If I could go back and chart the greatest episodes of growth and spiritual depth in my life, they ALWAYS occurred during times of adversity and pain I mean without exception. None of us will ever truly grow closer or go deeper with God apart from pain.
The fact of the matter is, grass grows thicker and greener in the valley than it does on the mountain top. And so it is with us. We grow more in character and spirituality in the valleys of life, than we do on the mountain tops of life. That's just the way it is, just as fire purifies gold, just as abrasion polishes metal, just as heat strengthens and tempers steel, just as boiling water brings out the flavor of tea. We, too, must enter times of adversity, fire, pain and suffering if we are going to ever be fully refined in our character, and drawn to a deep abiding relationship with Christ, apart from the brokenness and pain, that comes through suffering and adversity.
Hard to read, harder to believe, nontheless true...
Tommy
Friday, July 9, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
GCR--it is personal!
Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
We plant the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of people who hear it, and we seek to cultivate that seed by our love and prayers. In due time, that seed may bear fruit to the glory of God.
At this moment more people on planet earth are lost and without Christ than ever before in human history. This world is ripe for the taking. The opportunity for missions, evangelism, soul-winning, and kingdom growing, is unprecedented. There are more open doors to share the gospel than ever before.
Crime, drugs, abortion, homosexuality, the breakup of the family, have all combined to give us the most depressed, discouraged, disillusioned culture in our nation’s history. The question is not “is there an opportunity?” but “will we seize the opportunity?”
We must SEE the opportunity, and we must SIEZE the opportunity.
Remember:
Psalm 126:5-6, Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
Galatians 6:9, 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
2 Corinthians 9:6, 6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
We plant the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of people who hear it, and we seek to cultivate that seed by our love and prayers. In due time, that seed may bear fruit to the glory of God.
At this moment more people on planet earth are lost and without Christ than ever before in human history. This world is ripe for the taking. The opportunity for missions, evangelism, soul-winning, and kingdom growing, is unprecedented. There are more open doors to share the gospel than ever before.
Crime, drugs, abortion, homosexuality, the breakup of the family, have all combined to give us the most depressed, discouraged, disillusioned culture in our nation’s history. The question is not “is there an opportunity?” but “will we seize the opportunity?”
We must SEE the opportunity, and we must SIEZE the opportunity.
Remember:
Psalm 126:5-6, Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
Galatians 6:9, 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
2 Corinthians 9:6, 6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Great Commission Resurgence
June 28, 2010
Since I have returned from Orlando, several people have asked me about the GCR report/resolutions. I will attempt to reduce my thoughts.
I am Southern Baptist through and through. I have been a pastor in a Southern Baptist Church since shortly after my 19th birthday. My Dad is a Southern Baptist Pastor. My maternal Grandfather was a Southern Baptist Pastor. There are other denominational workers (pastors, musicians, etc.) in my family, so I qualify as Southern Baptist through and through.
My first Southern Baptist Convention was Atlantic City, New Jersey back in the 60s as a kid. My brother and sisters and I climbed into the upper arena and played “Old Maids” during the debates. I was present at most if not all of the conventions through the decades of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I missed few if any conventions until the mid-2000s. I say all of this to establish that I am familiar with the convention atmosphere. I have seen emphases and themes come and go. I have seen the crowds wax and wane with the interest in the elections or the topic. Many times debate seemed to be over semantics, or over “words” more than over substantive actions. So, as we approached the latest “issue” in Southern Baptist life, I was skeptical as to whether this would be anything more than words. Is this really the biggest thing since the “Battle for the Bible?”
I think that Dr. Hunt got it right when he said that “programs and plans do not work, people do.” I remember my Dad saying that many times throughout his ministry. I have found that to be true in my own ministry. The issue is not on whether we call it “Great Commission Giving” or “Cooperative Program Giving,” the real issue is not the program but the people. Do we change the name of our giving because we have become bored with the name, or because we have disagreed with the way the funding was allocated to the agencies and missions in the past? Would not a re-allocation of Cooperative Program funds do the same thing?
