Genesis 13:5-11 (KJV) Says, "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdman of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other."
Abram as Abraham was known at first was Lot's uncle, and they lived together with their families. God had blessed them with so much in the way of flocks, and herds that it soon became impossible for them to share land. As the above scripture tells us Abraham's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen got into a disagreement caused by the problem of overcrowding. When they came in from the field with their cattle, it was obvious to Abraham and Lot that the overcrowding had caused an argument to ensue. Abraham and Lot could have joined in the argument, and intensified it by doing so. Instead Abraham being a righteous man, and level headed was able to diffuse the argument, and settle the matter in a peaceable fashion. He told Lot that he didn't want trouble between their herdsmen nor did he want there to be trouble between the two of them. He told Lot they were family, and that there was plenty of land for both of them. He told him to choose which land he wanted, and that he would take the land Lot didn't choose. Lot looked over the land and chose the plain of Jordan because it had plenty of water, and it was the best piece of land. Abraham okayed Lot's choice, and they went their separate ways.
Abraham could have told Lot that since he was the eldest he deserved respect, and first choice of the land. He could have become offended that Lot didn't automatically give him first choice, and show him respect without being told he should. Abraham could have been stubborn, fought with Lot, and cursed him out, but instead he opted to give Lot first choice and have the separation go smoothly. Abraham harbored no ill will, bitterness, or anger toward Lot. He gave him first choice regarding the land without hesitation, jealousy, anger, or bitterness, and when Lot chose the best land, Abraham was at peace with his selection.
The separation of Abraham and Lot and their families went peaceably because of the way Abraham handled the situation from the argument among the herdsmen to the choosing of the land. God had promised Abraham early on that he would bless him and multiply him greatly in all things. Abraham trusted God, and knew that he would keep his promise to him regardless of which piece of land he settled down on. He pointed out to Lot that they were family, and he put their relationship above any of their material possessions, when he stated that he didn't want strife among them or their herdsmen. Being a righteous man, Abraham handled the entire situation in a calm, peaceful, kind, and loving manner.
When situations arise where you feel you are entitled to something and it goes to someone else, how do you react? If you felt you should have received a promotion at work, and it went to someone else how would you react? Would you become angry and bitter letting everyone know you felt you deserved the promotion or would you congratulate the person who received it? If an argument ensues among your family members or friends, do you attempt to diffuse it with a peaceable approach or do you jump right in and contribute to the arguing and confusion?
When problems surface in our lives, it is important that we learn to deal with them in a Christian manner. It isn't necessary to lose our temper, begin cursing, become demanding or act entitled, when attempting to settle a disagreement or make a decision. We need to do our best to talk things out, and resolve issues that come our way in a manner that would be pleasing to God. The smallest of disagreements can destroy relationships, and if we value our relationships, we must be careful not to allow that to happen. It is important that we think things through, and come up with solutions and compromises that work for all those concerned, and that we live in peace with one another. Life is too short for silly disputes to grow way out of proportion leaving hurt feelings, and damaged relationships in their wake. By no means am I suggesting that because we are Christians we should allow ourselves to be bullied. I am simply saying that we need to be willing to give at times, to compromise at times, and to settle issues in a calm rational manner. It is best to avoid strife whenever possible, and on that I think we can agree.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Living With Guilt
I John 1:9 (KJV) Says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Hebrews 8:12 (KJV) Says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Psalm 103:11-14 (KJV) Says, "For as heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth His children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust."
The above verse of scripture taken from first John tells us that if we confess our sins to God, He will forgive us of them, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Note that it says ALL unrighteousness, not some of it, not just one or two sins, but ALL of them. The Bible tells us in the above verse taken from Hebrews that God is merciful toward us, forgiving our sins and that He will remember our sins no more. The above scripture from Psalm tells us that God has great mercy toward us, and that He has pity on us like a father has on his children. God is our Heavenly Father, and He loves us tremendously showing mercy and pity on us as his children. This scripture from Psalm also reminds us that God knows we are but dust, human beings, and as such we are not capable of being perfect. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 (KJV) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
When we carry guilt, we are failing to put our trust in God and our faith in His word as being the absolute truth. If after we go to God in prayer and confess our sins asking forgiveness of them we continue to carry guilt knowing what His word tells us, then what are we saying to God? In order to grow in Christ and move forward in our lives serving Him, we must let go of any guilt we are carrying. Why should we carry guilt for any sin that we know we have been forgiven for? In what way is it productive to do so? It is not productive in any way whatsoever. Carrying guilt can result in physical, and emotional illness, cause us to live in misery, makes us irritable toward others, cause sleeplessness, loss of appetite, over eating, and the list goes on and on. God does not want us to carry guilt, and live in misery. He loves us as his children, and desires for us to live happy, productive lives. When someone we love makes a mistake, do we want them to pay for it the rest of their lives? Of course we don't, we wouldn't want that for anyone we honestly love. Remembering that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us, do we really think it pleases Him for us to carry a load of guilt, and live in misery?
Don't hesitate to go to God in prayer, confess your sins to Him, and ask forgiveness. Don't think that you have committed a sin so great or embarrassing that there is no way you can talk to Him about it. There is nothing we have done that God doesn't already know about, and believe me in this world He has seen it all. He knows our hearts, and every sin we have ever committed. He is merciful, forgiving, understanding, and He loves you no matter what. His love for you is unconditional and it is everlasting because you are His child.
If you are carrying guilt, I urge you to go to God in prayer confess the sin that is behind that guilt, ask Him to forgive you, and move forward in your life leaving that guilt behind. Trust God, have faith in His word, and let it go. We don't carry guilt because God won't forgive us, we carry it because we fail to forgive ourselves.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The above verse of scripture taken from first John tells us that if we confess our sins to God, He will forgive us of them, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Note that it says ALL unrighteousness, not some of it, not just one or two sins, but ALL of them. The Bible tells us in the above verse taken from Hebrews that God is merciful toward us, forgiving our sins and that He will remember our sins no more. The above scripture from Psalm tells us that God has great mercy toward us, and that He has pity on us like a father has on his children. God is our Heavenly Father, and He loves us tremendously showing mercy and pity on us as his children. This scripture from Psalm also reminds us that God knows we are but dust, human beings, and as such we are not capable of being perfect. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 (KJV) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
When we carry guilt, we are failing to put our trust in God and our faith in His word as being the absolute truth. If after we go to God in prayer and confess our sins asking forgiveness of them we continue to carry guilt knowing what His word tells us, then what are we saying to God? In order to grow in Christ and move forward in our lives serving Him, we must let go of any guilt we are carrying. Why should we carry guilt for any sin that we know we have been forgiven for? In what way is it productive to do so? It is not productive in any way whatsoever. Carrying guilt can result in physical, and emotional illness, cause us to live in misery, makes us irritable toward others, cause sleeplessness, loss of appetite, over eating, and the list goes on and on. God does not want us to carry guilt, and live in misery. He loves us as his children, and desires for us to live happy, productive lives. When someone we love makes a mistake, do we want them to pay for it the rest of their lives? Of course we don't, we wouldn't want that for anyone we honestly love. Remembering that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us, do we really think it pleases Him for us to carry a load of guilt, and live in misery?
Don't hesitate to go to God in prayer, confess your sins to Him, and ask forgiveness. Don't think that you have committed a sin so great or embarrassing that there is no way you can talk to Him about it. There is nothing we have done that God doesn't already know about, and believe me in this world He has seen it all. He knows our hearts, and every sin we have ever committed. He is merciful, forgiving, understanding, and He loves you no matter what. His love for you is unconditional and it is everlasting because you are His child.
If you are carrying guilt, I urge you to go to God in prayer confess the sin that is behind that guilt, ask Him to forgive you, and move forward in your life leaving that guilt behind. Trust God, have faith in His word, and let it go. We don't carry guilt because God won't forgive us, we carry it because we fail to forgive ourselves.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Give God The Glory
I Samuel 17:37 (KJV) Says, "David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee." I Samuel 17:46-47 (KJV) Says, "This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." I Samuel 17:50 Says, "So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David."
