us about her trip.

First, they were caught up in the crisis of a baby’s delivery with complications.  Talk about a God thing, one of the ladies in her group was a pediatrician, and the other was a critical care nurse of some sort.  My sis also happens to work in the medical field, so here you have three people who know how to stay calm in an emergency. . .who just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Here they are delivering an in crisis baby in a tent. . .nothing sterile. . .nothing to tie off the cord, so they used a shoe string. . .nothing to deliver the placenta into. . .so they used a gallon ziploc bag. . .no gloves, no blankets to wrap the baby, who was blue, in. . .can you even imagine being in that situation?

Had that group not been in that exact place, with that exact interpreter, at that exact moment. . .that baby probably would not have survived. 

All I can say is. . .God must have something awesome planned for that child’s life. . .

And then. . .on their “off day,” they decided to go sightseeing to a specific tourist attraction. . .without going in to the details of that experience. . .what caught my attention was the fact that when they forded the river in their open air vehicles. . .she witnessed the women lining the river bed. . .washing their clothes. . .

We are so spoiled and so blessed. . .I cannot even fathom that in the 21st century. . .there are still places in the world that could be so destitute. . .so again, when I read the article, it required me to actually STOP. . .and to be thankful. . .to be really, really thankful. . .

I pray that you will take just one moment to read the article. . .and to just share briefly your thankfulness for God’s many blessings. . .what did we ever do to be this blessed?

Where were you GOD?

I asked the question and God answered:


I WAS THERE ALL THE TIME. . .

I've been there, where this Mother was standing. . .

Oh, it wasn't outside of a surgery unit. . .

No. .

We found ourselves standing outside the PICU. . .

in one of the top rated teaching hospitals in the world. . .

with the lead pediatrician in charge. . .

while our adorable, blonde haired, blue eyed, dimpled,

always smiling little cherub fought for his life. . .

and lost. . .

so yes, I know the agony this mother felt. . .

I was so very, very angry with God. . .oh I held it together in public. . .

everyone commented on how well we were doing. . .

but in the privacy of my own room. . .flinging myself out across my bed. . .

I would scream at God. . .how could you do this to me?. . .

HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?

It's not fair. . .it's not fair God. . .

I don't understand. . .

there is nothing you can say to me that is going to make me understand this. . .

but somehow, we survived. . .

we survived the grief, and the agony. . .

somehow our marriage survived. . .

and we kept what was left of our little family intact. . .

and slowly, slowly, began to rebuild a life for ourselves. . .

and God was faithful. . .and his promises were true. . .

and his blessings were abundant.

So many blessings. . .an adopted son who looks so much like us,

you won't be able to tell the difference. . .he is my joy. . .

sometimes I have to call just to hear his voice. . .

and adorable, precious grandchildren. . .four of them. . .nothing compares to one of their hugs. . 

So yes, God was there. . .

do I understand?. . .

NO. . .

but someday I will,

and until that day. . .I will keep pressing toward the mark of the calling of the Most High. . .

Falling In Love With Jesus–Go With God

For we know we are called according to His Purpose. . .II Timothy 1:9

Will you be willing to go with God until His Purpose and your purpose are the same. . .we are so willing to do what we think is right, what we think His Purpose might be. . .but then when He tries to redirect our path. . .we want to balk. . .oh no God, I don’t want to walk down that path. . .I’m not sure where that path leads Lord. . .I like it out here on this path. . .it’s easier to see my own way out here on this path.

Have you ever had that discussion with God?  Oh. . .maybe not out loud. . .after all that would be sac religious to actually say out loud what you may be thinking. . .but. . .in your actions.
 

What are you saying in your actions?

Abraham was given the instruction, “Take your son, your only son Isaac. . .”

I don’t know God. . .I just can’t imagine you ever expecting me to give up something that precious. . .surely, you would never expect that of ME. . .I mean Abraham. . .well, you know. . .he was just this PATRIARCH. . .this ANCIENT OF DAYS. . .I could never be any of those things God. . .oh God, please, just ask me for something easier. . .yeah, that’s it. . .I could definitely do something easier. . .thank you Lord. . .

Is that what God hears us saying by our actions?

My prayer: God, please let me HEAR your voice, and to be WILLING to follow YOUR directions. . .even when I don’t understand them. . .in Jesus Name. . .

For those of you who enjoy Pentecostal Praise and Worship here is the same song by the Alexandria Tabernacle Choir. . .yes, you can feel the Presence of the Almighty God as you watch this video

FOR EVERY MOUNTAIN – PENTECOSTALS OF ALEXANDRIA

Falling in Love With Jesus: What is Salvation?

It sounds so easy. . .Salvation. . .but really, what is it?

How do you ever decide when you have Salvation?

Is it when you realize your life’s not really that great. . .

and you turn to God for a solution?

Is it when you realize Christ lives in you. . .

and things need to change?

Did salvation become real when you were baptized?

or when you realized that you could no longer depend on Sunday School Teachers, parents or your Minister to spoon feed you God’s Word. . .and you began digging deeper on your own?

My prayer is that we will search our hearts. . .and cry out to God to alter our thinking so we will know all He has for each of us. . .

in Jesus Name. . .

MY FAVORITE DAILY DEVOTIONAL

MY FAVORITE ONE HOUR BIBLE STUDY

Falling in Love With Jesus: We All Have Our Egypt

When the going gets hard, we all have something we want to return to. . .we all have our Egypt.

Egypt is where the melons and the cucumbers are. . .life is easier there. . .yes, there are taskmasters, but we don’t have to think too hard about it, we can just go about our daily agenda, without too much thought or effort.

 

I could just go work at the church Lord. . .and be spoon fed Your Word on a regular basis. . .I wouldn’t need to go to all this effort on my own. 

But out here in the desert. . .Lord, I’m all by myself out here. . .this relationship is turning in to hard work. . .what are You thinking?  Are you sure this is what You wanted me to do. . .cause it sure would be easier to go back to what I was doing before. . .seriously.

I’ve committed now Lord. . .You are stuck with me in this forever relationship. . .with all my whining and crying, and wanting my own way. . . wanting this desert experience to be over already!
I won’t return the way I came. . . I know there are better things ahead. . . I’m sure my Promised Land is just over the next horizon. . .right?

My prayer is that we will always remember. . .You are always right on time. . . in Jesus Name. . .

Falling in Love With Jesus: You Can’t Stop There!

The minister’s thought this past Sunday has stuck with me.

As a runner, you are assigned a lane to run in. . .if you step out, or fall out of that lane. . .you are disqualified from the race.

I am so thankful God doesn’t do that to us as we run this spiritual race.  Instead, when we make a mistake, and step over the line, He redirects our steps. . .and gets us back in the lane.

When we stumble and fall by the wayside. . .He picks us up, brushes us off. . .and sets us back on the path. . .

As the minister said. . .In this race, it’s not most important to finish first. . .it’s most important to be sure you finish!

My prayer is that the Lord would order my steps in His Word. . .that I would not stumble and fall by the wayside. . .but that I would continue to strive toward the high calling. . .in Jesus Name. . .