The real issue is whether the Holy Spirit grabs the hearts and souls of those who profess Christ, and motivates them to obedience all areas of living, holiness and evangelism. I personally don’t want to strain on the nomenclature, but get to the substance. The substance is the ordinary Southern Baptist is not doing Great Commission Work on a day in, day out basis.
I appreciate the Cooperative Program. I benefited from it as a young pastor in a language missions church in South Louisiana. I always led the churches I serve as pastor to give at least a tithe to the CP---that is until I became more aware of how our state was using the portion of monies it kept in state. Some of the institutions that were supported with CP dollars did not even teach the infallibility of the Scriptures. Even though we had won that battle on the national front, it seemed that we were unable to get the upper hand on the state level. Therefore, over 15 years ago, I led our congregation to begin to designate a percentage of our CP dollars to the IMB and NAMB. Even then our church leadership felt that not enough funding was making its way from the local church to the “Great Commission” agencies. As a church in the early to mid-90s, we began to take mission trips from our congregation to Mexico, Canada, etc. In the early 2000s we became one of the first Global Priority Churches and regularly have members of our church family participate in “unreached people group” work. We purchased and established a “Mission House” for furloughing missionaries that is regularly used. In many respects our church began to do what GCR proposed at the SBC this year, 10-15 years ago. Therefore, I was in favor of the resolution.
The question remains, is this just talk? Or, will the denominational agencies, state conventions, and local churches get on board and “GO.” Our talk on the convention level certainly has not been cheap, but many times ineffective. Will this be an emphasis that causes everyone to want to get on board?
I plan to suggest significant changes in the way the church I pastor operates, especially in the area of community and local missions--to become better stewards not only of our financial resources, but of our opportunity. I want to strengthen our Great Commission efforts locally. That means making changes. Nobody seems to be in favor of change until the change is less painful than the status quo. Maybe that is what has prodded the SBC to act; if we do not change, we will continue to drift into insignificance.
Since I have returned from Orlando, several people have asked me about the GCR report/resolutions. I will attempt to reduce my thoughts.
I am Southern Baptist through and through. I have been a pastor in a Southern Baptist Church since shortly after my 19th birthday. My Dad is a Southern Baptist Pastor. My maternal Grandfather was a Southern Baptist Pastor. There are other denominational workers (pastors, musicians, etc.) in my family, so I qualify as Southern Baptist through and through.
My first Southern Baptist Convention was Atlantic City, New Jersey back in the 60s as a kid. My brother and sisters and I climbed into the upper arena and played “Old Maids” during the debates. I was present at most if not all of the conventions through the decades of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I missed few if any conventions until the mid-2000s. I say all of this to establish that I am familiar with the convention atmosphere. I have seen emphases and themes come and go. I have seen the crowds wax and wane with the interest in the elections or the topic. Many times debate seemed to be over semantics, or over “words” more than over substantive actions. So, as we approached the latest “issue” in Southern Baptist life, I was skeptical as to whether this would be anything more than words. Is this really the biggest thing since the “Battle for the Bible?”
I think that Dr. Hunt got it right when he said that “programs and plans do not work, people do.” I remember my Dad saying that many times throughout his ministry. I have found that to be true in my own ministry. The issue is not on whether we call it “Great Commission Giving” or “Cooperative Program Giving,” the real issue is not the program but the people. Do we change the name of our giving because we have become bored with the name, or because we have disagreed with the way the funding was allocated to the agencies and missions in the past? Would not a re-allocation of Cooperative Program funds do the same thing?
The real issue is whether the Holy Spirit grabs the hearts and souls of those who profess Christ, and motivates them to obedience all areas of living, holiness and evangelism. I personally don’t want to strain on the nomenclature, but get to the substance. The substance is the ordinary Southern Baptist is not doing Great Commission Work on a day in, day out basis.
