Monday, September 21, 2015

Crying and Friendships

Rev 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
:2 Then I , John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself wil be with them and be their God.
:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
:5 Then He who sat on the throne said,”Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
:6 And He said to me, “It is done!” I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the waters of life freely to him which thirsts.
:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
Mt 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Has your heart been broken by cruelty, failure, unfaithfulness, loss? Maybe you cried in the shower so no one would see. It’s good to cry. A little crying does you good every now and then.
Our tears attract our Lord’s lovingkindness. He knows our troubled, sleepless nights.
2 Cor 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.
:4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
God uses His people to comfort one another.
There is a future day when there will be no reason for tears anymore.

1 Sam 18 – 20 and 2 Sam 1 show the friendship, love and respect of David and Jonathan.
Friendships are gifts from God.
James 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God.
Ex 33:11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.
When it comes to sisters in Christ, friendships take on a special quality. Christian friendship is especially sweet because of the bond of Christ.
Rom 15:5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.
Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Pr 27:9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
God takes care of us through our friends. They are there offering encouragement, compassion, love, honesty, loyalty, and understanding.
Our friendships are like recipes of goodness for us.
Why is a recipe for friendship with our sisters in Christ so important? Let’s compare it to a cookie recipe.
1.       Shortening
Provides texture. Our friendships add depth and texture to our lives.
2.       Sugar
Adds sweetness. Our friendship adds a sweetness to our lives. If we left sugar out of a cookie recipe, we would miss it. It’s the same with our lives.
3.       Eggs
Holds ingredients together. Sisters in Christ help hold us together when we need it.
4.       Vanilla
Adds flavor. Friends add the flavor we need. Without them we would become bland.
5.       Flour
Adds substance. We need the substance a friend gives us. Their testimony and the way they live their lives have an impact on us.
6.       Baking soda
Leavens. It helps to lighten our baking. Friends lighten our burdens through prayer and encouragement.
7.       Salt
Enhances flavor. Friends add flavor to our lives when we need it.
Just as cookies take time and effort so does friendship.
Pr 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.


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