He is more than just a friend.

“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together” 

(Psalm 34:1-3, KJV).

  It is a great thing to have a friend.  A good friend is a trusted and treasured supporter, listener, advocate, helper and confidant.  A good friend is solid, reliable and loyal. In times of happiness, they rejoice with us. In times of grief, they share in our sadness.  We can go to a true friend in times of need and in their friendship … we will find strength and wisdom to travel through any impending or overpowering situation and difficulty.  True friendships endure and remain consistent through every stage, event or transition in our lives.  There is a precious peace in the wise regard and guidance of a true friend (Proverbs 27:9).

     Certainly we have a friendship with our God by His grace. By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we come to our Father in heaven as His friend (John 15:14).  It is important to remember this wonderful relationship of friendship with our God but He is so much more than just a friend.  Jesus Christ not only saves us but He gives to us all the rewards of friendship and in the highest manner secures forever our place as a child of God.  The love that is lavished upon us is far beyond what the deepest friendship can possibly offer or provide. This love remains steadfast thus guaranteeing unimaginable amounts of the strength and qualities found in all friendships.  His loyalty to us is truer than loyalty can be defined.  His promises cannot possibly be broken because He is all truth and holds all power in His hands. We can trust Him with every feeling, every dream and every heartache and He will never forget or neglect us at any time.  His smile is ever on us and He wipes away all of our tears. He listens and walks beside us when no one has the time or the desire to even hear us.  He is more solid than rock and watches over us with the utmost protection while being a strong refuge against anyone or anything that would come against us. He is mighty as our advocate against all enemies and stands by us for all time and eternity.  In His care there no moments without His presence nor do we ever lack in of His sufficiency for our needs. He comforts us with a comfort that reaches into the very core of our souls for He knows us wholly and completely.   

     God is much more than a friend to us.  He is our God and He loves us with a love we cannot comprehend.  Jesus Christ is much more than a friend to us as He is our Savior and our Shepherd, just as the Holy Spirit is much more than a friend as well, as He comforts and guides us all of our days.  As we try to truly understand all that God is to us and all that He gives to us … we will become humbled in genuine thankfulness. We will want to give to Him, all of our praise in all of our days.  Our God is good.  He is so very good. 

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord” 

(Psalm 34:8-11, KJV).

Suggested Reading … Psalm 34

Discernment beyond words and appearances.

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for 
asking (James 1:5, NLT).

  To be able to discern is a crucial aspect of being wise in the decisions on which our life experience is built.  The decisions we make will affect our lives and our decisions affect the lives of those we are in relationship with as well as those in our sphere of influence.  So how do we learn to use discernment?  Some of our discernment comes from our learning from our own life experiences. Some come from our pursuits of knowledge and some discernment comes as we process and adapt the educating and guiding input of family, mentors and teachers.  A natural maturing and seasoning process allows us to have a discerning wisdom in most areas of our life experience.

     Still we can be often fooled by words and appearances.  This is an age old struggle. Flattery can fool us into walking into prideful downfalls.  Words can be spoken that are blatantly false but they become believable because we like the promise in them failing to discern the illusion in the outcome. Things can look alluring that are really destructive. People can appear trustworthy but are really charlatans. Bad can sound good and evil can look right.  Guilt can be hidden in the midst of appearing innocent and innocence can be lost in the circumstantial evidence and timing.  We have to be wise in our own living and we have to be wise in our areas of responsibility.  We need to absorb discernment from our life experiences and we need to assimilate knowledge from those that are true, all the while gathering awareness from all sources of learning.  We can do all this and much more and still be fooled by words and appearances.  Is there another source of help and insight available in our learning to be wise?

      God does want us to be foolish or be damaged by those that would lead us into evil or perpetuate evil upon us.  His Word needs to be read and absorbed. This will lead us to light, truth and life. His Word leads us in the walking upon the pathways of truth and it helps us to prosper and be blessed as we follow His ways discerning the untrue and destructive dangers of sin (Psalm 1). He will also come with enlightenment and grace when we appeal to Him in our need for  wisdom in any situation.  A simple prayer from the humble heart is the lifeline to the vast resource of the All-Knowing God as our Generous Father in heaven.  Jesus promises only good from our true and Good Father (Matthew 7:11). Jesus also promises perfect guidance from the Holy Spirit unto all truth (John 14:17). Let us never neglect the resources available to us as we discern beyond words and appearances.  

