Friends

Friends are such a blessing in our lives and I am so very grateful for mine.

I'm most grateful for Jesus. He calls me his friend and demonstrated his love for me by giving up His life on the cross so that I may have life eternal. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." John 15:13

It is said that friends are here for a Reason, a Season or a Lifetime. Jesus is my friend for life and into forever.

The following is the friendship story written a little differently, I hope you enjoy it...
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.
When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (any way); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

Scripture Memorization Verse:
John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, thatsomeone lays down his life for his friends.

Ten Commandments

Today my heart is focused on the Ten Commandments. The decision regarding the display of the Ten Commandments is likely to come out next Monday. I feel strongly that we must be in prayer to ensure that the ruling will be in FAVOR of the displays.

From a Faith Standpoint I wanted to share some specifics as to what the Bible says about the Commandments for those of us who are believers.

Reward for keeping commandments.
Deuteronomy 6:2-3
2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

Requirements to keep the Ten Commandments
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Deuteronomy 11:18-23, 26-28
18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
23 Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

What is the greatest commandment?
Deuteronomy 6:5
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Matthew 22:36-38
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

"Love is the fulfilling of the law."
Romans 13:8-10
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

The law is fulfilled by love.
Galatians 5:14
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Ahhh, Wednesday...time for some humor!

As Seen On Church Bulletin Boards:
*** "People are like tea bags--you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are."

*** "Dusty Bibles lead to dirty lives."

*** "How will you spend eternity? Smoking or Non-smoking?"

*** "Do not wait for the hearse to take you to church."

*** "Forbidden fruit creates many jams."

Unusual Transfer
After the service a young couple talked to me about joining the church. I hadn't met the husband before, and I asked what church he was transferring from. After a short hesitation, he replied, "I am transferring from the Municipal Golf Course."

Forgiveness?
A story is about old Jack and old John, two board members of the First Church of Sheboygen, who were always at odds with each other. They were constantly at each others' throat especially in board meetings. When one of them said "yea," you could be assured that the other would say "nay."

So, one day old Jack dies and arrives at the pearly gate. He notices how St. Peter asks everyone a question, before they proceeded. When it was his turn, St. Peter said: "Hi Jack, to see if you qualify for heaven, I need to ask you to spell Jesus for me." "That's easy," says Jack, and goes: "J-E-S-U-S." Peter said: "great, you're in, but could you do me a small favor and take over here for a while; I just need to check on something. I'llbe back"

Jack didn't mind and asked everyone in line to spell Jesus. Just then, old John was coming through the line. "What are you doing here?" asked old John. Said Jack; "O, I am just filling in for St. Peter asking everybody to spell a word before they can pass through." "O yeah, what's the word?" asked John. After thinking for a moment Jack said: "spell Albuquerque!"

Membership...
An impoverished old man applied for membership in a rich church. The pastor attempted to put him off with all kinds of evasive remarks. The old man, becoming aware that he was not wanted, finally said that he would pray on it. Several days later he returned. "Well," asked the pastor, "did the Lord give you a message?" Yes Sir, he did" was the old man's answer. "He told me it wasn't any use. He said, 'I've been trying to get in that same church myself for ten years, and I still can't make it.'"

I Can Say Yes

I stopped to consider my life and what has transpired and where I am today. The path has been littered with trials, pain, torment, heartaches, hardships; resulting in stubborness, self-centeredness and an "I can do it myself" attitude. Today I look at what I have come through and survived and I am in awe. Not in awe of me but in Him who has kept me safe. Him who has blessed me with the life I have today.

Yes, there are areas that still need his tender touch, yes, there are braches he will need to prune for the work in me is not yet completed. But he has faithfully shown me how beautiful and blessed my life is...He has provided the basic necessesities - food, clothing and shelter, I am guaranteed a place in Heaven, he is restoring to me family, friends, hope and most of all he has opened me up to trust.

A trust in him so strong that...
I can say yes to the struggles that I will yet have to face.
I can say yes to the direction and path he wishes me to go down.
I can say yes to stop signs and yields he will and has put in my life.

I can say yes, because he has said yes to me.
When I cried out to him and asked his forgiveness, he said yes. When I needed to scream and yell and question him, he said yes. When I asked him to come and live in my heart, he said yes. I can say yes, because when His father said you must die on the cross for his sins, her sins, their sins, he said yes...

~cl 2005~

How ...?

How do I live in God's presence?
How do I detect his unseen hand on my shoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear?
How can we grow familiar with the voice of God? Here are a few ideas:

Give God you waking thoughts.
Before you face the day, face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into his presence.
Give God your waiting thoughts.
Spend time with him in silence.
Give God you whispering thoughts
...Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion with God.
Give God your waning thoughts.
At the end of the day, let your mind settle on him. Conclude the day as you beggan it: talking to God.

from Just Like Jesus, Max Lucado

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Scripture Memorization Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:17Pray without ceasing.