I appreciate the Cooperative Program. I benefited from it as a young pastor in a language missions church in South Louisiana. I always led the churches I serve as pastor to give at least a tithe to the CP---that is until I became more aware of how our state was using the portion of monies it kept in state. Some of the institutions that were supported with CP dollars did not even teach the infallibility of the Scriptures. Even though we had won that battle on the national front, it seemed that we were unable to get the upper hand on the state level. Therefore, over 15 years ago, I led our congregation to begin to designate a percentage of our CP dollars to the IMB and NAMB. Even then our church leadership felt that not enough funding was making its way from the local church to the “Great Commission” agencies. As a church in the early to mid-90s, we began to take mission trips from our congregation to Mexico, Canada, etc. In the early 2000s we became one of the first Global Priority Churches and regularly have members of our church family participate in “unreached people group” work. We purchased and established a “Mission House” for furloughing missionaries that is regularly used. In many respects our church began to do what GCR proposed at the SBC this year, 10-15 years ago. Therefore, I was in favor of the resolution.
The question remains, is this just talk? Or, will the denominational agencies, state conventions, and local churches get on board and “GO.” Our talk on the convention level certainly has not been cheap, but many times ineffective. Will this be an emphasis that causes everyone to want to get on board?
I plan to suggest significant changes in the way the church I pastor operates, especially in the area of community and local missions--to become better stewards not only of our financial resources, but of our opportunity. I want to strengthen our Great Commission efforts locally. That means making changes. Nobody seems to be in favor of change until the change is less painful than the status quo. Maybe that is what has prodded the SBC to act; if we do not change, we will continue to drift into insignificance.
Friday, June 18, 2010
“The Gospel Commandments of Leadership”
Can't Remember Where I picked these up, but they are good.
The following “Ten Commandments” by an unknown author, have been adapted and supplemented with Scripture passages to further enhance their great truths.
1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love and trust them anyway. “Father forgive them. They know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. “And Jesus told them, ‘you are like children who don’t know what they want. John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, and you said he had a demon. The Son of Man comes eating and drinking, and you say I am a glutton, a friend of sinners.’” (Matthew 11:16-19)
3. If you are successful you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The crowds who cheered Him on Sunday and called Him King were the same who on Friday cried, “Crucify Him.” Even the priests said, “We have no king but Caesar.” (Luke 19:36-40; John 10:1-6)
4. The service you render today will be forgotten tomorrow. Serve people anyway. “Were not ten lepers cleansed, and only one returned to give thanks? My words will bring division.” (Luke 17:11-19)
5. Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. “And Jesus said, ‘Do not think I’ve come to bring peace to the world.’” (Luke 12:51; 13:5)
6. The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest ideas. Think big anyway. “During the supper the Lord Jesus foretold that one of them would betray Him . . . .the disciples questioned which one it might be, and a dispute rose among them as to which was the greatest.” (Luke 22:22-24)
7. People pretend to love the “little” people, but sell their souls to the “big” people. Fight for the “little” people anyway. “Let little children come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:13-14)
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. “Judas came, kissed Him, and they took hold of Him . . . then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” (Matthew 26:36-56)
9. People really need help, but may attack you if you do help. Help people anyway. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. . . to preach’ .. . but all who heard Him thrust Him out.” (Luke 4:16-30)
10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway. “Pilate said, ‘Who shall I give unto you . . . the murderer and robber, Barabbus, or Jesus, who is called the Christ?’ And they all cried, ‘Give us Barabbus!’” (Matthew 27:15-27)
The following “Ten Commandments” by an unknown author, have been adapted and supplemented with Scripture passages to further enhance their great truths.