“Because you asked for wisdom … I will give you what you asked for! (1 Kings 3:11-12, NLT).

Suggested Reading … 1 Kings 3 (God’s gift of wisdom and its application in the life of  Solomon)

What is the song you are singing?

“And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst  me.  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.  Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee” (Isaiah 12, KJV).

  Songs and music captivate us. Music is not new, although it is constantly being adapted and arranged in new forms and sounds.  Music in some form is found in almost every age and culture.  Certain types and sounds in music can be annoying to one group of people and pleasurable to others.  Music tastes and preferences are mostly subjective to the individual although identifiable types of music can be found in certain geographical and ethnic regions around the world.  Melodies can change the outlook and mood of the day. When lyrics are combined with the melodies, they can move us in reflection or lift us up in celebration.  Every day we hear many forms, types and kinds of music.  At times, the music is intentionally transmitted in a particular location to calm, soothe or even to relax us. At other times, we choose to listen to music to alter our attitude or just to bask in the good feelings of the day.

      As we reflect on the feelings and significance of our salvation, does it make us sing with joy and fill our songs with praise?  Our God does so many things that should fill us with joy.  God sees our sins and our difficulties and although we deserve judgment, He forgives comforts and saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is our strength and our joy as He daily cares for us, blessing us richly and continually without fail.  The deepness of the well from which we can freely drink is almost too wondrous to be contained in lyrics and melody.  He is readily available to us and with His mighty hand ... He comes to our aid, when we call upon His name. God’s protective and enabling concern and His loving attention which is lavished on each of us, is an endless beautiful and captivating song that should fill our hearts. Praise and gratitude should be the song we sing each and every day of our lives.

Suggested Reading … Isaiah 12

What water are you drinking?

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,  but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.’

The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.’” (John 4:13-14, NKJV)

  While Jesus waits at a well for a drink, he encounters a woman worn out by life. She is burdened down in the cares and chores of normal life.  Getting water for her family is a task of necessity and effort.  She has to take time to get the water for their needs and she has to do it over and over again.  For her life to continue, she must perform this tedious journey to replenish the water supply they need to drink  and to live.  Yet this water from this ancient well could never really satisfy her deepest needs. 

      Jesus offers her water that she cannot understand but deeply needs.  Jesus shows His divinity in his knowledge about everything about her and He shows His humanity in that He sees her as a woman in need of the water that only He can give. He takes time for her midst the prejudices that did not allow a man to talk to woman alone.  He offers her Living Water that would flow up in her and bring her new and everlasting life.

      Jesus knows more about each of us than we ourselves know.  He takes time to see us, talk to us and to love us. He offers us a lifetime supply of Living Water available only by following Him and drinking from His words, His life and His presence.  We do not have to travel and put in considerable daily effort just to get a drink of water but it is up to us, if we will drink of the water He freely gives.  The Living Water that completely satisfies our hearts and souls comes only from Jesus Christ our Lord. It is not the water that flows from a tap or the water that you buy in a store. The only water that is living and everlasting is the water that He freely and abundantly gives.  What water are you drinking?

 “Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.’” (John 4:26, NKJV)

Suggested Reading … John 4

The endless contention.

“Avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions and strivings … for they are unprofitable and useless” 

(Titus 3:9 NKJV).

  We have all been part of the endless contention.  There are times when we feel a powerful need to make a point in a discussion, an argument and even in a dispute.  Why is it such a struggle for us in our human hearts to simply let go of the endless contention?  Why is so hard to take a wiser and broader perspective as to the value of the contention in the first place? We can feel things so deeply.  Feelings on certain matters can become so intense, making people completely unreasonable and intolerant of others.  At those times, we have to check our viewpoint and our feelings.  If it is wreaking havoc or damaging a group, friendship or even a church, is it really something we need to hold on to with all our being.  We may not even be right or correct.  Many times governments and other systems become stuck because opposing sides are unable to muster any type of working relationship to accomplish the purpose for their very existence.  What does that accomplish?  How is that a benefit to anyone? It is childish and foolish. You become like a pouting child, standing alone with your back turned to reasoning and reality with nothing but your feelings as companion.

