Friendship: Maintaining

Therefore encourage one another 

and build one another up,

just as you are doing. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

 "Compare the mink and the otter. They both have beautiful coats and are often hunted by man. They're both members of the weasel family, having sleek bodies with short legs. They're both wanderers. They eat a similar diet--mostly crayfish, frogs, and fish.

Yet in one way they aren't at all alike. They don't have the same disposition. The mink is always hostile. Often if will kill its own kind and even its own offspring. It'll slaughter a hen house full of chickens for the savage delight of it. Bred and raised in captivity for its pelt, the mink is as vicious in the barn as in the woods. It will quickly bite the hand that feeds it. 

By contrast, the otter is very friendly and incurably playful. Naturalists have seen otters frolicking in a stream or a pond for hours. When raised in captivity, the otter will make friends with all other kinds of animals, dogs included. A loving pet, it gets along well with humans and other animals alike.

Some people are like the mink, and others are like the otter. "Mink people" can't get along with others. They are often fighting, rebelling, or arguing. Others, like the otter, build and maintain right relationships."

[excerpt from Grade Seven BJU Bible Truths textbook]

I was reading through my worktexts from my high school Bible curriculum in preparation for teaching Sunday school, and I came across this lesson again. Combine that with the last couple hours before midnight and a music playlist, and you have my ideal setting for a blog post. ;) 

I immediately applied this illustration to friendships--though it was written and applies to all relationships. And so, as I often automatically do, I turned my questions and thoughts inward to my own relationships with friends. Was I building and maintaining communication with friends as I ought to? 

I don't usually have much of a problem building friendships, though it is something that grows over time--not an immediate process. But I never really thought about maintaining them. 

Maintain:

-to keep in an existing state

-to sustain against opposition or danger

-to continue or persevere in

-to support or provide for

As a relationship grows deeper, it doesn't require so much "work" to build it. Like a house is only built once and routinely updated over the years, so a friendship is built over the course of time and then stabilized by recurring interaction. The foundation for personalities, spiritual growth, and life settings, is already in place, but now it must have the continuing interaction for support. 

It is easy to get caught up in life, work, school, church, and family, and forget about everything else. Yet, a friendship cannot be kept in an existing state if there is no connection. Sometimes we just have to make time to spend time with people. If we see people as important in our lives, if we see them as men and women bearing the image of God, and if we see them as fellow soldiers for the Lord, then we will have to persevere in maintaining those friendships. When we realize the impact that we can have on a person--whether that be for 2 hours or 20 years--we will be willing to give of our time for them. Our regular duties in life often require our time, but money and college credits will not accompany us into heaven. Only the eternal souls of people will, and perhaps some of those people who will stand beside us in heaven will be the ones that we set aside time for. 

To illustrate: it's like what happens when you go away for a while and then come back and have to update everyone on your life. You feel somewhat disconnected until you've updated people on your life activities. If you never told anybody how things went while you were away, your lives would soon be distant from each other. Interaction is what sustains a relationship against danger--the danger being the possibility of losing that closeness.

In a society of constant activity and crammed schedules, sometimes we forget to just stop and remember the friends in our lives. We forget to maintain those relationships that were built. We forget to support those who have supported us. We forget to persevere and sustain the individuals that have walked along side of us. We forget that peoples' souls, emotions, and lives really do matter. 

And when we forget, we grow distant and indifference sets in. We begin to see people as only products on which to draw from for our satisfaction. We see them as just another part of life. And eventually this will lead to estranged relationships, and from that can come (as demonstrated by the mink's life) fighting, arguing, and rebelling, if we are not seeking to invest in the lives of those around us. 

There is no perfect relationship, and there never will be on this earth, but we can seek to resist the factors of life that Satan continually uses to pull people apart. We can persevere--even when our schedules are crammed--in sustaining believers around us, encouraging them and just being there for them. As demonstrated by the otter, let us build and sustain--let us maintain those friendships that God has placed in our lives. 

And one day, when we all meet together in Paradise, we will stand beside the ones who have shared in our lives. We will give glory to God as the complete body of the Church. It will not matter what fame or fortune we acquired while on earth. All that will matter is whether or not we have lived our lives on earth committed to His will--part of that being demonstrated by loving those around us in the same self-sacrificial way that Christ did, in laying down His life for His friends.

