Friendship

The first Sunday in August is designated as national Friendship Day.  The emphasis of that day encourages us to do several things.  First, thank God for the friends that you have and which you enjoy.  Second, determine that you are going to be a good friend to another person.  Third, plan some special activities that you will share with a friend.  As we expand our thinking about friendship, it might be helpful to examine some of the interesting ideas that the Bible points out about friendship.

1)    Focus.  Friendships that take our focus away from Christ should not be made. “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4).  It seems fairly easy to make a distinction between “the world” and those who are “not of the world.”  If people are not living according to the Biblical principles and exhortations, they are “of the world.”  Those who live a godly life following the Bible are “not of the world.”

2)    Separation.  Friendships should be made cautiously, lest others pull us away from God. “A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray” (Proverbs 12:26).  Those people who live in ungodly ways and contrary to Biblical principles are individuals with whom one should not associate in a social manner.

3)    Change.  Sometimes a so-called friend may turn against us. “In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.  They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship” (Psalms 109:4-5). Are there people who are accusatory when it comes to their relationship with you and other people?  Do you find them doing evil things to you and to others?  Do not begin a friendship with such a person or break off a former friendship relationship you have had with them so you can focus on that which is positive and godly.

4)    Personal.  A personal friendship with God is possible. “Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God's intimate friendship blessed my house” (Job 29:4).  Where have you found God blessing your life?  Can you identify several things that God has done for you showing his mercy and grace?  Take time to develop your relationship with God to give you the strength you need to live in godly ways.

What do these verses tell us?  Do they mean that we cannot be friends with those who do not believe like we do?  Of course, the answer is “no.”  “God loved the world (each individual) so much that he gave His one and only Son (Jesus) to die for them that they might heave eternal life” (John 3:16).  Scripture also reminds us that we are to “Love one another” (I John 4:11-12).

People who name the name of Christ and have put their faith and trust in Christ as their Savior, ought to live in such a way that their life points others to the Savior.  Jesus gave this command, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:6). Should we love the world?  “Yes”.  Should we show ourselves friendly?  “Yes.”  However, let’s make sure our friendships are those which will lead us and others to the Savior instead of away from Him.

A Resolution

Many people make a resolution at the beginning of the New Year.  Some people do not because they are afraid that they will not be able to keep the resolution they make.  However, I encourage everyone who reads this article to seriously consider making this resolution: “I resolve to revolve around Christ.”  As you make that resolution, I encourage you to consider a similar resolution the Apostle Paul made when he said, “All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

Notice three important aspects of this resolution:

1)    The resolution is singular in purpose – “all I want.”  It seems that when making a decision, lots of options could be helpful.  However, when too many options are available, decision-making becomes increasingly difficult.  For example, some fast-food chains purposely limit the items on their menu realizing that too many options often complicate decisions for people.  The Apostle Paul had an earnest desire that excluded everything in his life that was not essential.  At the same time, he was very much aware of those things that were of worth and had value.  How about you?  Are you ready to become singular in purpose in this New Year? 

2)    The resolution has a heavenly focus – “to know Christ.”  There is a Christian chorus about a person’s relationship with Christ entitled “The greatest thing in all my life is knowing You.”  The “You” to know, of course, is Christ and that was Paul’s focus.  Notice how the Amplified Bible paraphrases this same verse.  It says, “For my determined purpose is that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly” (Philippians 3:10). How about having the goal of getting to know Christ better this New Year?

 3)    The resolution includes a dynamic encounter – “to experience the power.”  When astronauts sit on top of powerful booster rockets which thrust their Space Capsule into orbit, they experience a controlled power that is indescribable.  And yet this man-made power pales in comparison with the fantastic power that is available to the Christian.  Paul calls this resurrection power.  The power of God that brought Christ from the dead is the same kind of power the believer can experience.  In other portions of scripture, it is said that the individual who has a personal relationship with God has “been raised with Christ” (Colossians 3:1).  Are you ready for a dynamic on-going encounter with Christ in this New Year?

May this New Year be a year in which your resolution is to revolve around Christ and may you experience all the wonderful blessings He has in store for you as you get to know Him better and more intimately.

Something is Missing

Something is missing.  What can it be?  Oh, yes.  It’s the State Fair that is missing this year.  The Great Minnesota Get-Together has been canceled for 2020 because of the Coronavirus.  Of course, many people are extremely disappointed because this event is missing.  Isn’t it interesting that we are disappointed, sometimes frustrated or even annoyed when something is missing?  It is not just the State Fair, but lots of other things that may be missing from time to time.  For example, I may forget to put my wallet in my pocket in the morning before leaving the house for the day.  When I discover it is missing, I am frustrated because it contains my driver’s license, a little bit of money and a couple of credit cards.  I may fail to insert an important word or thought in a document on which I am working.  As a result, the missing word or thought not only frustrates me but it adds additional work for me as I redo the document.  When I fail to reset my cellphone from the “do not disturb” mode and I miss an important call from a person at an organization which I needed to personally talk with, I am upset.  When something is missing, I generally do not have a good day.

This year is very unusual as lots of things are missing.  For example, we no longer can walk into a business establishment without a mask.  A store that sells goods or services that we have enjoyed in the past is closed and out of business.  We are not allowed to gather in large groups.  These things are discouraging and a little bit frustrating.  However, should the fact that any of these things are different or missing be of great concern to us?  As much as some of these missing things are a disappointment they should probably not be of great concern.

I am so glad that when it comes to God, nothing is missing.  He is completely adequate to take care of us and to meet all our needs.

1)      God’s love is not missing.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  His love is always available for everyone and at any time.

2)      God provision is not missing.  II Peter 1:3 tells us, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  We can think of several things that we need.  However, many of those “needs” are simply “want” items.  The scripture further notes, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

3)      God’s purpose is not missing.  “Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people” (I John 2:2).  God took the debt of sin that you and I owed and provided His one and only son, Jesus, to die on the cross on our behalf to pay the penalty of our sin.  Romans 5:8 continues, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

What should we do when something is missing?   We should remember all the things that God provides for us which are not missing.  In addition, we should recall that:

1)      God wants our focus to be on Jesus.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”  The easiest thing for us to do is to focus on the wrong thing.  When our emphasis is on what is missing we forget the thing that is most important.

2)      God wants us to be thankful in all things.  I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  Whether things are in place as usual, whether they are different, or even permanently or temporarily missing we should be thankful.

What is Your Focus?

This is a good question to ask during these days of Covid-19. Many individuals are focused on doing what they need to do to keep themselves and their family members safe such as washing hands, personal distancing, and staying at home. Some companies are focusing on the medical needs of those who have the virus. Others are focused on finding a vaccine for the virus. Still other companies are focusing on providing masks, shields, gowns, ventilators, and other personal protective equipment. All these physical things are important. But if we continue to focus on the troubles of life, that only diverts our attention away from God.

Yes, we need to think about and work on these physical things during the Covid-19 crisis; however, people seem to dismiss, forget, or are clueless concerning focusing on the spiritual dimension of life. The Bible reminds us that there are earthly things and “things above” (heavenly things). It says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). Are earthly things important? Yes, they are. However, we should not focus on earthly things and neglect heavenly things. If we focus on “earthly things” exclusively, we will become miserable and unsatisfied. The words “set your minds” means to concentrate by using your thoughts. It means to think about, place your attention on, and to ponder the things that are heavenly. Other portions of Scripture tell us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and “fix your thoughts on Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1).

With our minds and thoughts focused on spiritual things we will have God’s strength as we turn to physical things. God says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10). A good question for all of us to consider is, “Do I keep a heavenly perspective when it comes to my focus?