Best Friends...

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 15:22-31 ~~~ Psalm 57 ~~~

~~~ John 15:12-17 ~~~

I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything
 I have heard from my Father.

Throughout our life we have many acquaintances,
but out of those only a few are friends.

However you define friends it comes back
 to what you share together.

Friends share their everyday lives.
Friends share the secrets of the heart.
Friends share their hopes and dreams.
Friends share their fears and frustrations.
Friends share what matters most to them.
Friends share a mutual care and concern for each other.
Friends share their love for one another.

Jesus calls us his friends today.
He calls us friends because he has shared all of himself with us.
Jesus calls us friends because he has revealed
 the very essence of who he is to us.

Assuming you do have friends,
do you consider Jesus to be among them?

Do you share more with your girl friends, co-worker,
or neighbors than you do with Jesus.

How many times do you just take the time
to sit down and visit with a friend?

How many times do you take
the time to just spend time with Jesus?
Do you consider Jesus to be among those you call friend?

Friendship is a give and take encounter between human beings.
Jesus wants to have that kind of relationship with you.
Jesus goes out on a limb and calls you friend
even before he knows how you will respond.

Jesus calls you friend;
he never considers the possibility that you might reject him.

We are cautious about who we call our friend.
Jesus shared with us the inner most part of his life.
Jesus shared with us what the Father had shared with him.

Jesus is waiting ready to listen to your inner most being.
Friends do not reject or judge...
Friends support, encourage, and forgive.

Jesus taught us the true meaning of being a friend...
that is to love above all things.
Nothing else matters
 if you have the love of Jesus.

We can join in the chorus...
thank you for being a friend.

Next time you are sharing with a friend remember
this is exactly the kind of relationship
Jesus wants with you.

Cherish your friends;
 they represent the relationship Jesus
wants to have with you.

Treat Jesus as you would treat your best friend.
Blessed with best friends.
~~~Peace~~~

Part of the Family

~~~ Proverbs 21: 1-6, 10-13 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Luke 8: 19-21 ~~~

 

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you."
He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

 

These few verses from Luke's gospel hold basic truths for us today.

Even those who appear to have a relationship with the Lord may not.

Even those who claim kinship with the Lord may not be who they claim to be.

 

I am not attempting here to discount the literal text,

instead I am putting it in a much boarder context.

 

Jesus was tucked into the crowd...inaccessible to those outside the group.

If you do not have access to the Lord it makes things so much more difficult.

When you cannot see the Lord you must carry on relying on your faith alone.

 

Why didn't the crowd just make a path allowing

Mary at least to come in closer to her son?

This is not the point of this text.

 

Why didn't Jesus ask that his mother be brought in closer to him?

This is not the point of this text either.

 

What was so urgent that Mary came to the place where Jesus was doing his

father's business?

This is not the point of the text either.

 

Jesus goes on to make the statement..

"My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

 

If you want to be considered a part of the family

there are a couple of qualifications.

 

First you must be able and willing to hear the word of God.

 

Second you must be committed enough to take action.

 

Becoming a part of the family of God happens at Baptism.

Our Baptism is only the beginning though.

 

As a result of our being welcomed into the family we must follow up.

We must take the time to hear the word of God through the scripture.

We must make the effort to not just hear the words

but really tune in to their meaning.

 

What is the message expressed through the word of God?

We can only gain insight by spending time with scripture;

every day if possible.

 

The more time we devote to studying the word of God

the better we will grasp the meaning.

 

 

When we have really heard the word of God

then we can act on it accordingly.

 

Once we hear; the Holy Spirit can stir up our hearts to take action.

If we are to be in a 'family' relationship with God

we should act in a manner worthy of that place.

 

Jesus clearly states that all who hear the word of God

and act on it are his relatives.

Please note that he was not satisfied with our only hearing the word.

 

It is almost a waste of time to just hear the word.

Your actions must be aligned with what you are hearing.

 

Whether you hear or not; all will be reflected through your actions.

 

Join me in prayer:

Lord, let my actions always be the fruit of hearing your words.

Place in my heart a deep longing for your words.

Give me the desire to love your holy scriptures.

 

Each of us can have an intimate family relationship with Jesus.

You don't belong standing outside.

It is not an option!

You are part of the Family.