There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers. (J. Vernon McGee) 

Will you maintain? 

In Him,
Kaleigh

Heartfelt Prayer

"Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
                                                        -Luke 11:1

This post was supposed to be primarily because one of our followers wanted to hear our thoughts on the topic of "prayer". But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I'm also writing this because it's something I need to think about more often. So writing this makes me think of not just how it might help you, the readers, but how I can better approach our Father in heaven in the most honoring way. Jumping right into this, the first question to prayer that I would like to ask you is "why"? Why do we bother to pray when God already knows what our dreams are, what our thoughts are about, what we desire to have, or even what our pains are before we even experience them? Why do we take some time to talk to Him about things He already is aware of? After searching for the answer, we'll cover the "how" and "when" aspects of praying.

Why do we bother to pray? 
Prayer is our way of communicating with God. Really, it's not any different than talking with each other, except that prayer is on a Spiritual level. When we come to our Father in heaven, we praise Him for Who He is. We offer up thanksgiving to Him and acknowledge that He is the Giver of all that we have. We pray because we are not only told to, but because it's beneficial to us in seeking Christ and having fellowship with Him. We also pray, because we are seeking His will in a certain area(s) of our life and we would like direction (Psalm 40:8). We tend to pray because we want to ask God for healing for a health issue, guidance in making decisions, happy marriages, healthy children, satisfying careers, etc. that we believe are important in our lives (Luke 11:9-13).

Personally on some days, I feel like I'm bothering God by continuously talking to Him throughout the day. From struggling with thoughts to praying for a safe drive home from town, I find myself continually "chatting" with Him every other five minutes...or so it seems. But I've come to realize that He wants me to talk to Him and have a growing relationship. Talking with Him, keeps us on the same page and makes our relationship with Him grow stronger every day.

By praying, we are keeping that line open between Him and ourselves. We might pray for rain to help the crops grow, we might pray dad will get that job to support the family, we might even pray that we'll have a safe trip to the market and back. That's great(!), because we are told to "pray without ceasing" (1Thess. 5:17). Praying for God's protection, guidance, and care are just a few of the general things we may pray for and God loves that communication. Anytime that we open up and share what's on our minds with Him, He is overjoyed to see the commitment His children have in wanting that fellowship.


How should we pray?

In Luke 11:2-4, Jesus tells us how we should pray. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

The first part speaks of how reverent His holy name is and then jumps to His will being accomplished here on earth. Asking God for daily substances to keep us alive, and asking Him to forgive and forget our sins as we [should] do with each other. Then it's a plea for God to keeping us from Satan and the temptations that are abundant in this world. We are to enter into prayer recognizing His holiness and remembering what awesome things that He has done in the past, is doing in the present, and believe that He will do more great things in the future. We are then to be thankful for the blessings that He bestows upon us and our families. In our prayers, we ask that He will extend His merciful hand upon us and forgive us. Also that we will forgive those who have wronged us. For if we cannot forgive our fellow brothers and sisters, how then can we expect a perfect God to forgive us when we fall (Matt. 6:15)? Jesus also tells us to pray for deliverance from the evil schemes of the devil. God will protect us from him; but in a world owned by Satan, we cannot expect to go far without seeing his handiwork.

To be honest, I've often wondered how to best pray. Do I need to talk to God as if He were my Master or Father? As both. Just like with our parents, we can usually speak to them respectfully, but also as good friends. I know that I can talk to God on a comfortable level. I don't have to get all stressed out, because I'm imperfect and may say things in a "clumsy" manner. God knows that I make mistakes and that's okay. He still listens. Just as He listens to you when you truly desire to have a "one-on-one" with Him.

It doesn't matter if we're excellent orators or if we stutter a lot. It doesn't matter if our prayers are five minutes or three hours long. The only thing we need to do is approach Him in a sincere and honoring way. He won't put cotton in His ears when we start to speak to Him from our hearts.

When can we pray to God?

We can pray at any time and in any place. God is omnipresent and can hear us whether we are on top of Mount Everest or in an underground cave.

