pearl

Pearls are a product of pain. 

When a grain of sand pierces the shell of an oyster, all the otherwise dormant resources within the tiny oyster respond to the foreign irritant by caring for that sensitive spot. Over time, the sand particle is covered by healing fluids, and the wound becomes a pearl.

That's true for you, too. When hardships invade your life, allow God's Spirit to shape your response. Don't be bitter. Don't rush ahead of His plan. Rest in Him. Allow Him time to turn that irritation into an opportunity for your growth - and watch a beautiful pearl emerge from your set of circumstances.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  (James 1:2-5)

communion

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also May have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3.

It is our privilege to taste the sweetness of communion with a crucified and risen Saviour. But in order for this to be, self must be surrendered to God. Self-indulgence means that Christ is not followed in self-denial and cross bearing. When self strives for the highest place, the spiritual perceptions become dimmed. The eyes are turned from Christ to the poor picture of self. We cannot afford to become separated from Christ. We must keep looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith....

It is as we commune with Christ that precious, holy light shines into our souls, until every chamber is lighted up and we become bright lights in the world, reflecting to others the glory of Christ. We are to keep Christ before us as the example of perfection.

Communion with God is the life of the soul. It is not a something which we can interpret, a something which we can clothe with beautiful words, but which does not give us the genuine experience that makes our words of real value. Communion with God gives us a daily experience that does indeed make our joy full.

Those who have this union with Christ will declare it in spirit and word and work. Profession is nothing unless, in word and work, good fruit is manifest. Unity, fellowship with one another and with Christ—this is the fruit borne on every branch of the living vine. The cleansed soul, born again, has a clear, distinct testimony to bear....

To know God is, in the scriptural sense of the term, to be one with Him in heart and mind, having an experimental knowledge of Him, holding reverential communion with Him as the Redeemer. Only through sincere obedience can this communion be obtained....

Following Christ’s example of unselfish service, trusting like little children in His merits, and obeying His commands, we shall receive the approval of God. Christ will abide in our hearts, and our influence will be fragrant with His righteousness.

 -e g white in heavenly places

you

"He brought me forth into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me." Psalm 18:19

I was blessed to grow up with parents who were positive, supportive, and encouraging. The words "I am proud of you" are one of their greatest legacies to me. I knew they loved me and showed it in a variety of very important ways. I knew they were very glad that I was their son.

 

If you did not grow up with that kind of advantage then the concepts of grace and unconditional love will be harder for you to accept. One of the reasons we send Biblical messages of encouragement is to help you hear God’s words and to help you trust in His boundless, joyful love and draw closer to Him. Psalm 18:19 is one such verse.

David wrote this psalm after escaping repeated attacks from Saul and his armies. A man who could have been a mentor and encourager for David became an implacable enemy. Other Psalms reflect David’s anguish during this very rough period in his life. David responded by seeking God even more and looking to Him for the support. God delivered Him.

The key phrase I want you to focus on concerns the reason God delivered David: "because He delighted in me." This phrase is joyful and exuberant! God delighted in David!

And God delights in you. Let that sink in. "He delights in you!" Even though you may not have been programmed from your childhood to hear and accept such truth, or perhaps because you have suffered rejection in adulthood at the hands of people who were once very close to you, you must trust and believe that God delights in you. He knows you deeply and individually as if you were the only person to know. He is capable of that kind of sustained regard and focus on you. His verdict: "I take delight in you." And for that reason He will deliver you.

So whatever you face, or whatever handicap you have in life, accept God’s rich love for you. 

Trust in it. 

Rely on it.

-dave langerfield

restoration

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten - the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm - My great army that I sent among you." - Joel 2:25 

There are seasons in our lives that involve times of famine and times of restoration. Solomon tells us that He has made everything beautiful in its time and that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1,11.)

God brings about both the good and the bad. The seasons of famine have a divine purpose in our lives. They accomplish things that only these hard places can accomplish. But there is a time when those hard places have accomplished their purpose and He begins to restore. God did this with the nation of Israel after a season of famine and devastation.

Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten - the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm - My great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will My people be shamed" (Joel 2:23-27). 

God wants each of us to know that there is a time when He will restore in order to demonstrate His gracious hand in our lives. He is a loving Father who tenderly guides His children through the difficult places. If God has taken you through a time of leanness, know that He is the restorer of that which the locusts have eaten. Wait patiently for Him to bring this about in your life. He will do it.

 -os hillman

remove

Jesus has finally arrived, but it was too late; Lazarus was dead! If only He had arrived earlier. Jesus made His way to the tomb with the grieving crowd following. He stood in front of Lazarus’ tomb weeping, revealing His heart to the crowd (John 11).

Then suddenly He instructed the people to remove the stone from grave’s entrance. They couldn’t believe their ears. Martha blurted out in her surprise, "But Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been dead four days."

The people obeyed. Jesus calls out to Lazarus and behold the creator of life (John 1:1-3) gave new life to Lazarus. Lazarus waddled out of the tomb still wrapped in His grave clothes alive! Jesus directed the people to remove the grave clothes.

This miracle catches us by surprise in several ways. We dare not miss the sign - the miracle of raising a person from the dead is primary. Yet we are surprised by other elements as well. Why did Jesus have the people remove the stone? Was He challenging their faith? Why did He have the people remove the grave clothes? This request seems more obvious.

Lazarus couldn't do it for himself. Whatever the reasons one thing is abundantly clear – Jesus chose to involve the people in His work. Amazingly, astoundingly He involved His people in His work.

There are many obstacles that hinder people from coming out of their sin – their graves. There is the sin itself biding them. We cannot remove the sin. Only Jesus can do that. But we can work to remove stones. They cannot even hear the voice of God calling because these "stones" are so thick that they muffle His voice.

Though it is impossible for the church, for you and me, to remove all these stones, Jesus is instructing us, His people, to "remove the stone." Stones of ignorance; stones of apathy; stones of physical need; stones of misunderstanding; these are just a few of the stones we can address and help remove.

And the grave clothes; when people find new life in Christ Jesus they bring with them old habits, experiences, hurts – grave clothes. They need to be discipled – to have their grave-clothes removed. It is our responsibility in partnership with the Holy Spirit to help them remove the excess baggage that they carried with them from their life in sin. This takes time, effort, patience, persistence, diligence and an extra amount of God's love, which He provides. But  Jesus is looking at us and telling us – "remove the grave clothes."

trust

A new school Principal was checking over his school on the first day. Passing the stockroom, he was startled to see the door wide open and teachers bustling in and out, carrying off books and supplies in preparation for the arrival of students the next day. The school where he had been a Principal the previous year had used a check-out system only slightly less elaborate than that at Fort Knox.

Cautiously, he asked the school's long time Custodian, "Do you think it's wise to keep the stockroom unlocked and to let the teachers take things without requisitions?"

The Custodian looked at him gravely and said, "We trust them with the children, don't we?"

Trust. A simple and short word, but one that implies so much. If I trust someone in one area, but not in another, have I really trusted them? Can trust be area specific? I know confidence can be, but trust implies the whole package.

How do you trust God? Do you, as many people do, trust Him for your salvation, but you don't trust Him to take care of your daily needs? Do you trust Him to forgive you of your sins, but not to help you in personal areas that you lift to Him in prayer? In other words, do you trust the Lord for the big things, but doubt Him (distrust) for the relatively little things?

We need to make a decision right now! Do you trust God for EVERYTHING or do you pick and choose where you trust Him? How does God want you to trust Him? I'm so glad that God forgave me of ALL my sins, not just the ones He thought about, rationalized, and made a decision based on my life experience or my worthiness.

God can be trusted in ALL things; we need to show Him that we trust Him in ALL areas by giving Him our WHOLE life, not just certain areas.

holding

Many times, God will allow a painful situation or a painful circumstance in our life to "swallow us up." This season in our spiritual growth is a holding pattern. We can't move to the left or the right. All we can do is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that great fish, so God can have our undivided attention and speak to us.

