Good day to ya everyone. As the words to one of my favorite praise and worship songs proclaims; “I love you Jesus, I worship and adore you. Just want to tell you that I love you MORE THAN ANYTHING!” I’m in my personal sharing mode today and I hope you don’t mind if it’s a personal story. There just might be someone else that can identify with the subject matter.
Today’s Prayer
Father, I come to You with a prayer of thanks. Thank you for the ultimate gift of Your son. Thank You for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and thank You for your loving angels we call friends. In the wonderful name of Jesus I pray, Amen and Amen.
Let’s eat.
Friendship in the Pit
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. – Proverbs 17:17
Have you ever had one of those days or weeks where you were just so low in your spirit you just didn’t want to get out of the bed and face anything? A little while back I called one of my close friends to confess “I am in there again, the pit.” A time when no one can cheer you up and you wonder if there is ever going to be an end to it. Have you ever had such times? Discouragement can be devastating even to the best of saints. It can bring us so low. The writer of Proverbs phrased it well when he said, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). When we get so low that we despair of our belief, we can identify with the prophet Elijah who wanted to die after being so discouraged with life.
I will never forget what happened next. My friend said to me “I’m coming over.” I told him that he didn’t have to do that because it wasn’t like he was a couple blocks away, he lives 45 minutes away from where I live. He said “I’m coming over. We’re going to pray.”
About hour later my friend walked in the door. We sat down on my family room floor back to back as my friend began to pray. I’ll confess to you right now, I didn’t feel like praying. I was too deep in the pit. All I could do was listen for a while. After awhile my friend was quiet. We both sat quietly for ten to fifteen minutes, praying quietly to ourselves. Suddenly my friend said, “First Thessalonians 5:24!”
“What verse is that?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “That is the verse the Holy Spirit spoke to me.”
I grabbed my Bible and looked up the verse. “The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.”
I just kind of freaked out and started laughing. Here I am trying my best to have a pity party with no one else invited and God sends one of His warriors in the person of my good friend to break it up and snap me out of my own stupidity. We laughed. God can be so personal. He cares that much. I instantly dropped on my face and thanked God for sending my friend and thanked my friend for letting God use him.
Do you have a friend who is there when you need somebody at any hour of the day? Are you there for your friends? Ask the Lord how you can be a better friend to someone today.
Quote of the Day
When you find that weariness depresses or amusement distracts you, you will calmly turn with an untroubled spirit to your Heavenly Father, who is always holding out His arms to you. You will look to Him for gladness and refreshment when depressed, for moderation and recollection when in good spirits , and you will find that He will never leave you to want. A trustful glance, a silent movement of the heart towards Him will renew your strength; and though you may often feel as if your soul were downcast and numb, whatever God calls you to do, He will give you power and courage to perform. Our Heavenly Father, so far from ever overlooking us, is only waiting to find our hearts open, to pour into them the torrents of His grace.
Francois Fenelon
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REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION – THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY
James H. Taylor Sr. – Kankakee City News has published my Daily meal message for a decade.