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“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”-and he was called a friend of God.” (James 2:23) I wonder what kind of relationship with God you aspire to? Do you see yourself as a follower of Jesus, or perhaps a disciple? In the Old Testament, we read of two people who were called a friend of God. What a beautiful statement. Abraham, as we read in the tile verse, was one of the two who were described as friends. Moses was the second one. “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” (Exodus 33:11) Shortly before his death, Jesus referred to his disciples as ‘friends’: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15) Have you ever pondered what the characteristics are of people who become a friend of God? Why Abraham? Why Moses? Why the disciples? Scripture can shine a light on that for us. One such scripture is Psalm 25:14 NLT: "The Lord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant. “ For those who are unbelievers, fear is linked to judgement for sin and an eternity in hell. However, for believers, ‘fear’ holds a different connotation. Hebrews 12:28-29 explains: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. Reverence and awe open up the way for friendship with God. Another characteristic that opens the door to friendship with God is obedience to His will and desire for our lives. This means turning away from sin in whatever shape or form it manifests in our lives. James 4:4 reminds us: “Don’t you realise that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” As a friend of Jesus, we begin to understand who God is, that He is holy, powerful, omniscient, generous and always righteous. We develop a reverential fear of Him. We want to obey Him. As our knowledge of God grows it can actually be as though God grows before our spiritual eyes. He becomes bigger… much, much bigger! In reality, God hasn’t got bigger, we are just more able to see Him as He really is. What wonderful blessings He bestows upon His friends. “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. (John 15:26) Reverence, awe and obedience are just three of the characteristics that you will aspire to if you want to have the privilege of being a friend of God. “We, too, will have fellowship with the sublime if we know how to be perfectly obedient to the Word of the Lord.” C H Spurgeon Pauline Anderson
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Wait on the Lord Be of good courage And He shall strengthen your heart Wait I say on the Lord! (Psalms 27:14) We live in an age where so many things are obtainable immediately. We order online and receive the item the next day. We have cars instead of horse and cart air travel instead of ships that relied only on sails. We are conditioned to expect so much so quickly. The theme of waiting is referred to in the Bible at least 116 times. A very necessary part of our Christian walk involves waiting on God and fully trusting Him especially when things may look bleak. Let’s look at some examples of people in that we raed of in the Bible who didn’t wait and others who did: The following people didn’t wait on the Lord – and they didn’t receive the blessing. Aaron: Exodus 32:1 He did not wait obediently for Moses to descend Mount Horeb with dire consequences for the whole community. King Saul: 1 Samuel 13:8-14 If Saul had waited just one more hour Samuel would have arrived to offer the sacrifice. It was sinful for Saul to offer the sacrifice and he well knew it. Through his disobedience Saul lost his enduring dynasty. Last day scoffers: 2 Peter 3:3-4 They will say “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?” As with Christ’s first advent so His second coming has been clearly promised in scripture. The scoffers count themselves out of the wonderful joy we have in the anticipation of Christ’s return. The Bible narratives show that waiting is not without a struggle and in some cases matters were taken into people’s own hands. However each of them was ultimately able to see God’s faithfulness to His promises. Here are some examples of those who waited and were rewarded: Abraham and Sarah: They waited 25 years for their promised son and heir and it was through this line that Christ would eventually come. Joseph: He waited 13 years in prison for God’s promise to him to begin to be fulfilled. And fulfilled it was!!! Moses: He waited 40 years in the ‘back side of the desert’ until God spoke to him from the burning bush then another 40 years to take Israel to their promised land. David: He waited 15 years from being anointed to becoming king. Through many hard trials and difficulties God’s promise to him was fulfilled. I waited patiently for the Lord he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit out of the mud and mire he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth a hymn of praise to our God. (Psalm 40) If you are in a season of waiting for God for His promise of deliverance through difficult circumstances take courage from the countless lives who faithfully waited for His time. Wait and you will not be disappointed. But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31) Peter Hodson. In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain.’ (Psalm 11:1) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, better known as the Shah of Iran, fled from his home country in January 1979 as it sunk into bitter revolution. For the next 18 months, he was a hunted man who moved from place to place, from country to country for safety. He never found a place of permanent refuge and died a fugitive. King David knew what it was like to be a fugitive. For almost seven years he fled the murderous pursuit of King Saul. Many years later he would flee for his life from his son Absalom who tried to steal his kingdom from him. Yet, it was this same David who wrote the words, of the verse above. David would not flee. He had found his refuge in God. This causes us to consider the question: “When things get difficult, where do you flee to? Where do you take refuge? I work in a rehabilitation centre where I meet people who, for many years in some instances, found refuge in substance abuse and alcohol. The pain was numbed, the memories of past trauma dimmed….at least for a while until the effect wore off and the process began all over again. Here are other much sought out ‘places’ of refuge:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) I once read the following comment: “God’s business is putting things right and setting us straight. So, why run?” Why flee to another mountain? Spurgeon summed up the position of man beautifully when he said: “I have a great need for Christ. I have a great Christ for my need.” So, before you ‘phone a friend’ or binge on Netflix why not stop, give God a chance, make Him your “go to”. Pauline Ann Anderson You will be a crown of splendour in the LORD’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62:3) As we look back over our spiritual journey of 2023, some will reminisce with rejoicing while others will reminisce with regret. However, whatever the path you have walked in 2023, a new year has dawned for you with the opportunity to become something of beauty in God’s sight, in fulfilment of the promise set forth in Isaiah. If this is your desire, here are a few principles that can help you: 1. Make Bible Reading a habit. Dwight L. Moody said, “The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” 2. Make Church Attendance a priority. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do.” (Hebrews 10:25) 3. Make Obedience a way of life. “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19) 4. Live an Outward Focused Life. “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4) 5. Learn to Pray. “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (Luke 5:16) NOTE: The NIV Study Bible tells us that 'The Greek verb tense indicates that Jesus habitually withdrew for prayer.' It was His habit to withdraw. Is it our habit to withdraw and pray? There are so many things that lure us away from prayer. So many things to entice us, to distract us. Are you easily distracted from prayer? All of the above help transform us into a ‘crown of splendour’ but there is something else we must do. We must learn to ride out the storms. O storm-battered city, troubled and desolate! I will rebuild you with precious jewels. (Isaiah 54:11) You can make a choice to “manage not to be destroyed, harmed, or permanently affected by the difficult situation you experience.”(Cambridge Dictionary). You allow the tempest to drive you into a deeper place of trust and reliance upon God. You mediate upon God, and, even in the midst of being ‘storm-battered’, you ‘behold (His) face in righteousness’ (Psalm 15:17). You decide just not to give in. You decide to trust Him. On New Year’s morning 1892, a month away from his death, Spurgeon said these words “Let me tell you, in a few words, what I see as I look into the new year.” He then went on to speak about · God’s Sovereignty · God’s Guidance · God’s Strength · God Glorified Keep your eyes on these things and you can ride out any storm that assails you in 2024. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor 3:18) Happy New Year to you all.
Pauline Ann Anderson |
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Struthers Memorial Church is a registered Scottish Charity No. SC 006960 | Struthers Memorial Church is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland Company No SC335480 | Registered Office: 33 West Stewart Street, Greenock, PA15 1SH. |