God put Jonah in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no friends to call, no colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat, no interferences, and no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit, think, meditate, and pray.

When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can talk to us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things about ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.

A few of God's holding patterns:

1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed but you're not yet healed, you are in a holding pattern.

2. When you are having problems with your children and you have put them on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in a holding pattern.

3. When you have been praying for a loved one to return to God, and they have not come back yet, you are in a holding pattern.

4. When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to God, but it has not been restored yet, you are in a holding pattern.

5. When the doors slam shut before you can even knock on them, you are in a holding pattern.

When we are deep in the belly of a difficult situation, there are no interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit, think, meditate, and pray. Like Jonah, we cannot run from God, because there are no mountains that are high enough, valleys that are low enough, rivers that are wide enough, rooms that are dark enough, or places that are hidden from Him.

We must remember to praise Him while we're waiting, and remember three things:

1. The pattern has a purpose.

2. The pattern has a plan.

3. The pattern has a process.

So stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll keep you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I love you."

Suggested Prayer: Father, forgive my unbelief. I know you love me and I will come to see the benefit of everything in my life, even this holding pattern, and the manifestation of my Good is assured through You. You have planned nothing for me but victories and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult the path.

-unknown author

prayer

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Psalm 95:6. 

Christ has given His disciples assurance that special seasons for devotion are necessary. Prayer went before and sanctified every act of His ministry.... The night seasons of prayer which the Saviour spent in the mountain or in the desert were essential to prepare Him for the trials He must meet in the days to follow. He felt the need of the refreshing and invigorating of soul and body, that He might meet the temptations of Satan; and those who are striving to live His life will feel this same need....

Christ has pledged Himself to be our substitute and surety, and He neglects no one. There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from His obedience. In heaven His merits, His self-denial and self-sacrifice, are treasured up as incense to be offered up with the prayers of His people. As the sinner’s sincere, humble prayers ascend to the throne of God, Christ mingles with them the merits of His life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense....

Let all remember that the mysteries of God’s kingdom cannot be learned by reasoning. True faith, true prayer—how strong they are! The prayer of the Pharisee had no value, but the prayer of the publican was heard in the courts above, because it showed dependence reaching forth to lay hold of Omnipotence. Self was to the publican nothing but shame. Thus it must be with all who seek God. Faith and prayer are the two arms which the needy suppliant lays upon the neck of infinite Love....

We speak with Jesus Christ as we walk by the way, and He says, “I am at thy right hand.” We may walk in daily companionship with Christ. When we breathe out our desire, it may be inaudible to any human ear, but that word cannot die away into silence nor can it be lost, though the activities of business are going on. Nothing can drown the soul’s desire. It rises above the din of the street, above the noise of machinery, to the heavenly courts. It is God to whom we are speaking, and the prayer is heard. Ask then; “Ask, and it shall be given you.”

-ellen g white heavenly places pg69 

solutions

"There are no problems, only solutions."

Without a doubt, this has been the most difficult few years of my life.  A small crisis within our home has pierced our otherwise comfortable existence, and yet, even in the turmoil, light has overcome darkness.

During the onset of our struggle I was angry, frustrated and felt overwhelmed.  "Why us, God?  Why us?"  I would ask, and although my answer did not come as immediately as I would have preferred, the Lord did reply later by showing me truth.  This truth was the knowledge that there is no such thing as earthly perfection, and each and every human being will face adversity at some time in their life. However, God is greater than any problem.

Whether it is sickness, disease, relationship struggles or some other hardship, our life journey will never be perfect because perfection is only found in the Divine.  Along with the beauty of laughs and smiles will be the sting of painful tears, disappointments and shattered dreams.  Relationships may fail and jobs may fall through, yet will we allow these bumps along the path to alter our ability to possess peace, even joy?

The answer, my dear friends, is no!

How we perceive crisis when it occurs can either make or break our peace of mind, as well as affect the outcome of the situation.  As the above quote conveys, nothing is really a problem because there will always be solutions.