      Finally there are those people who live for the endless contention.  They reject people and become arrogant and condescending because they are always right.  Certain philosophies and beliefs regarding future events and even interpretations of current events can become so hardened and fixed in their minds as to reject any insight and reflection.  This can lead to a consuming anger, legalism and bitterness towards others in our minds and hearts.  They become so obsessed with their viewpoint; they will often drift into hateful contempt for the whole world.  They will eventually destroy everything and everyone around them.  In the end … all they have is their endless contention. 

      The Apostle Paul was redeemed from the endless contention of arrogant and zealous legalism in his hatred of the followers of Jesus Christ.  He is not fooled by the similar zealous legalism in believers that had crept into the early church.  He sees these people as warped by their sinful obsession with foolish disputes, genealogies and contentions. These legalistic people had no desire for the early church as Christ’s body  to be a light of hope to the world. They would rather argue endlessly and needlessly over their contending viewpoints.  They could not see the purpose of their faith and did not want to be remade by grace.  They were lost in their endless obsessive quest to proclaim the correctness of their way of life and gain adherents to their legalistic view of faith.  He gives guidance and instruction to those under his care to see their endless contention for what it is … an endless contention.  His instruction is timeless and applicable to all of us as  believers.  We would do well to heed his advice on any endless contention we may encounter.

Suggested Reading … Titus 3

Sometimes we cannot understand in the moment.

“Jesus told her, ‘First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.’” (Mark 7:27, NLT)

  This is not the Jesus we normally see.  This is not the Jesus that is full of compassion. Nor is it the Jesus who listens to the plight of the suffering and in mercy offers His healing touch.  This is not the Jesus that sees deeper than the skin tone or the unclean label emblazoned on a person because place of their birth or the diseases affecting their body. This is not the Jesus, who being God in the flesh could know the very soul of those He encountered. This is not the Jesus who gave and gave, and healed and healed, and touched and touched and who loved and loved. No, this is an abnormal Jesus. 

      For here, in this moment … is a Jesus, who is too tired.  Here is a Jesus, who doesn't respond and walks away from one in need. Here is a Jesus that seems to casually disregard the misery of a mother with a tormented child when He has proclaimed His love unto children because of their preciousness to His Father in Heaven.  Here is a Jesus, who seems to ignore all pleas and requests as He emphasizes the ethnicity of the needy person as inferior and not worthy of even an unwanted scrap of food. We cannot understand this Jesus in this moment.

      We cannot understand the Jesus we see in this moment because we do not know all that our Savior knew in this moment.  As alarming and abnormal this incident may seem in our language and in our grasp of the details, we must never forget the purposes of Christ coming to the earth as the Good News and the Healer of the nations. That purpose did not change in this moment. Jesus did know all about this woman, just as He knew of the Samaritan woman's need of more than water from a well.  He knew the deeper spiritual needs.  He knew many things we cannot know. He knew the healing was more than just a victory over a demon. He did care deeply for her child. He was sensing the woman’s needs and her faith  while also teaching the disciples at the same time. In the end, Jesus does cast off the demon, responding to the woman’s persevering faith.  He waited for her faith and then He rewarded her faith.  We cannot from a few sentences ascertain the complexity of this interaction of faith, Christ’s mercy and His power. Maybe we are simply to rejoice in the Christ that delivers from all forms and semblances of bondage on this earth.  For no person really deserves the eternal bread we are given in Christ, much less the crumbs on the floor.  It is and will always be a great joy to be given Christ's miraculously and abundant mercy and grace and that is what we see in this moment. Sometimes we cannot understand in the moment because we cannot know all that is involved in that moment. We must trust the Lord we know,  in those moments as we trust Him in all moments.  It is He, who knows all and gives grace to all ... as He wills in His knowledge, timing and mercy.

“Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” (Mark 7:29, NLT)

Suggested Reading … Mark 7