Tuesday... It is best to be a real one.

What kind of friend are we? Proverbs 18:24a (NLT) says, "There are "friends" who destroy each other." Notice the word friends is in quotes. Some may say they are friends but are they really?

Verses 7 & 8 (AMP) says, "A fools mouth is his ruin, and his lips are the snare of his soul. The words of a (whisperer) gossip are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon]." The Message says, "Listening to gossip is like cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?" Is that the kind of friend you are? You hear something and you're ready to share it. Oh, I'm just sharing so people will pray for them? Are you sure that is why you are sharing? That's not a real friend.

Here is another one. Verses 1 - 2 (AMP) says, "He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom. A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity]." That's not the kind of friend I want to be or that I want. I unfriend those kind of "friends" on my Facebook.

And back to verse 24, "There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother." The Amplified Bible says, "The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in many pieces and come to ruin, but there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother." The Message says, "Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family." That is the kind of friend I want to be and the kind I want."

By the way, John over in the New Testament of the Bible introduces us to a true friend that He says in chapter 1 verse 51b (AMP) is "the Son of Man [the bridge between heaven and earth]." His name is Jesus. Now He is a real friend and He came to earth to be our friend. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning.

Comments

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is!

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is! Look at this, Proverbs 5:21-23 (CEV) says, "The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control." That is true of so many. Now look at this, Luke 15:1-7 says, "Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, 'This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.' Then Jesus told them this story: If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? And when you find it, you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.' Jesus said, 'In the same way there is mo...

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together! They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2. Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you." Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed i f you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." And verses 9-11, " Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives. So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort. Verses 5-6 in the Ampli...

Todays Beginning

Search This Blog