The greatest lesson I learned this year is the phrase "Let go, and let God."  The most successful solution to any problem we may face, no matter how large or small, is to trust in God.

As we act to resolve problems, we should never go it alone, but to lay the issue in the hands of the Lord; knowing that where our earthly abilities may be limited, He alone is able to do all things!  While man may tell us a situation is hopeless, with God there is always hope!

And so, after doing everything possible to resolve my family's personal crisis on our own, I remembered my faith in God, and began to cleave to the Lord in a way that I have never before had to surrender in trust.  Daily, I pray about the matter, then I hand the matter over to God, knowing that I have done my part, and now it is time for Him to take over.  As hard a period as this has emotionally been, it has ironically also been the richest in wisdom. No longer do I feel overwhelmed by the problem, because I now know that all the worry in the world will not help resolve the matter, and in fact, will only add to my own emotional distress.

 I encourage you to hand any problems you may be facing over to the capable arms of the Lord. Feel the peace and freedom which follows the leap of faith, and know that God is the Master of miraculous solutions.

-melanie schurr

always

A little boy was spending his Sunday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The lad dug round the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was huge.)

When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over thelittle wall. Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox.

The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved -- but his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.

All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment thetears fell, a large shadow fell across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"

Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!"

"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me."

With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox.

Do you have "rocks" in your life that need to be removed? Are you discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is One who is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need. When we are broken in spirit and our strength is spent, we can turn to our Savior, Jesus.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me" Philippians 4:13

-author unknown

weakness

"'But Lord,' Gideon asked, 'how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.'"  (Judges 6:15) 

Once when he was to preach at the University of Sydney in Australia, evangelist and Pastor John Stott lost his voice. He says: "What can you do with a missionary who has no voice? We had come to the last night of the evangelistic campaign. The students had booked the big university hall. A group of students gathered around me, and I asked them to pray as Paul did, that this thorn in the flesh might be taken from me. But we went on to pray that if it pleased God to keep me in weakness, I would rejoice in my infirmities in order that the power of Christ might rest upon me.

As it turned out, I had to get within one inch of the microphone just to croak the gospel. I was unable to use any inflection of voice to express my personality. It was just a croak in a monotone, and all the time we were crying to God that his power would be demonstrated in human weakness.  Well, I can honestly say that there was a far greater response that night than any other night. I've been back to Australia ten times now, and on every occasion somebody has come up to me and said, 'Do you remember that night when you lost your voice? I was converted that night.'"

The Lord loves us when we are weak, because it is then that He can work through us. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that when we are weak He is strong.

"God had looked for a man weak enough, and He found me." - Hudson Taylor

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

-peter kennedy

know

"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)

Do you find yourself in a place of nothingness? There is a time and place in our walk with God in which He sets us in a place of isolation and waiting. It is a place in which all past experiences are of no value. It is a time of such stillness that it can disturb the most faithful if we do not understand that He is the one who has brought us to this place for only a season. It is as if God has placed a wall around us. No new opportunities - simply inactivity.

During these times, God is calling us aside to fashion something new in us. It is a place of nothingness designed to call us to deeper roots of prayer and faith. It is not a comfortable place, especially for a task-driven workplace believer. Our nature cries out, "You must do something" while God is saying, "Be still and know that I am God." You know the signs that you have been brought into this place when He has removed many things from your life and you can't seem to change anything. Perhaps you are unemployed. Perhaps you are laid up with an illness.

Many people live a very planned and orchestrated life where they know almost everything that will happen. But for people in whom God is performing a deeper work, He brings them into a time of quietness that seems almost eerie. They cannot see what God is doing. They just know that He is doing a work that cannot be explained to themselves or to others.

Has God brought you to a place of nothingness? Be still and know that He really is God. When this happens, your nothingness will be turned into something you will value for the rest of your life.

-os hilman

................tired

Brook Besor. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of the place. Most haven't, but more need to. The Brook Besor narrative deserves shelf space in the library of the worn-out. It speaks tender words to the tired heart.