1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love and trust them anyway. “Father forgive them. They know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. “And Jesus told them, ‘you are like children who don’t know what they want. John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, and you said he had a demon. The Son of Man comes eating and drinking, and you say I am a glutton, a friend of sinners.’” (Matthew 11:16-19)
3. If you are successful you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The crowds who cheered Him on Sunday and called Him King were the same who on Friday cried, “Crucify Him.” Even the priests said, “We have no king but Caesar.” (Luke 19:36-40; John 10:1-6)
4. The service you render today will be forgotten tomorrow. Serve people anyway. “Were not ten lepers cleansed, and only one returned to give thanks? My words will bring division.” (Luke 17:11-19)
5. Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. “And Jesus said, ‘Do not think I’ve come to bring peace to the world.’” (Luke 12:51; 13:5)
6. The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest ideas. Think big anyway. “During the supper the Lord Jesus foretold that one of them would betray Him . . . .the disciples questioned which one it might be, and a dispute rose among them as to which was the greatest.” (Luke 22:22-24)
7. People pretend to love the “little” people, but sell their souls to the “big” people. Fight for the “little” people anyway. “Let little children come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:13-14)
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. “Judas came, kissed Him, and they took hold of Him . . . then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” (Matthew 26:36-56)
9. People really need help, but may attack you if you do help. Help people anyway. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. . . to preach’ .. . but all who heard Him thrust Him out.” (Luke 4:16-30)
10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway. “Pilate said, ‘Who shall I give unto you . . . the murderer and robber, Barabbus, or Jesus, who is called the Christ?’ And they all cried, ‘Give us Barabbus!’” (Matthew 27:15-27)
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
John Quincy Adams at 80
John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, was walking down a street one afternoon, and a friend walked up to him and said, "How is John Quincy Adams today?" Now at this moment, John Quincy Adams was 80 years old, long in the tooth, feeble in body, but this is the way he answered.
He said, "Thank you for asking. John Quincy Adams is quite well, but the house in which he is living is becoming rather dilapidated. In fact, it will soon be quite unlivable and I shall have to move out any day now. But John Quincy Adams is doing quite well, thank you."
Now John Quincy Adams had learned a very valuable lesson, and that is, there was a difference between him and the house that he lived in.
How are you? Not the house you live in, but your Spirit? How is your relationship with the Lord?
He said, "Thank you for asking. John Quincy Adams is quite well, but the house in which he is living is becoming rather dilapidated. In fact, it will soon be quite unlivable and I shall have to move out any day now. But John Quincy Adams is doing quite well, thank you."
Now John Quincy Adams had learned a very valuable lesson, and that is, there was a difference between him and the house that he lived in.
How are you? Not the house you live in, but your Spirit? How is your relationship with the Lord?
Thursday, June 10, 2010
I Love My Church
"Satan's Beatitudes." If the devil were to write his Beatitudes they would probably go something like this:
- Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians--they are my best workers.
- Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked, and expect to be thanked--I can use them.
- Blessed are the touchy. With a bit of luck they may stop going to church--they are my missionaries.
- Blessed are the troublemakers--they shall be called my children.
- Blessed are the complainers--I'm all ears to them.
- Blessed are they who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes--for they get nothing out of his sermons.
- Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church--for he is part of the problem instead of the solution.
- Blessed are they who gossip--for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.
- Blessed are they who are easily offended--for they will soon get angry and quit.
- Blessed are they who do not give their offering to carry on God's work--for they are my helpers.
- Blessed is he who professes to love God, but hates his brother and sister--for he shall be with me forever.
- Blessed are you when you hear this and think it is about other people and not yourself--I've got you.
As I thought about that list, two things immediately hit me.
• Number one: I can honestly say I have been pastor of every one of those types of church members.
• Number two: What the church desperately needs is more members who simply love their church.
But not only love their church, but love their church the way God loves the church. You see, God loves the church sacrificially. He gave His Son for it. God loves the church unconditionally-- when He's pleased with it and when He is not pleased with it. God loves His church eternally.
- Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians--they are my best workers.
- Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked, and expect to be thanked--I can use them.
- Blessed are the touchy. With a bit of luck they may stop going to church--they are my missionaries.