Yeah, I've often wondered where I should pray and make that my "quiet place". Do I have to enter prayer on bended knee and folded hands or can I be doing dishes and talk with Him? I believe that in any situation, no matter where we are, no matter what day of the year, we can lift up our voices and He will hear us. The quote that says: "God can hear the smallest voice" may sound familiar to you. Whether you're talking out loud, whispering, or praying silently within, no word you say will be missed by Him. God hears each and every thought you think and knows exactly what you mean to say--even if it's hard to find the words.

But if you're like me, you find it hard to find a quiet time with jobs, school, social networking, and other activities being such demanding parts of your life. I'd like to raise a tough question though. Can you prioritize things, so that God is #1 and all the other activities take 2nd place? When we really think about it, though these things are a big part of our day-to-day schedules right now, they don't amount to anything in our relationship with Christ.

Personally, I've re-evaluated my schedule time and time again. It's super hard! But if we really want to stay on the same page with God and "keep the line open", we will need to set aside a certain time to talk and listen to Him. Even when we're busy, it's great if we talk with Him on the go, too. Though you may find (or have found) it harder to concentrate if your mind is going in a million different directions. However, we should pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). If we multi-task, it's harder to focus our energy on Him and find it much easier to just keep working on the present project--which will most likely "drown Him out". Like in the middle of a test, I sometimes find more peace if I can just break for a couple of seconds to just ask for God's help. As I said earlier, God doesn't put a word count on prayers.

As another personal note, I find mornings to work best for a prayer/devotional time. At night, I tend to be studying/working/watching a TV show; so mornings work the best. Plus, I feel that I'm starting the day out right. :) Of course, go with what works best for you. We all have different opinions and we might all discover that certain routines work better for us than they do for others. I encourage you to look for the best schedule that works for you and to stick with it as best as you can!


I hope that you are encouraged and are able to (if you have not already) find a time to spend with God in prayer. Remember that God doesn't expect a perfect, well-rehearsed, six-hour, bedside prayer. He just wants you to be open and honest, no matter where you are.

Psalm 5:2, "Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, for to You I will pray."

Sister in Christ,
Anna

His Day: The Lord's Day!

For the Son of man is Lord 
even of the sabbath day.

Matthew 12:8

In response to the "Announcement" Anna posted previously in June on Facing the Waves, one of our readers requested a post regarding Sunday worship. This was not a topic I had consciously thought about (hence the very late post), though I did for a short time a couple months ago. So, I went to Scripture and sermons to refresh my mind.  

Likely, we have all grown up with slight differences in how we observe Sunday. Many people want to know "What can't I do?", rather than focusing on the heart and asking "How can I best worship the Lord on His day?". Dividing this post into two sections, I will attempt to explain what the Lord's Day should mean to believers in the 21^st century. 

What Sunday is not...

Sunday is not the Sabbath. The Sabbath Day was given to the Jews--the Israelite nation. Sabbath was the day on which the Lord rested after He spoke His creation into being. This day was one of rest for God which served as a day of remembrance for the Israelites--a reminder to worship God as Creator. The Lord commanded the Israelites that the 7^th day of the week was to be a day of rest for the Jews and pointed to certain judgment if God’s laws were not kept. (Exodus 31:13-17)This day was to be one that was set-apart; it was marked for sanctification. Israel was not to act like the other nations around them; this Sabbath day was one created specifically for them—a sign of sanctification and rest, in order that they would remember their Creation, His creation, and their sinfulness.

Sunday is not a day in which we commanded to observe the Old Testament rules. The Lord laid out clear laws that the Israelites were to follow, and among those rules were many pertaining to the Sabbath day. They were not to collect manna on that day, and they were not to go on any long journeys, to name a couple. And whoever violated the Sabbath day was to be put to death. (Exodus 31:14) Through these laws, man was to recognize that Creation was marred and that man was filled with sin, and that the only way they could receive forgiveness was by keeping the law.