In the above scripture David is proclaiming to Saul that he is capable of going one on one in battle with Goliath, a Philistine giant. Saul questions David reminding him he is just a youth, and has never seen battle whereas Goliath is a giant who is very experienced in fighting battles. In order to convince Saul that he can handle the task of slaying this giant, David tells him that as a shepherd he has faced a couple of serious battles of his own. David tells Saul that he has dealt with a bear that came upon his flock, and on another occasion a lion who attempted to slay one of his sheep. He explains to Saul that he has slain both a bear and a lion while serving as a shepherd, and therefore he is more than capable of slaying Goliath. David tells him that God delivered the bear and the lion into his hand. Saul then gives David the go ahead to fight Goliath, and he slays him with a sling and a stone.
It is of tremendous importance that we note that as David tells Saul that in the past he has slain both a bear and a lion, he gives God credit for it. He recognized that God delivered him out of the paw of the bear, and out of the paw of the lion. He recognized it at the time he was fighting these wild animals, and he did not fail to give God credit once again as he relayed the events to Saul. Prior to battle, as David stood facing Goliath he told him that the Lord would deliver him into his hand that very day.
David could have omitted from his story that God delivered the bear and lion into his hand, and gave him the strength to accomplish these feats. He could have taken all the credit and made himself out a hero. Can you imagine the hyped up story he could have told about slaying a lion, and repeating the performance by slaying a bear? He could have kept the fact that God was going to deliver Goliath into his hand to himself as well, and thereby received all the praise, when he came out victorious. He could have bragged, and lifted himself up as a mighty giant slayer. He could have told the story over and over encouraging others to celebrate all he had done, but instead being a righteous man he never failed on any of these occasions to give God the glory, and the credit for his accomplishments.
How many times has God rescued you when you needed Him? How many times has He guided you in the right direction, and come through for you when you needed Him? How many times has God met your needs, when you saw no way in the world to do so? Did you praise and thank Him? Did you give Him the glory for what he had done for you? Did you give God the praise? We should never fail to give God the glory for all He does for us, and for all He helps us to accomplish. We should desire to do so because we love Him, because it is the right thing to do, because we are grateful, and because it serves as a great testimony to His almighty power. If David had failed to give God credit for what he accomplished with the bear and the lion, the end result may have been different when he faced Goliath.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above scripture David is proclaiming to Saul that he is capable of going one on one in battle with Goliath, a Philistine giant. Saul questions David reminding him he is just a youth, and has never seen battle whereas Goliath is a giant who is very experienced in fighting battles. In order to convince Saul that he can handle the task of slaying this giant, David tells him that as a shepherd he has faced a couple of serious battles of his own. David tells Saul that he has dealt with a bear that came upon his flock, and on another occasion a lion who attempted to slay one of his sheep. He explains to Saul that he has slain both a bear and a lion while serving as a shepherd, and therefore he is more than capable of slaying Goliath. David tells him that God delivered the bear and the lion into his hand. Saul then gives David the go ahead to fight Goliath, and he slays him with a sling and a stone.
It is of tremendous importance that we note that as David tells Saul that in the past he has slain both a bear and a lion, he gives God credit for it. He recognized that God delivered him out of the paw of the bear, and out of the paw of the lion. He recognized it at the time he was fighting these wild animals, and he did not fail to give God credit once again as he relayed the events to Saul. Prior to battle, as David stood facing Goliath he told him that the Lord would deliver him into his hand that very day.
David could have omitted from his story that God delivered the bear and lion into his hand, and gave him the strength to accomplish these feats. He could have taken all the credit and made himself out a hero. Can you imagine the hyped up story he could have told about slaying a lion, and repeating the performance by slaying a bear? He could have kept the fact that God was going to deliver Goliath into his hand to himself as well, and thereby received all the praise, when he came out victorious. He could have bragged, and lifted himself up as a mighty giant slayer. He could have told the story over and over encouraging others to celebrate all he had done, but instead being a righteous man he never failed on any of these occasions to give God the glory, and the credit for his accomplishments.