The story emerges from the ruins of Ziklag. David and his six hundred soldiers return from the Philistine war front to find utter devastation. A raiding band of Amalekites had swept down on the village, looted it, and taken the women and children hostage. The sorrow of the men mutates into anger, not against the Amalekites, but against David. After all, hadn't he led them into battle? Hadn't he left the women and children unprotected? Isn't he to blame? Then he needs to die. So they start grabbing stones.

This could be his worst hour.  But he makes it one of his best.

David redirects the men's anger toward the enemy. They set out in pursuit of the Amalekites.  Keep the men's weariness in mind. They still bear the trail dust of a long campaign and haven't entirely extinguished their anger at David. They don't know the Amalekites' hideout, and, if not for the sake of their loved ones, they might give up.

Indeed, two hundred do. The army reaches a brook called Besor, and they dismount. Soldiers wade in the creek and splash water on their faces, sink tired toes in cool mud, and stretch out on the grass. Hearing the command to move on, two hundred choose to rest. "You go on without us," they say.

How tired does a person have to be to abandon the hunt for his own family?

The church has its quorum of such folks. Good people. Godly people. Only hours or years ago they marched with deep resolve. But now fatigue consumes them. They're exhausted. So beat-up and worn down that they can't summon the strength to save their own flesh and blood. Old age has sucked their oxygen. Or maybe it was a deflating string of defeats. Divorce can leave you at the brook. Addiction can as well. Whatever the reason, the church has its share of people who just sit and rest.

And the church must decide. What do we do with the Brook Besor people? Berate them? Shame them? Give them a rest but measure the minutes? Or do we do what David did? David let them stay.

He and the remaining four hundred fighters resume the chase.  David and his men swoop down upon the enemy like hawks on rats. Every Israelite woman and child is rescued. Every Amalekite either bites the dust or hits the trail, leaving precious plunder behind. David goes from scapegoat to hero, and the whooping and hollering begin.  And what about the two hundred men who had rested?

You might feel the way some of David's men felt: "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man's wife and children" (1 Sam. 30:22).

A Molotov cocktail of emotions is stirred, lit, and handed to David. Here's how he defuses it: "Don't do that after what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and given us the enemy who attacked us. Who will listen to what you say? The share will be the same for the one who stayed with the supplies as for the one who went into battle. All will share alike." (30:23-24 NCV)

Note David's words: they "stayed with the supplies," as if this had been their job. They hadn't asked to guard supplies; they wanted to rest. But David dignifies their decision to stay.

David did many mighty deeds in his life. He did many foolish deeds in his life. But perhaps the noblest was this rarely discussed deed: he honored the tired soldiers at Brook Besor.   Someday somebody will read what David did and name their church the Congregation at Brook Besor. Isn't that what the church is intended to be? A place for soldiers to recover their strength?

If you are listed among them, here is what you need to know: it's okay to rest. Jesus is your David. He fights when you cannot. He goes where you cannot. He's not angry if you sit. Did he not invite, "Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest" (Mark 6:31 MSG)?

Brook Besor blesses rest.

Brook Besor also cautions against arrogance. David knew the victory was a gift. Let's remember the same. Salvation comes like the Egyptian in the desert, a delightful surprise on the path. Unearned. Undeserved. Who are the strong to criticize the tired?

Are you weary? Catch your breath. We need your strength.

Are you strong? Reserve passing judgment on the tired. Odds are, you'll need to plop down yourself. And when you do, Brook Besor is a good story to know.

-max lucado

attitude

Nick Herman started his first career in the army and later got a position as a dishwasher. It turned out to be the only job he would keep for many years of his life. Washing dishes for 14 hours a day, the ho-hum of pots and pans, he endured the noise of shouting cooks and being the least important of all the workers.

Then Nick made a decision, an attitude change. He chose to bring God into the kitchen! He began to wash dishes as a way to show love for the Lord.  Everything changed.  Nick said, “We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed… All things are possible to him that believes.”

