A little bit sharper

Have you ever spent time just thinking about HOW you became friends with your friends? When was the first time you met them? How long did it take you to get to know each other? What are some of your best memories of them?

There's a friend of mine that I've known for about 4 1/2 years. She and I lived on the same hall together freshmen year of college. Funny this is, we didn't really become friends until a year and a half ago, when we attended a leadership conference together. It took us three years to find each other... and ever since, I have loved discussing ideas and beliefs with her. She has challenged me to grow in so many ways.

I have another friend I've known for almost 7 years. He and I don't hang out very often; we only talk on the phone once every eight weeks or so. But I have treasured the time we spend together, whether we're talking about cars, dreaming about our future careers, or just eating some ice cream outside on a nice night. He is the only friend still in my life who remembers what I was like in high school. We have watched each other change as we've grown older.

Nate talked about friends influencing each other - "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend" (Proverbs 27.17). Without these two friends, I would have missed out on so many lessons. Both of them have helped me refine my beliefs and values. They have taught me what it means to be part of a family and how to handle sticky situations.

Which friends have majorly influenced you? Are they leaving a positive mark on your life, or leading you down a path of trouble?

I encourage you to take a few minutes this week and pray about your friendships.

Pray for your friends. Pray for the relationship you have with them. Pray for their families. And ask God if they are healthy friendships or if something needs to change. Because, as Nate has shown, friends really DO have a big impact on you...

Thinking about friendships...

I am convinced that we, as God's people, are called to fight with one another and fight for one another through life's battles.

As I've listened to Scott share these past few weeks about friendship, that conviction has only grown stronger. Scott asked a question that has gotten lodged in my mind: If you were in trouble, who would you call? In other words, who do you trust? Who do you want to be standing next to you when life gets rough?

Awhile ago, I had to go on a retreat - whitewater rafting in West Virginia. For several reasons, this was going to be a hard trip for me... I'd be going with people I didn't know too well, spending the entire trip outdoors, eating whatever was available. For a picky eater who's quiet and gets sick easily, this wasn't going to be a fun trip.

But I had a friend who wrote a letter to me for each day I was to be gone. And every day, I opened a letter from her that was filled with encouragement. I had another friend call me three times just to check in and tell me he was praying. Those two friends helped me make it through the week. I would trust them with ANYTHING.

And then I started wondering... Would anyone want ME standing next to them? Am I the type of person that others trust? Do I show them that I care about them? that I would do anything to help them?

What do you think? Do you have friends you know you can count on? Do others consider you to be that friend?

Wired for Worship--Psalm 90

Psalm 90

 

OK, who knew prior to today that Moses wrote one of the Psalms? Not me. Since his Psalm 90 sounds a little depressing to me, maybe they didn’t let him contribute to the book of Psalms anymore after that.  Hmmm??

 

I had a hard time following ol’ Moses here but my simple mind boiled it down to this simpler version of Psalm 91. 

 

God, you are eternal and huge!

Our lives are very temporary, rather hard, and we screw up a lot

Teach us to live life wisely

Please return soon!

Replace all of this life with joy and gladness

Be happy with us for all that we did in this life

 

Moses still sounds a little depressed and in need of a day off. I guess that is how you might feel while wandering around in the desert for 40 years. I’d be writing “God come quick”, and “God get us out of here” too I guess.

 

You and I probably have happier thoughts on a daily basis than Moses wrote about here but his point is still a good one. When Jesus returns for us, even our greatest days so far will be nothing when compared to the joy and happiness that he promises.  

 

...by Troy Hershberger

 

   

 

 

Wired for Worship--Psalm 86

Psalm 86

 

David, the man after God's own heart

 

Picture a little child approaching their parents and saying, " I really need your help, but I don't expect that you will." Imagine how the parents would feel knowing their child did not believe that the mom or dad loved them enough to act on their behalf. How can we apply this scenario to our relationship with our Heavenly Father?  Do we believe that the God of the Universe loves us enough to act on our behalf?

 

David in Psalm 86 verses 3-5 says this:

 

" Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to you all day long. Rejoice the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You."

 

I believe that God considered David a man after His own heart not because of David's righteousness, but because David believed that God  was truly who He says he is.

 

Verse 5 says that the Lord is good and responds to ALL those who call upon Him. Not only in the 86th Psalm but throughout the entire book, David praises the Lord for His unfailing deliverance of all those who fear Him and call on His name. God must have been so pleased with David because he thought the Lord was as good as He said He was.

 

David cried out to God because he knew and expected God to move on his behalf. Isn't this why Jesus says in Matt. 7:11

 

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.!" 

 

Psalm 86:13, 15 & 17 say this:

 

"For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol." " But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." " Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me."

.

David was completely convinced that because he cried out to the Lord that God would eventually come to his rescue. The God of the Bible wants his followers today to believe that He loves them as much as David knew He did so many years ago.  

 

...by Bryan Koorey

 

Wired for Worship---Psalm 46

What does Psalm 46 reveal to me about God?  How powerful he is. 

 

Verses 1-3 tell me when the troubles of life come, whether it be earthquake, landslide, tsunami, or flood…bring it.  Let it come…I will not be afraid because God is my ever-present safe place.  Where has there been a safe-place for you?  I’m reminded of experiencing childhood nightmares and running frightened into my parents’ room.  I ran so fast I forgot to breathe because I was so deathly afraid the monster would grab my foot and pull me under the bed…and I’d be lost forever.  As soon as my parents heard my steps, they were waiting to catch me in their arms and offer indescribable safety and protection…I would hear, “It’s all going to be ok.  Don’t be afraid, daddy’s got ya.” 

 

God wants to offer us that protection and strength.  I think the key phrase in verse 1 is “always ready”.  This means I have to make the choice to go to Him.  I have to make the choice to place my foot out of bed and onto the floor…allowing myself to become vulnerable and asking Him to be my protector—He loves to offer strength and refuge; He is a fortress. Why we need this refuge is in the following verses.

 

In verse 6 He demonstrates terrifying power.  “God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts.”  God simply speaks and the earth turns to mush.  Woah…I am so thankful to be called His.  If I wasn’t His, I’d be part of the nations in chaos--part of the world the Psalmist writes about getting destroyed.  Verse 8 tells us to look at the glorious work of our Lord when he brings destruction to the world.  For me, this Psalm makes me want to run screaming to Him for refuge when life’s earthquakes come.

 

And what is his reply to us when we run to Him?  Verse ten says,

 

“Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be honored by every nation.  I will be honored throughout the world.” 

 

How awesome!  No matter what crazy situations life brings me, He says to be patient, trust Him, and know that He will be honored.  For me, this ‘being still’ means I must quiet myself and let Him do the moving.  I must forget all my selfish motives, quiet my heart--basically stop all of my efforts, so that He can use my life.

 

He is capable of melting the earth with a whisper, but He offers me an eternal safe place because He loves me in a way I cannot begin to understand.

 

He is always ready for us to run to Him in the middle of the night…and we will always hear …”Don’t be afraid, daddy’s got ya.”

 

…by BRANDY LONGSTRETH