How many times has God rescued you when you needed Him? How many times has He guided you in the right direction, and come through for you when you needed Him? How many times has God met your needs, when you saw no way in the world to do so? Did you praise and thank Him? Did you give Him the glory for what he had done for you? Did you give God the praise? We should never fail to give God the glory for all He does for us, and for all He helps us to accomplish. We should desire to do so because we love Him, because it is the right thing to do, because we are grateful, and because it serves as a great testimony to His almighty power. If David had failed to give God credit for what he accomplished with the bear and the lion, the end result may have been different when he faced Goliath.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Spending Time With God
Mark 12:30 (KJV) Says, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." Psalm 46:10 (KJV) Says, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Luke 5:15-16 (KJV) Says, "But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed." Isaiah 41:10 (KJV) Says, Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen the; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
The above scripture taken from Mark is Jesus' response, when ask which is the greatest commandment. When we love a person then we have an automatic desire to spend time with them. For some reason, however, the very one that we are to love with all of our heart, mind, and soul, and who has done and given the most for each one of us, often receives the least amount of our time, if any. How can we as Christians proclaim to love the Lord so much, and then fail to spend time with Him after all He has done, and continues to do for us?
Praying, reading and studying God's word, attending Church, and having Christian fellowship are all very important aspects needed in order for us to grow in our personal relationship with Christ. As the above scripture from Psalm tells us it is also important that we take the time to be still, meditating and listening for guidance from Him, and simply acknowledging that He is God.
The above passage taken from Luke tells us Jesus,' as famous, and busy as He became while here on earth, took the time to go into the wilderness and be alone in prayer with God. This passage of scripture is just one example of Him withdrawing to pray. There are other examples of Him doing so. For instance, when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. If Jesus made time to spend with God, then what are we thinking when we fail to follow suite? If Jesus needed time out to pray when He grew weary or overwhelmed, and when He simply desired to talk to God because He loved Him and valued their relationship, then who are we to ignore God failing to thank Him, and to praise him? Who are we to think we don't need His guidance and direction for our lives? It seems many people wait to spend time with God until trouble comes their way, at which point they race to God in prayer remembering Him immediately. We could avoid some of these troubles, if we would seek God's guidance before making some of the decisions we make without Him.
God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for us. He tells us in the above scripture taken from Isaiah not to be afraid that He will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us. He also promises in scripture that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and that He will lead, guide and direct our paths. James 4:8 (KJV) tells us that if we will draw near to God, He will come near to us. Knowing these things for certain, as we do, how could we miss one day spending time with God? I urge you to begin spending time with Him each and every day. If you opt to do so, your relationship with Him will continue to grow, and your walk with Him will be even closer. The benefits of building a close personal relationship with our Heavenly Father are without number, and I assure you they are nothing short of amazing. I encourage you to build and maintain a strong, close personal relationship with God. I assure you it will have a positive impact on every aspect of your life.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The above scripture taken from Mark is Jesus' response, when ask which is the greatest commandment. When we love a person then we have an automatic desire to spend time with them. For some reason, however, the very one that we are to love with all of our heart, mind, and soul, and who has done and given the most for each one of us, often receives the least amount of our time, if any. How can we as Christians proclaim to love the Lord so much, and then fail to spend time with Him after all He has done, and continues to do for us?
Praying, reading and studying God's word, attending Church, and having Christian fellowship are all very important aspects needed in order for us to grow in our personal relationship with Christ. As the above scripture from Psalm tells us it is also important that we take the time to be still, meditating and listening for guidance from Him, and simply acknowledging that He is God.