- Blessed are the troublemakers--they shall be called my children.
- Blessed are the complainers--I'm all ears to them.
- Blessed are they who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes--for they get nothing out of his sermons.
- Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church--for he is part of the problem instead of the solution.
- Blessed are they who gossip--for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.
- Blessed are they who are easily offended--for they will soon get angry and quit.
- Blessed are they who do not give their offering to carry on God's work--for they are my helpers.
- Blessed is he who professes to love God, but hates his brother and sister--for he shall be with me forever.
- Blessed are you when you hear this and think it is about other people and not yourself--I've got you.
As I thought about that list, two things immediately hit me.
• Number one: I can honestly say I have been pastor of every one of those types of church members.
• Number two: What the church desperately needs is more members who simply love their church.
But not only love their church, but love their church the way God loves the church. You see, God loves the church sacrificially. He gave His Son for it. God loves the church unconditionally-- when He's pleased with it and when He is not pleased with it. God loves His church eternally.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Just One More Word on Friendship
The late Erma Bombeck said, “A friend is somebody who won’t go on a diet when you’re fat.”
Someone else said, “A friend is someone who multiplies your joys and divides your grief.”
But the best definition I have ever read is this one, “A friend is someone who will walk into your house when the whole world has just walked out.”
Ben Franklin said, "Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing a friend."
Someone else wrote this: "I love you not only for what you are, but what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you are making yourself, but what you are making me." A friend is someone who will make you a better person. It is someone who will draw you closer to the Lord.
All of us have relationships, and with few exceptions, success in life depends on the ability to establish and maintain proper relationships with the right people. Relationships can make your child or break your child (and you for that matter). Proverbs 12: 26 tells us, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Be friendly to everyone, but don’t have everyone as a friend. I think it is fair to say that there are people in hell today because they chose the wrong friends.
Someone else said, “A friend is someone who multiplies your joys and divides your grief.”
But the best definition I have ever read is this one, “A friend is someone who will walk into your house when the whole world has just walked out.”
Ben Franklin said, "Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing a friend."
Someone else wrote this: "I love you not only for what you are, but what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you are making yourself, but what you are making me." A friend is someone who will make you a better person. It is someone who will draw you closer to the Lord.
All of us have relationships, and with few exceptions, success in life depends on the ability to establish and maintain proper relationships with the right people. Relationships can make your child or break your child (and you for that matter). Proverbs 12: 26 tells us, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Be friendly to everyone, but don’t have everyone as a friend. I think it is fair to say that there are people in hell today because they chose the wrong friends.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Practical steps on being a BFF
First of all, a real friend is willing to tell you the truth. Prov. 27:9 says, "Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man's friend does so by hearty counsel." You see, a real friend will tell you the truth no matter what you ask him. He may not always tell you what you want to hear, but he will always tell you what you need to hear, and he will tell you not to hurt you, but will tell you to help you.
When I go to the doctor and he examines me. If there is something wrong with me, I want to know the truth. If he is my friend, he will tell me the truth, not to hurt me but to help me.
Furthermore, a real friend is willing to confront you when you are wrong. Now a genuine friend will never criticize you behind your back, but if necessary, he will confront you to your face. He will never condemn you when you are wrong, but he will confront you so that he might correct you and help make you right.
Prov. 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." You see, Judas kissed Jesus, but Judas was not his friend.
You need to remember that one of the reasons why God brings a friend into your life, is to sharpen off rough edges that you might have so that you can be all that you can be for His glory and honor. Prov. 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Now you don't sharpen an axe on a pound of butter, and a real friend will have a sharpening correcting influence on your life.
I will be forever convinced that Richard Nixon lost his presidency because he didn't have one true friend around him. He did not have one person who early on could have said, would have said, and should have said, "Mr. President, this is wrong. You cannot do this. You must do what is right and uphold the law and the Constitution no matter what." One friend could have saved his presidency.
