Give Thanks

1 Thess 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

On this Thanksgiving day we take time off from our daily work activities and give thanks for the bountiful blessings that God has provided. It is a season of giving thanks not only to our Creator, but to all who have impacted our lives and made a difference. We have so much to be grateful. It is easy to give thanks for the material things in our lives that are all around us. We give thanks for the roof He provides over our head, the bread we eat each day, and for the many extra things that are beyond necessities. But life is more than the things that He provides, but also for the people He brings into our lives. Paul says, “giving thanks to God always for you”. Close relationship are truly one of the greatest blessings that God gives us. As we celebrate this season of Thanksgiving, let us pause to give thanks for family, friends, and for those around us that put a smile in our lives.

He is a Friend

Proverbs 18:24 “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”-

Social media Facebook calls your list of connection, friends. The word is use very loosely to mean anyone that you might know or have met. My current list of “friends” is 717 people. Many of these are family members, students I taught, people I went to high school and college with, people I work with, neighbors I have known for a long time, and a host of Christian people I have known from my church affiliation over the years. Some of these people at one time were close friends that I have shared my heart with and have prayed for me during hard times. Time and distance has taken us down separate paths in life with different goals and aspirations. People change and the bond of friendship often loses their grip. Friendships are betrayed and choices are made to “unfriend” and break the bond of friendship. There are a few of these that I still consider close friends that I believe will always be there over the course of time. I cherish these friendships, but even those can change. But there is one friendship that will never change. Jesus, a friend who will stick with you no matter what happens in life. He will be with you in the dark times.  He is a friend who knows all about you, He knows your weaknesses and your strengths. He has your back when it looks like everyone else has forsaken you. He is a friend that only desires what is good for you, and will led you to a land unerring. “What a friend we have in Jesus, can we find a friend so faithful...who all our sorrows share..take it to the Him prayer”

Eliphaz the Moralist

July 15th, 2007
Job 4:7-9, 5:2-8, 12-18
After several days of silent mourning, Job finally speaks about his treaded conditions and wishes that he had never been born. Such is the rueful condition of Job experiences. He was at the end of his endurance, weak, feeble and emotionally spent. His nerves were probably shot and his mind in a deploring state. How much worse can life get? “If this is what living is about, I wish I would have never been born.” It is not uncommon for people to lose all hope of life when life seems to “bottom out”. It is normally comforting to have a friend close by during these times of despair. But, it is important that advise from friends be based on God’s Word and not on human moral reasoning. Eliphaz response to Job had a lot of good things to say if Job was truly a sinner. Job did not need accusation and his righteousness questioned, he needed comforting and understanding. The reproving words of Eliphaz admonished Job to repent and return to God. He needed to admonish Job to trust God, and lean not on his own understanding, but acknowledge God as sovereign.

Ruefulness of Job
• He pities the day he was born
• His countenance is full of anguished
• Death is received with “open arms”
Response of Eliphaz
• Base on observation
• Logic- “it stands to reason”
Righteousness Questioned
• Law of sowing and reaping
• God does judge wrong doings with vengeance
• What does God’s word say about the righteous suffering?
Reproving Words
• Speaking foolishly (job’s cry wishing he had not be born)
• The curse of sin- suffering of man
• The opinions of man are often tainted with misconceptions
Return to God
• Assumption that we have sinned
• Plead guilty and be done with it
• Accept what happens as “God’s correction”
• Seek God- rely on His mercy
• Truth is spoken, but not applied appropriately
Rest in God’s Sovereignty
• Lean not on our own understanding
• He is in Control

A Friend of Jesus

Mark 2: 13-22

What is a friend?
It has been said that a friend is someone who accepts you for who you are unconditionally. They see and know your faults, failures, and shortcomings and still will keep their heart open and listen to your heart as you cry out. Jesus loves unconditionally. Sin has taken man to the depth of depravity yet Christ still reaches down to lift them out. His love crosses social barriers and will be a friend to anyone who will come unto Him. His friendship exceeds that of any human. He is a friend that will not leave you or forsake you. Christ died for our sins and is forever reaching out with His forgiveness. He loves and cares too much for our souls to leave us without hope. His friendship entreats us to follow Him and accept Him as our friend and Savior.

A Friend to the Multitude (multitude resorted unto him)
• Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem!
• Whosoever will
• Compassion for a lost world
A Friend to the Despised (the Levi)
• Those hated by others
• Unpopular
• He passed by their way
A Friend to the Sinner (sat with sinners)
• The undeserved
• The blood has gone deeper than the stain of sin
• The confessor- Have mercy on me
A Friend to the Sick (but they that are sick)
• Sick in soul- those who’s hearts are diseased
• In affliction, He is near
A Friend to the Unrighteous (came not to call the righteous)
• Through Christ we are made right
• We are has filthy rage in His sight
• Our heart is made right by the light
A Friend to His Disciples ((they cannot fast)
• He knows what we can bear- They are not ready to fast
• Intimate communion with God- We can enter sacred dwelling place of God- Drawing close to the Jesus and He will bring you into His arms.
• What a friend we have in Jesus- He’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother.