Friendship: Guest Post

   Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man 

sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:17

Today's post is written by a special girl: Kaleigh's youngest sister. Sarah (age 14) is an avid reader and writer when not doing schoolwork. She enjoys being adventurous while exercising. Her infectious personality often causes others to laugh along with her. She is on the left side of the above picture. Sarah hopes you are encouraged by this post! 

                                                                             ~~~~~

Friendship is one of the most special things God created, yet sometimes the hardest thing to hold together.

Proverbs 17:17a says “A friend loveth at all times”. Does this mean just when your friend does what you ask, just when they’re being nice, or just when they’re the easiest to love? No, “all” means “always”: entirely, totally, and in every respect. Even when they give you an attitude that is so hard to love.  

To love someone means way more when you fulfill it with actions. Saying “I love you” is something anyone can do, but going that extra step to show that person how you love him means a whole lot more in the long run.

The picture above shows two friends. The one on the right has been through a lot of trials lately, and no one knows why, but we continue to trust in God. After all, His plans are way better than ours. I used my knowledge of the Scripture, and the wisdom given to me by God to encourage my friend. It hurt me to see her suffer so badly, and though there were limits as to how far I could help her, I jumped at every opportunity possible. I used Scripture, prayer, and cards the most.

Encourage your friends when they hurt. If you can’t say anything to make them feel better, let them know you’re there for them, and are willing to listen to anything they may need to share or get out. When they lose loved ones or jobs, or fail tests, or get into relationship problems, sometimes just a Bible verse and e-card telling them you care can go a long way.  

Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend”. Are we sharpening our friends for good, or are we tearing them down? Sharpening your friend can be asking a simple heart-provoking question, such as one I was asked recently: Where do you want to be in 20 years? Or “What are you filling your days with?” Show the people you love that you care what’s going on in their lives.

By God’s grace, we can keep our friendships strong. 

                                                                              ~~~~~

Great job, Sarah! Thank you for being willing to share your thoughts with us. :)  

Blessings,

Kaleigh 

His Rest!

And he said, 

My presence shall go with thee, 

and I will give thee rest. 

~Exodus 22:13~

Moses was not alone in questioning where the Lord was leading him. He was chosen for the overwhelming task of leading thousands of Israelites into the Promised Land, and sometimes God did not choose to make the path way explicitly clear--and then, Moses would plead with Him for direction. The verse preceding verse 13 says this: Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, and I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. Moses truly desired to know God--he also realized the impossibility of leading thousands of people without God's aid. And in the midst of Moses' query and confusion, God alleviates his fears, promising that His presence will go with Moses, and He would give him rest. 

In today's fast-paced society, we often forget to just "Be still, and know that I am God". (Psalm 46:10) His rest is set-apart from everyday activities. Jesus took the disciples aside from the crowd to rest with Him. (Mark 6:31) God gave us a natural means of rest by giving us one whole day of the week. God knew that or physical bodies and mental capacities would need a means of refreshment after six days of work. 

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Just because we come to Christ doesn't mean that we won't have any more work, but that He will give us the strength and refreshment to carry on for His kingdom with even more fortitude than before. Also His "burden" will be lighter than any we would choose or place on ourselves, because He knows exactly how much we can handle and exactly how much we need. Just like Moses' often sought God in the midst of confusion, so our foresight will be cleared when take God's "burden" and receive His rest, instead of struggling under our own imposed load. 

Because God is the ultimate source of our rest, we will be at peace when we claim His hope. We have hope because...

"I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope." (Psalm 16:8-9) 

Because God is always with us, because He is our protector, because He is the one in control of our circumstances, we can be glad, and rejoice, and rest. And also rest because we are possessors of His hope.

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him." (Psalm 62:5)

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Romans 15:13)

He is our hope, and He is our rest. Rest in His hope, for only then will you know the "peace that passes all understanding". (Philippians 4:7) Rest not only gives us a break physically and mentally, but it also provides us with the vigor and stamina to go on and do greater things for God. We need to learn to seek rest, so that we can more thoroughly fulfill the will of God. 

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." (Isaiah 30:15)

"Prepare me always for what Thy providence shall bring forth. Let me never murmur, be dejected, or impatient, under any of the troubles of this life; but ever find rest and comfort in this, this is the the will of my Father, and of my God: this is for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." (Thomas Wilson)

Be still my soul; the Lord is on thy side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; thy best, they heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still my soul; the hour is hastening on

when we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last. 

Be Still, My Soul

In Christ,

Kaleigh

Going Home

"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." -Revelation 21:4



A place where there is no more cancer, no more dying, no more need for morphine to kill pain, no more tears to wipe away, no more bullets killing innocent school children, no more fear of government take overs. Heaven will have no broken friendships, no more car thefts or junkies. Heaven won't have drunks or poor people. No more careers, no more need for money, no freezing temperatures. No enemies will be there, nor weapons needed to fight battles. Heaven doesn't sound real, but it is.

As most of you know, my Grandpa Duerkop passed away last week, Monday the 7th. The service that was held on Friday was not sad, though most of the people who came didn't have a dry eye before it was over. Our family did not even call it a "funeral" as Grandpa didn't die (1 Corinthians 15:54). Yes, he left his weakened body of dust behind, but now he's alive and well in Heaven (2 Cor. 5:8)! As Christians, we know we where we will go. As Christians who know other Christians who pass on before us, we can be reassured that we will one day be reunited in God's Kingdom. Though we feel that separation on this earth, we realize that our loved ones are in a better place. A place free from pain and anger and drought and storm.

One thing that my Mom wanted at the Memorial Service, was the salvation message. A perfect time to share with those who are not yet in Christ, the message of Jesus and to give them hope for their souls. My Grandpa was strong in his Savior and his faith was steadfast. He was also a man of few words. He could spin a good story for you about his adventurous farming days though. He'd tell stories about how he'd have to go out and chase the draft horses down so he could hitch them to the farm equipment. That's where his strong dislike for them came about.

As my cousin's wife told me at the service, "we don't get over the loss, but we can get through it." But I urge you to not forget the person. Don't make it a point to lose the good memories that you have with him or her. Remember the part they played in your life and feel grateful for having known them and loved them. Because as Alfred Lord Tennyson put it, "Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all". You may have lost a loved one or will in the future, and the verses below can be a comfort to you as you go through those times.   

We see the dying convict who believed that Jesus was the Messiah, had the reassurance of being with Christ that day.....

Luke 23:42-43:
"42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

Revelation 21 also provides us with comfort......

Revelation 21:1-7:
"1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Satan has not won the battle of a Christian's life. Sin is destroyed because of the power of Christ's blood on the cross......

1 Corinthians 15:54-58:

"54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

When we have passed from this earth....

2 Corinthians 5:8:

"We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."

No, I'm not happy that I've lost my "earthly" Grandpa. But I do have a Grandpa who's up in Heaven sitting at Jesus' feet. I have a Grandpa who's been reunited with two of his children, his mom and dad, his brothers, and all of the many other Christians who preceded him. He's not floating around somewhere in peragatory; he's up there in all of Heaven's glory! 

In Christ,

Anna

His Joy!

Rejoice evermore.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 

Two simple words. Yet the weight of that command carries further than outward actions. 

For those of you who know me fairly well, you may think it ironic that one of my favorite books of the Bible is Philippians. For my readers who don't know me as well, Philippians is a book about joy, but my personality tends to run Pessimistic Sarcasm by default. In other words, a joyful life is one that requires work for me. 

I wrote a post entitled "His Joy" last year, but it didn't reach the depths that I wanted it, too. I have also been reading through a book entitled With the Master: In Fullness of Joy (Susan J. Heck) which is a Bible study on the book of Philippians. Combine that with receiving John Piper's devotional on joy this morning, as well as deciding to submit something for the next issue of a girls' newsletter (the topic just "happened" to be joy), and then reading about joy in my personal devotions this morning.  

So, in light of all that, here it is.

Paul speaks a lot about joy. As a man who endured great persecution, he is continually encouraging others to find their joy in the Lord, in other believers, and in their salvation.

Paul found his joy in the Lord.
He couldn't base it on his circumstances because they were constantly changing. Imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks, wayward churches and "believers", and false teachers provided Paul with more than enough hardships to complain about. Yet, he didn't. In 2 Corinthians 7:4 he says "I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation". Paul knew where to find his joy, and because he clung to the steadfast joy of the Lord, he was able to say, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." We have the hope of a Savior who is sovereign, and not only do we have that hope, but along with that God provides joy when we believe and trust in His will. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Romans 15:13) God fills us with joy! We can't outwardly express joy every single minute, because some of our circumstances are truly not joyful. But that is not what determines what we feel like. The only way to be genuinely joyful is to allow Christ's joy and peace to reign in our hearts. Jesus said to His disciples "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full". (John 15:11) It is the commands of Christ and the comforts of the Spirit that will fill us with joy.

Paul found his joy in other believers.
"Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all." (2 Corinthians 7:13) There should be (and often is) joy among fellow believers. We share the same faith; we encourage one another in our walks with the Lord; we rejoice with those who rejoice. Titus' "spirit was refreshed" and that caused joy for Paul and many other fellow believers. Joy is contagious; often it's a domino effect. You can't help but pick up the joyfulness of someone when they are happy. And that's a good thing. Paul also had joy in other believers because he had confidence in them. "I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things." (2 Corinthians 7:16) Paul was joyful when lifting up fellow believers from Philippi in prayer. He greatly longed to be with them in person, but his joy stemmed from pleading for them before the throne of God. "Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy." (Philippians 1:4) He knew that his and their joy would once again be fulfilled when they could fellowship in person again. "And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again." (Philippians 1:25-26)

Paul found joy in his salvation.
It was from Paul's deep faith in Christ, that his joy increased. "...but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." (Romans 5:11) If Christ had not provided a way of salvation, then our happiness in this world would be painfully temporary. While the happiness in this life is still short-lived, we have an ever-abiding joy because of the cross. The Man of Sorrows, the one who endured the excruciating death of the cross, bore the shame of the world with joy! And He it is who is the author and finisher of our faith. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Paul found joy in seeing the steadfast faith of the Colossian believers: "...I [am] with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ." (Colossians 2:5) Watching others--maybe even people you've discipled--increase in their faith and grow in their stedfastness in the Lord is truly a joy. And you rejoice with them, because, as Matthew Henry states, "For by faith we stand firmly, and live safely and comfortable. Our strength and ability are owning to faith, and our comfort and joy must flow from faith". When you see others standing firmly for the Lord it provides great joy for the people around them. David, in his Psalm of repentance, prayed "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation..." (Psalm 51:12). Salvation carries with it the joy of forgiveness--nothing held against you in spite of continual failures. The grace and mercy freely given to us provides us with a restored vision and a humble spirit to continually press onward.

And then in conclusion, Paul commands the Thessalonian believers to "rejoice evermore". Not just through wonderful circumstances; not just on a cheerful Sunday morning; not just when the depth of salvation is so real. No, he says "evermore". Always. Continually. Never-ending. The joy of the Lord is our strength. His joy and strength never fails, and the Author and Finisher of our faith has no end, either.

Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)

When we come boldly to the throne of grace, there...only there, will we find that in His presence is fullness of joy. (Psalm 16:11)

Striving to please Him,
Kaleigh