Also, a true friend is willing to bring comfort when you're hurting. It is amazing how many people are willing to be around when you're laughing, but few people come around when you're crying. Did you know that the Indian word for friend translated into English means, "One who carries my sorrows on his back."
Finally, a real friend is someone who is willing to bring light to the dark. That is, a real friend is someone who will talk to you about Jesus if you're lost, and if you need to be saved. You see, the best friend you will ever have is a friend who loves Jesus and who wants you to love Jesus too.
You think about this. If heaven is real, and if hell is real, then no person can possibly be your friend who does not care whether you spend eternity in heaven or hell. If you are truly a friend of a sinner, you cannot rest until you have at least given that person an opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and as his Savior.
Rosalie Carter wrote a poem once entitled, Only God Gives a Friend, and it goes like this:
I think that God will never send
a gift so precious as a friend;
A friend who always understands
and fills each need as it demands.
Whose loyalty will stand the test
when skies are bright or overcast;
Who sees the faults that merit blame
but keeps on loving just the same.
Who does far more than creeds could do
to make us good, to make us true;
Earth's gifts a sweet contentment lend
but only God can give a friend.
Only God can give a friend, and the greatest friend God will ever give you is the Lord Jesus Christ. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." What a friend we have in Jesus, because Jesus laid down His life when we were His enemies, so that we through faith in Him could become His friend. There is nothing like a friend, and there is no friend like Jesus and those who love Him.
When I go to the doctor and he examines me. If there is something wrong with me, I want to know the truth. If he is my friend, he will tell me the truth, not to hurt me but to help me.
Furthermore, a real friend is willing to confront you when you are wrong. Now a genuine friend will never criticize you behind your back, but if necessary, he will confront you to your face. He will never condemn you when you are wrong, but he will confront you so that he might correct you and help make you right.
Prov. 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." You see, Judas kissed Jesus, but Judas was not his friend.
You need to remember that one of the reasons why God brings a friend into your life, is to sharpen off rough edges that you might have so that you can be all that you can be for His glory and honor. Prov. 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Now you don't sharpen an axe on a pound of butter, and a real friend will have a sharpening correcting influence on your life.
I will be forever convinced that Richard Nixon lost his presidency because he didn't have one true friend around him. He did not have one person who early on could have said, would have said, and should have said, "Mr. President, this is wrong. You cannot do this. You must do what is right and uphold the law and the Constitution no matter what." One friend could have saved his presidency.
Also, a true friend is willing to bring comfort when you're hurting. It is amazing how many people are willing to be around when you're laughing, but few people come around when you're crying. Did you know that the Indian word for friend translated into English means, "One who carries my sorrows on his back."
Finally, a real friend is someone who is willing to bring light to the dark. That is, a real friend is someone who will talk to you about Jesus if you're lost, and if you need to be saved. You see, the best friend you will ever have is a friend who loves Jesus and who wants you to love Jesus too.
You think about this. If heaven is real, and if hell is real, then no person can possibly be your friend who does not care whether you spend eternity in heaven or hell. If you are truly a friend of a sinner, you cannot rest until you have at least given that person an opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and as his Savior.
Rosalie Carter wrote a poem once entitled, Only God Gives a Friend, and it goes like this:
I think that God will never send
a gift so precious as a friend;
A friend who always understands
and fills each need as it demands.
Whose loyalty will stand the test
when skies are bright or overcast;
Who sees the faults that merit blame
but keeps on loving just the same.
Who does far more than creeds could do
to make us good, to make us true;
Earth's gifts a sweet contentment lend
but only God can give a friend.
Only God can give a friend, and the greatest friend God will ever give you is the Lord Jesus Christ. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." What a friend we have in Jesus, because Jesus laid down His life when we were His enemies, so that we through faith in Him could become His friend. There is nothing like a friend, and there is no friend like Jesus and those who love Him.
