Friends Talking as Frieinds

John 15:15

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

 

When we talk to God as a friend talks to a friend... it really does change your perspective on how God wants our relationship to live and grow to the fullest. Even though He never changes, when we talk to Him as a friend talks to a friend He seems to be more personable. He seems to be more on our level than way above anything we could ever understand. And the reality is... He is way above anything we could ever understand... but we are such an ignorant people that maybe through getting down on our level like a parent to a child, is the only way to reach us. Maybe He wants to watch us grow up in Him. And maybe one day... He'll be able to look back on our life with us and see every step He took with us.

Isn't it a lovely thought?

A Psalm of Peace

Psalms 23

A Psalm of David.

 

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

 

I know most people, (including me) have heard or even read this psalm before but I slowed down and read it with an open heart and mind this time. It is truly a psalm of peace. My favorite part in this whole passage is "for his name's sake." Everything we do is for "his" name's sake. And he'll always be there to help us through thick and thin. This psalm truly gives me the peace that only the father can give.

So Far Gone

"I know they say that the space between,

can make it stronger than we've ever seen.

They might be right but I disagree,

'cause I've never felt stronger than when you're with me.

Sometimes I wonder why you even care,

'cause even when I leave you're always there with me.

And like a candle makes a brighter place,

this mark you've made on me can't be erased.

I want to be so far gone in you.

So far nothing else will ever do.

I want to be so far gone in you.

I've stood alone had I fallen down,

your' hands were there to pick me off the ground.

Sometimes I cry 'cause I can't believe

your love is big enough to cover me

Sometimes I've wondered if you're even there,

but when I feel far away you'll meet me there.  

I want to be lost in you,

like a ship in the night.

I want to get lost in you,

underneath your sky."

 

 

 

I heard this song a while back and it made me ask the question,
"What would it look like to be lost in God, to be lost in Him?"
What would it look like in your life to be "lost" in God?

Pride

Pride is something that all of us struggle with. Most of us don't realize it, nor do we want to change. Most people don't realize pride destroys you until you're gone. I did some research and I asked a friend what sickness will kill you before you realize you're even sick...

Pride is like a brain aneurysm.

 

A brain aneurysm is a weak bulging spot on the wall of the brain artery. This weak bulging spot is very much like a thin balloon. Over time, the blood flows within the artery and pounds against the thinned portion of the wall and aneurysms form silently from wear and tear on the arteries. As the artery wall becomes gradually thinner from the dilation, the blood flow causes the weakened wall to swell outward. This pressure may cause the aneurysm to rupture and allow blood to escape into the space around the brain. A ruptured brain aneurysm can cause sudden death, and if not causing death it is sure to cause brain damage.

 

Pride is a weak bulging spot on the wall of our souls. This weak spot is also very much like a thin balloon. Over time, a haughty spirit will flow within us and will pound against this weak spot and pride forms silently from wear and tear on our soul. As the soul's wall becomes gradually thinner from the pressure, the haughty spirit causes the weakened wall to swell outward. This pressure may cause the soul to rupture and allow pride to escape into our thoughts and mind, consuming our soul completely. A ruptured soul can cause complete disconnection from God, and even if by a tiny chance it doesn't cause "complete" disconnection... your relationship with God will be distant.

 

 

I did some research in the Bible.

These are a few of the many verses

I found on pride and humility.
Open up your Bible and

take a look for yourselves.

 

 

PRIDE

 

Job 35:12

Psalms 59:12

Proverbs 8:13

Proverbs 11:2

Proverbs 16:18

Proverbs 29:23

Isaiah 2:11

Isaiah 2:17

Isaiah 13:11

Isaiah 23:9

Isaiah 25:11

Jeremiah 13:17

Jeremiah 49:16

Ezekiel 7:24

Ezekiel 24:21
Daniel 4:37

Mark 7:21-23

1 John 2:16

 

 

HUMILITY

 

Proverbs 15:33

Proverbs 18:12

Proverbs 22:4

Zephaniah 2:3

Philippians 2:3

Colossians 3:12

1 Peter 5:5

 

" The only way to fight our battle with pride is to live with a heart of humility."