Sunday is not identified on Judaism’s calendar. The Sabbath day was the 7^th day of the week; one that was to be a reminder to the Israelites that God rested on this day. Not because He was weary, but because it was His day to enjoy His creation and bless all that He had made. (Genesis 2:3) The Sabbath day was a memorial to the original creation—a reminder that Paradise had been lost and forfeited by man’s sin and that there was now judgment if they disobeyed God’s law. The Sabbath was a sign to the Israelites connecting them with the Fall of Man and reminding them that the only way to regain a taste of that Paradise was by observing a day of rest—the 7^th day. The Sabbath was only a shadow of the substance (His rest), and yet it was a promise of future salvation.

What Sunday is…

Sunday is the 1^st day of the week! This is the day that approximately 2000 years ago, Christ victoriously conquered death, paid for the sins of mankind, and provided redemption, justification, and sanctification for all those who would believe in Him. (Luke 23:53-12:1-12) This is the day that Christ appeared to His disciples, showing them that He is risen—proving that all His past ministry and death made sense, that the Old Testament was broken once and for all, and that the Father affirmed His finished work on the cross. He also promises to His followers that they would receive the Holy Spirit after He had been received up into heaven. (John 20:19-23) Again, on the first day of the week (a different Sunday ;), the disciples received the Holy Spirit and were given the gift of speaking in tongues, and Peter preached the first “Sunday sermon”. (Acts 2:1-4, 14-43)

Sunday is a day in which we are no longer under the bondage of the law.  When Jesus died, He eliminated the priesthood, sacrifices, and holy days—including the Sabbath. Sunday was the day Christ arose and overthrew the law. He eliminated the need to work for salvation by following the law.  Believers rest from the works approach to righteousness, because we have entered into the new covenant—the one where Christ is our ultimate rest. The law only pointed to Christ—and Christ was the fulfillment of that law through His atoning work on the cross. We are not under the bondage of the law anymore, but rather, we are bondage of grace; and through grace, we have freedom in Christ. (Romans 14:1-6) (Galatians 4:9-11) The Sabbath laws were mere shadows of the hope to come; Christ’s resurrection is the hope. (Colossians 2:16-17) And while, Sunday on this earth is still only a shadow of the rest to come, we now have the promise of salvation. If we try to hold on to the old laws of God, then we make His finished work of no avail. No longer are we only left with a shadow of rest as the Old Testament provided, we now have the substance: Christ, and He is our complete rest. To paraphrase John MacArthur’s words: When Jesus picked the 12 disciples, He left the Old Testament leaders behind; when He picked the 1^st day of the week, He left the 7^th behind.

Sunday is a day in which we worship Christ as Redeemer, Savior, and Lord. We observe this day because this is the day when our Lord proved His deity and the sufficiency of His fulfillment of the law. After all, He was the one to demonstrate the throwing aside Pharisaical laws by healing and working on the Sabbath. (John 5:3-18) He isn’t honored with the keeping of some day of the week; He is honored in our worship of Him on the Lord’s day. While the other Old Testament commands are repeated in the New Testament, there is never a command to observe the Sabbath. The Sabbath was done away with, so the disciples came together on the first days of the week (And not just the first days! Sometimes they worshipped together for days in a row.[Acts 2:46]) , without the bondage of the law. This is the day when we glorify Christ as Redeemer; not worshiping old creation, but the new! This is “the Lord’s Day”: set-apart for Him. (Revelation 1:10)This is the day when the disciples gathered together to break bread, worship, sing, preach, and embrace the truth of the gospel. (1 Corinthians 16:1-2) This is not a day that is just a “stop-off” in the middle of the week; it’s a day to remember the glory of your salvation. We are not forbidden to work or play—but, remember, this is the day that God named as His own. Surely, we can give Him—He who created us, died for us, and saved us—one day of the seven He gives us. We are commanded not to forsake the assembling of believers, and especially as the coming of Christ draws nearer by nearer, so our communion with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ should increase. (Hebrews 10:25). Celebrate His resurrection and atoning work, by filling the Lord’s Day with worship, preaching, and fellowship; and rest in Christ and in the reality of your salvation. This is our day to find greatest delight in Christ and to fellowship with brothers and sisters in the Lord, because He rose from the grave, victorious over death, and  is now seated at the right hand of the Father, living to intercede for His chosen ones.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 10:23-25

In Christ,

Kaleigh