A True Friend (Part 3)
A true friendship is a loving relationship. You see, a real friend is not only someone who likes you, it's someone who loves you. Prov. 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." A real friend is someone who wants to be a friend to you, not because of what you can do for them, but for what they can do for you. There are some people who are your friends as long as it is convenient.
I heard about a little boy who walked into the dentist's office with a friend of his, and he said, "Doc, I've got a tooth that's got to come out right now and I don't want any gas, I don't want any Novocain, I don't want any shots to deaden the pain. My friend and I have got a lot of things we want to do today and I just want to get down to business and get this tooth out right now."
The doctor said, "Son, I have never seen a young man with courage like yours. Which tooth is it? The little boy turned to his friend and said, "Show him your tooth, Tommy."
Well, in a real friendship, your friend will always want what is best for you, not what is best for himself.
I heard about a little boy who walked into the dentist's office with a friend of his, and he said, "Doc, I've got a tooth that's got to come out right now and I don't want any gas, I don't want any Novocain, I don't want any shots to deaden the pain. My friend and I have got a lot of things we want to do today and I just want to get down to business and get this tooth out right now."
The doctor said, "Son, I have never seen a young man with courage like yours. Which tooth is it? The little boy turned to his friend and said, "Show him your tooth, Tommy."
Well, in a real friendship, your friend will always want what is best for you, not what is best for himself.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
A True Friend (Part 2)
"But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." I want to tell you, there is not enough gold in Fort Knox, nor enough oil in Saudi Arabia to buy that type of friendship. When I think about a real friend, a true friend, a friend that really deserves to be a friend, I realize from this scripture what kind of a relationship it should be.
A true friendship will be a loyal relationship. The word "stick" refers to how the skin sticks to the bone, and this is a picture of how a real friend will stick closer to you through thick and thin than your skin will stick to your own bone. One thing you will never have to question about a friend is his loyalty.
A true friend will always be your defense attorney before he will become your judge.
You see, one of the marks of a friend is that though he may point out your faults from time to time, he will overlook them and never let them come between you. Henry Ward Beecher once said, "You ought to keep a big cemetery in your backyard where you can bury the faults of your friends." I've got news for you. You cannot eat your friends and have them too.
Somebody has said that the reason why a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue. If a person is truly your friend, you will never have to worry about what they will say behind your back.
Diana Craik put it so well when she said these words:
Oh the comfort--
The inexpressible comfort
of feeling safe with a person;
Having neither to weigh thoughts
Nor measure words--but pouring them
all right out--just as they are--
Chaff and grain together--
Certain that a faithful friend will
take them and sift them--
Keeping what is worth keeping--
and with a breath of kindness
Blow the rest away.
Somebody has said that if everybody knew what everybody else said about them behind their back, nobody would have more than four friends in all the world. That is probably true. Prov. 16:28 says, "A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends."
A true friendship will be a loyal relationship. The word "stick" refers to how the skin sticks to the bone, and this is a picture of how a real friend will stick closer to you through thick and thin than your skin will stick to your own bone. One thing you will never have to question about a friend is his loyalty.
A true friend will always be your defense attorney before he will become your judge.
You see, one of the marks of a friend is that though he may point out your faults from time to time, he will overlook them and never let them come between you. Henry Ward Beecher once said, "You ought to keep a big cemetery in your backyard where you can bury the faults of your friends." I've got news for you. You cannot eat your friends and have them too.
Somebody has said that the reason why a dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue. If a person is truly your friend, you will never have to worry about what they will say behind your back.
Diana Craik put it so well when she said these words:
Oh the comfort--
The inexpressible comfort
of feeling safe with a person;
Having neither to weigh thoughts
Nor measure words--but pouring them
all right out--just as they are--
Chaff and grain together--
Certain that a faithful friend will
take them and sift them--
Keeping what is worth keeping--
and with a breath of kindness
Blow the rest away.
Somebody has said that if everybody knew what everybody else said about them behind their back, nobody would have more than four friends in all the world. That is probably true. Prov. 16:28 says, "A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends."
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