The above passage taken from Luke tells us Jesus,' as famous, and busy as He became while here on earth, took the time to go into the wilderness and be alone in prayer with God. This passage of scripture is just one example of Him withdrawing to pray. There are other examples of Him doing so. For instance, when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. If Jesus made time to spend with God, then what are we thinking when we fail to follow suite? If Jesus needed time out to pray when He grew weary or overwhelmed, and when He simply desired to talk to God because He loved Him and valued their relationship, then who are we to ignore God failing to thank Him, and to praise him? Who are we to think we don't need His guidance and direction for our lives? It seems many people wait to spend time with God until trouble comes their way, at which point they race to God in prayer remembering Him immediately. We could avoid some of these troubles, if we would seek God's guidance before making some of the decisions we make without Him.
God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for us. He tells us in the above scripture taken from Isaiah not to be afraid that He will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us. He also promises in scripture that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and that He will lead, guide and direct our paths. James 4:8 (KJV) tells us that if we will draw near to God, He will come near to us. Knowing these things for certain, as we do, how could we miss one day spending time with God? I urge you to begin spending time with Him each and every day. If you opt to do so, your relationship with Him will continue to grow, and your walk with Him will be even closer. The benefits of building a close personal relationship with our Heavenly Father are without number, and I assure you they are nothing short of amazing. I encourage you to build and maintain a strong, close personal relationship with God. I assure you it will have a positive impact on every aspect of your life.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Good and Evil
In the above passage of scripture King Solomon has observed that the fortunes of the righteous and the wicked are often reversed. The righteous sometimes get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked often get what the righteous deserve. I have heard people say they don't understand why something great happened to someone who is simply not a nice person, or to someone who has gone about getting what they have in a deceitful manner. We've more than likely all heard about, seen, or known someone who goes through life wronging others for their gain, lying, cheating stealing, or whatever the blatant sin without the slightest bit of remorse. They may have a large amount of material possessions, a grand house, and an expensive car. There are plenty of people in the world like this. They have every material possession anyone could ever desire, they have a tremendous amount of money, and they are breezing through life laughing, joking, and filled with happiness. Meanwhile, you are out working extremely hard, and are struggling to meet your basic necessities, and this just doesn't seem fair.
Maybe you know someone who is a Godly person, and lives their life in a righteous manner that has become ill, and you question why this person became ill, and not someone who chooses to go through life doing evil? We may never know why on occasion good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people, but we should never consider giving up our righteous way of living to follow in the footsteps of an evil doer thinking that it is somehow rewarding.
We should never become jealous of all that an evil doer has gained whether in material possessions, health, or happiness, nor should we ever let their method of gain become appealing to us and thereby follow in their footsteps. We can rest assured that remaining steadfast in our faith, and living in obedience to God is more rewarding than any material thing this world has to offer. We can further rest assured that although it may seem to be going well for the wicked currently there is no doubt whatsoever that it will not go that way in the end.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
A Genuine Friend
In Colossians Chapter 4 (KJV) Paul lists nine people he counts as friends, and in II Timothy Chapter 4 (KJV) he lists six. He is in prison facing death, and the only friend who stands by him is Luke. Paul points out in II Timothy 4:16 (KJV) that no man stood by him the first time he was in prison, it says, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." Notice at the end of the passage Paul is forgiving, and says he doesn't want this held against them. Paul never forgot, however, that as Colossians 1:27 tells us Christ in us is our hope and our glory. He knew God was with him always, and on that he could absolutely depend, and that is where he found the strength he needed to carry on.
Paul had been a genuine friend to these guys. He had taken them with him as he ministered, taught them, and helped them in any manner he could, yet when he needed them they abandoned him. He had been a Godly friend to them, and in return they forsook him. This had to be hurtful for Paul, and he must have felt very lonely and disappointed, but he had a forgiving Spirit, and he forgave them without hesitation.