Nick worked 62 years serving others as a lay Carmelite monk in France, and died quietly at age 80. Millions know his spiritual name as Brother Lawrence.  His book “The Practice of the Presence of God” is still in bookstores 400 years after his death! Brother Lawrence’s remarkable faith replaced drudgery with delight in the presence of a loving Lord.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31)

friends

     As the Winter Olympics come to a close, I am reminded of a beautiful story from past Games.  Those of you who are even mildly acquainted with Olympic history will recognize the name of Jesse Owens.  At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Owens was the United States' response to the German leaders' claim for "Aryan superiority."  He achieved international fame by winning four gold medals; one each in the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash, the long jump, and for being part of the 4x100 meter relay team.

     However, you may not have heard the story behind his long jump competition.  It was a competition he seemed certain to win.  After all, the year before, Owens had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches -- a record that would stand for 25 years.  But at the 1936 Olympics, he was almost out of the long jump shortly after qualifying began.  Owens fouled on his first two jumps.  A third foul and he would have been out of the competition.

     As he walked to the long-jump pit, Owens saw a tall, blue-eyed, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range.  Owens felt nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis' desire to prove "Aryan superiority," especially over blacks. At this point, the tall German introduced himself as Luz Long.

     "You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!" he said to Owens. Then Long made a suggestion. Since the qualifying distance was only 23 feet, 5 1/2 inches, why not make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jump from there, just to play it safe?

     Owens took the advice from his stiffest competition and qualified easily.  In the finals that afternoon, Jesse Owens won the gold medal with a jump of 26-5½. The first to congratulate the Olympic record holder was Luz Long.

     Owens said, "It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler.  You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the 24-karat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment."

     I wonder -- in the church, do we more often view ourselves as competitors who are trying to do better or look better than the next guy, or as friends who are there to encourage others to accomplish what we know they can do (even if it surpasses our efforts)?

     What great value there is in having (and being) a real friend.  Solomon said, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

     Indeed, woe to the man who doesn't have a friend -- someone he can talk to, someone he can lean on, someone he can pour his heart out to.  Writer Patrick Morley has made a stinging observation.  He said that while most men could recruit six pallbearers, "hardly anyone has a friend he can call at 2:00 A.M."

     Let me ask you, "Do you have a friend you can call at 2:00 in the morning?"  More importantly, are you that kind of friend to others?  Solomon said that "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17).  Who do you have in your life that you can turn to without hesitation in the midst of adversity?  Who do you know that can confidently turn to you?

     We need to be reminded by the example of Luz Long that we were not created by God to compete with one another; we were created to encourage and exhort one another.  God intended for us to be (and have) friends.

-alan smith

! refuse

I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
And here's the reason why...

I have a God who's mighty,
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
And I am on His team.

He is all-wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same,

My God knows all that's happening;
Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threaten
To rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.

And when my heart melts within me,
And weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.

The great "I AM" is with me,
My life is in His hand,
The "Son of God" is my hope,
It's in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God
He has promised to be with me,
As through this life I trod.

I'm looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God,
I'm resting in His love.

I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the victory's mine;
He'll help me  with grace to win the race.
- b j george, But "Inspired By Our Lord Jesus Christ"

pattern

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18. 

If we gaze even a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we turn away our eyes, the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look. Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness. We cannot see anything else, or talk of anything else. His image is imprinted upon the eye of the soul, and affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our whole nature. By beholding, we are conformed to the divine similitude, even the likeness of Christ. To all with whom we associate we reflect the bright and cheerful beams of His righteousness. 

Jesus was a perfect pattern of what we should be. He was the strictest observer of His Father’s law, yet He moved in perfect freedom. He had all the fervor of the enthusiast, yet He was calm, sober, and self-possessed. He was elevated above the common affairs of the world, yet He did not exclude Himself from society. He dined with publicans and sinners, played with little children, and took them in His arms and blessed them. He graced the wedding feast with His presence. He shed tears at the grave of Lazarus. He was a lover of the beautiful in nature and used the lilies to illustrate the value of natural simplicity in the sight of God, above artificial display. He used the occupation of the husbandman to illustrate the most sublime truths.... 