Love

Love used to be a whole... something perfect. There was no enmity and there was no hate. A "perfect" creation, a "perfect" world, a "perfect" love. Look around now, think about everything that happened today, everything that happened this last week. What happened to this life? Yes, we see love. Very plainly sometimes. But it seems as if love is being choked out by hate, enmity, and death. There is no longer a "perfect" world. How can something that was created so beautifully turn to something so wretched, so ugly? If God is "good" how could his creation turn so far from its original beauty? Why is there death, why is there sadness, suffering? Why is there hate and "sin"? It seems as though people don't believe in God until something bad happens, usually something horrible. That's when people react. And usually when people react, instead of calling out to God they point fingers at God blaming Him for what happened. But God isn't the one to blame. He isn't the one who screwed our life. We had that covered on our own. Back in the garden when God gave us a perfect world He allowed the Devil to tempt us. He could have easily made the Devil leave us be. But maybe he wanted us to have a choice. Maybe he wanted us to choose Him, instead of just having to live with Him because there were no other options. He wasn't running a prison, was He? He let us live our life, and he wanted us to choose Him, He wanted us to choose to love Him. But we were selfish so we chose our lives and we chose to love and live for ourselves. When Satan showed up in the garden in the form of a snake he questioned God's authority, "Did God really say?" Once that question was out there, a seed of doubt was planted. And like any seed would do, it grew. It grew in Eve's heart and she chose to live for herself. She chose to turn from God and chose her own way of life, apart from  her Creator. When God created us in the beginning he entrusted us with His glory, we fell short. When we turned our backs to Him and chose life on our own, apart from God... that's when we fell short of His glory. When we disobeyed the Lord and chose our own walk of life on a path where he was not leading. When we made that decision, and yes, "we" chose! Not God, not the Devil... us. As hard as that is sometimes, we need to own our mistakes. Not so they can drag us down but so we can learn from them. We chose "sin" which separated us from God. God didn't bring hate, He didn't bring death and misery into this world. We did. When we made the choice to leave God's side, to leave His perfect Love and his protection. So... what happens next, if we're by sin separated from God is there any hope for such a hopeless people? Truth is, yes there is hope, but I'll have to write about that another day. 

The Love That Never Fails

His love never fails and it never gives up.

In Psalms 136, "for His steadfast love endures forever" is repeated twenty-six times.

Steadfast, Endures, and Forever are three words that are hard for humans to comprehend because no one is completely steadfast, no one fully endures, and no one is forever. So let's pick these three words apart so we can understand them a little more. Then we may be able to recognize why the psalmist mentions this phrase twenty-six times.

STEADFAST means...

 

fixed in direction

steadily directed
firm in purpose

resolution

faith

attachment

unwavering
resolution

faith

adherence

firmly established

firmly fixed in place or position
 

 

ENDURES means...

 

to hold out against

sustain without impairment or yielding

undergo

to bear without resistance or with patience

tolerate

to admit of

allow

bear

to continue to exist

last

to support adverse force or influence of any kind

suffer without yielding

suffer patiently

to have or gain continued or lasting acknowledgment or recognition

as of worth

merit or greatness

 

 

FOREVER means...

 

without ever ending

eternally

to last forever

continually

incessantly

always

an endless period of time

forever and a day

 

 

Psalms 136

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding mad the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;
and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;
and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;
but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;
and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;
Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;
and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;
and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;
a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever.
It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; 
he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Wisdom's Poem

Proverbs 8:1-9:12

Does not wisdom call? 
Does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

"To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man. 
O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense. 
Hear, for I will speak noble things, 
and from my lips will come what is right, 
for my mouth will utter truth; 
wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 
All the words of my mouth are righteous; 
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them
They are all straight to him who understands, 
and right to those who find knowledge. 
Take my instruction instead of silver, 
and knowledge rather than choice gold, 
for wisdom is better than jewels, 
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. 
I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. 
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
By me kings reign, 
and rulers decree what is just;
by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.
I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
Riches and honor are with me, 
enduring wealth and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, 
the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up, 
at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 
When there were no depths I was brought forth, 
when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped, 
before the hills, I was brought forth, 
before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when he made firm the skies above, 
when he established the foundations of the deep,
when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command, 
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight, 
rejoicing before him always, 
rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man. 
And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways. 
Hear instruction and be wise,
and and do not neglect it. 
Blessed is the one who listens to e,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
For whoever finds me finds life 
and obtains favor from the Lord,but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death." 

Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, 
"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
To him who lacks sense she says, 
"Come, eat of my bread 
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight."
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, 
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 
For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it. 


The first time I read this, (a couple months ago) it caught me off guard because I have never read it before. Or if I had read it, I apparently didn't pay attention. When I slowed down and read the words, trying to understand what they were saying I found myself in awe. So I tucked the words away and forgot about them, like usual. But I came across them again tonight while I was searching for a completely different passage, and once again I was caught in awe. The words are so delicate, and yet so easy to understand. My mind runs at about... well... think of the fastest thing you've ever seen and then imagine something running faster than that, that's my mind. So it's really hard for me to calm my thoughts, calm my mind, shut everything out for even just enough time to read a few chapters in the Bible. I did manage to do it tonight. I even managed to get some of my thoughts outside my head and typed out...

So...

Let us answer the call to wisdom. Wisdom is crying out to the children of men. We are children of men. you do not have to worry about her betraying you or leaving you behind. There is nothing twisted or crooked in Wisdom's words. No jewel or gem we could imagine could compare to Wisdom. Kings rule and princes rule under her influence. Her harvest is more than choice silver, or fine gold. She was with God in the beginning, before the creation of this world. Blessed is the one who listens to her. For whoever finds Wisdom finds life. Whoever hates Wisdom loves death.