Everyone needs genuine friends, and God understands that. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (KJV) says, "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth;for he hath not another to help him up." How many genuine friends do you have? Friends that you could call any time day or night? Friends that will stand by you in difficult times no matter how long these difficult times last? Friends that you can tell absolutely anything knowing you can trust them? Friends that you truly love, and know that they love you as well? Genuine friendship cannot be built in a short time. This type friendship takes time to develop, and is of great value. The older we get the more valuable our genuine friends become because we are running out of time to develop other friendships like them. We need to consider this, and treat these relationships with the nurturing and care they deserve.
Have you ever been in a situation like Paul where someone you thought was a genuine friend abandoned you? Have you ever had someone you trusted and loved, who you thought loved you equally, walk away from you when you needed them? Have you ever had someone you cared for, did all you could to help any time they needed it, turn their back on you and decide to throw away your friendship? Have you ever stood by someone when they were facing trials only to have them abandon you when faced with a trial of your own? More than likely you have at one time or another, I know I have. When someone we love and count among our true friends turns their back on us, it is extremely painful. As a result, some people try to deny it bothers them, and others may become angry and bitter. Both of these responses are negative, and only serve to harm us. If we are angry and bitter or we deny the hurt we feel, then we will not be able to move past our pain and disappointment. It is important for us to do as Paul did, and forgive those who failed us and hurt us. We must forgive them in order to heal ourselves.
A genuine friend is a Godly friend, and is of great value. If you are blessed with a genuine friend or friends in your life remember to tell them how much their friendship means to you. Remember to let them know how much you love and care for them, and be a genuine, Godly friend to them in return.
If you ever find yourself abandoned and alone, do as Paul did and draw strength from the Lord knowing he will sustain you. . Mankind will disappoint us and some will walk out on us, but we can count on God to be a constant in our lives. He promises never to leave or forsake us, He loves us tremendously and we can rest assured that we can count on Him to stand by us through all life sends our way.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Paul had been a genuine friend to these guys. He had taken them with him as he ministered, taught them, and helped them in any manner he could, yet when he needed them they abandoned him. He had been a Godly friend to them, and in return they forsook him. This had to be hurtful for Paul, and he must have felt very lonely and disappointed, but he had a forgiving Spirit, and he forgave them without hesitation.
Everyone needs genuine friends, and God understands that. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (KJV) says, "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth;for he hath not another to help him up." How many genuine friends do you have? Friends that you could call any time day or night? Friends that will stand by you in difficult times no matter how long these difficult times last? Friends that you can tell absolutely anything knowing you can trust them? Friends that you truly love, and know that they love you as well? Genuine friendship cannot be built in a short time. This type friendship takes time to develop, and is of great value. The older we get the more valuable our genuine friends become because we are running out of time to develop other friendships like them. We need to consider this, and treat these relationships with the nurturing and care they deserve.
Have you ever been in a situation like Paul where someone you thought was a genuine friend abandoned you? Have you ever had someone you trusted and loved, who you thought loved you equally, walk away from you when you needed them? Have you ever had someone you cared for, did all you could to help any time they needed it, turn their back on you and decide to throw away your friendship? Have you ever stood by someone when they were facing trials only to have them abandon you when faced with a trial of your own? More than likely you have at one time or another, I know I have. When someone we love and count among our true friends turns their back on us, it is extremely painful. As a result, some people try to deny it bothers them, and others may become angry and bitter. Both of these responses are negative, and only serve to harm us. If we are angry and bitter or we deny the hurt we feel, then we will not be able to move past our pain and disappointment. It is important for us to do as Paul did, and forgive those who failed us and hurt us. We must forgive them in order to heal ourselves.
A genuine friend is a Godly friend, and is of great value. If you are blessed with a genuine friend or friends in your life remember to tell them how much their friendship means to you. Remember to let them know how much you love and care for them, and be a genuine, Godly friend to them in return.
If you ever find yourself abandoned and alone, do as Paul did and draw strength from the Lord knowing he will sustain you. . Mankind will disappoint us and some will walk out on us, but we can count on God to be a constant in our lives. He promises never to leave or forsake us, He loves us tremendously and we can rest assured that we can count on Him to stand by us through all life sends our way.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
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