His zeal never degenerated into passion nor His consistency into selfish obstinacy. His benevolence never savored of weakness nor His sympathy of sentimentalism. He combined the innocence and simplicity of the child with manly strength, all-absorbing devotion to God with tender love for man. He possessed commanding dignity combined with winning grace of humility. He manifested unyielding firmness with gentleness. May we live daily in close connection with this perfect, faultless character. 

We have not six patterns to follow, nor five; we have only one, and that is Christ Jesus. – 

-ellen g white, heavenly places pg 54

face

Robert Louis Stevenson loved to recount the story of a ship tossed in a storm. The sea was rough and the rocky coast perilous. Danger was real and dread expectancy active among the seamen. 

One frantic sailor who was laboring below the water line could contain himself no longer. He rushed to the control room, closed the door behind himself, and stood frozen in fright watching the captain wrestle with the controls of the huge ship.

Skill of mind and strength of hand enabled the captain to guide the vessel through the threatening rocks into open water. The Captain turned slightly, looked at the frightened sailor, and smiled. 

The youth returned below deck and assured the crew all danger was over. When they inquired how he knew, he answered, "I have seen the face of the Captain, and he smiled at me."

If you will only "turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." When you know who is in control, there is no fear.

-author unkown

$72

The Arizona Republic reported this story (so I'm assuming this story really is true!):

 

"As Terry Mikel was speeding toward Tucson, he passed a car, an unmarked Arizona Highway Patrol car. The officer pulled Terry over. When Terry explained that he was late for a class he was teaching at the University of Arizona, the officer took pity on him and let him off with a warning. Before he went back to his car he said, `Slow down and drive safe.'

 

"Terry felt obligated to correct him. `Excuse me, Sir, but it should be "Slow down and drive safely. You said, "Drive safe."'

 

"The officer walked back to his car and wrote him a $72 speeding ticket."

 

We can't do it, can we? We just can't seem to keep our mouths shut! Looking back, we know we shouldn't have said a word, but at the time we felt so compelled to speak.

 

Maybe you didn't get a ticket as a result, but you've done something just as foolish, haven't you? Maybe even this morning, before reading this message. Maybe even before leaving your house! James was so right when he wrote,

 

"If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body..... For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue." (James 2b,7-8a)

 

That's not an excuse, incidentally, to let our tongues run wild. Rather, it's a challenge. As hard as it may be to control our tongues, it is essential that we as Christians strive to do just that. We stand to lose more than $72 if we fail to do so.

 

"He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction." (Proverbs 13:3)

 

"Lord, we truly want to use our tongues to Your glory this day. As difficult as it may be, help us to guard our mouths as we resist the temptation to speak at those times when we ought to keep quiet. In Jesus' name, amen."

-alan smith

cord

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8. 

Measure the cord, if you can, that has been let down from heaven to lift man up. The only estimate we can give you of the length of that chain is to point you to Calvary. 

Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? ... 

Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God. The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Our only hope is perfect trust in the blood of Him who can save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary is our only hope in this world, and it will be our theme in the world to come. Oh, we do not comprehend the value of the atonement! If we did, we would talk more about it. The gift of God in His beloved Son was the expression of an incomprehensible love. It was the utmost that God could do to preserve the honor of His law, and still save the transgressor.

Jesus placed the cross in line with the light coming from heaven, for it is there that it shall catch the eye of man. The cross is in direct line with the shining of the divine countenances, so that by beholding the cross men may see and know God and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent. In beholding God we behold the One who poured out His soul unto death. In beholding the cross the view is extended to God, and His hatred of sin is discerned. But while we behold in the cross God’s hatred of sin, we also behold His love for sinners, which is stronger than death. To the world the cross is the incontrovertible argument that God is truth and light and love. 

-e g white our high calling pg45