THERE IS A FRIEND ...

There is a friend
that is so much a part of you, that you feel alone just thinking about the thought of her not being there.

There is a friendship
that has so much that it is based on that nothing could ever dissolve or even threaten it.

There is a friend
with whom you share so much history that one fight or misunderstanding rolls off nearly instantaneously,
because one issue is so insignificant, and could never come close to shattering the bond.

There is a friendship
that cannot always be explained, but only understood and cherished by the two people that share it.

There is a friend
that mean so much to you, that you honestly believe you would stop studying for a final exam, break a date with your crush of five years, or risk being grounded just so you could be there to lend a shoulder to cry on, offer a hug, or spend three hours just sitting with her if that would make it at all better.

There is a friendship
that has lasted through fourteen years of your life, and is still growing.

There is a friend
who you can talk to about something that happened when you were eight years old, and she can relive that moment so vividly along with you...

There is a friend
that knows you as well as you know yourself, and finds it special that you know her just as well.

There is a friend
who can make you smile through your tears, or cry out of happiness.

There is a friend
who is always there for you, and just realizing that she would be there is more than enough to make it better.

There is a friend
who cares about clearing away your tears no less if you are crying over absolutely nothing or over something she may have done to hurt you.

I have one friend like that, and it is that friend that will always occupy a precious part of my heart.

Do You Love God?

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).

The promise of Romans 8:28 that "all things work together for good" is only given to "them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Do you love God?

By nature, no one loves God. We are all born in sin, we practice sin and are spiritually dead before God. Instead of loving God, we are His enemy (Romans 5:10) haters of God (Romans 1:30), and walk "according to [Satan] the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). Instead of loving God, we love ourselves (2 Timothy 3:2), we love our sins (Romans 1:28-32), and we love pleasures more than God (2 Timothy 3:5). Such is the condition of every person born into the world. This is not a pretty picture, and we may not like it, but it is the truth of God's Word as to our lost and ruined condition before the God to whom we must give account.

Though we don't love God, "He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." This means that God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer the punishment we deserve for our sins as He hung on Calvary's cross. Being sinless, He alone was able to provide a sacrifice acceptable to God. God did accept Christ's death in payment of our sins in that He raised Him from the dead. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Oh what love God has for us--for you and for me!

Jesus said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matthew 22:37). Now the question remains--how can a sinner love God? The answer is clear and plain. Believe with all your heart that you "have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and that Christ "bore your sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). By trusting Christ as your personal Saviour, you have the assurance from the God who loves you, "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). The believer in Christ will then be able to say, "Yes, I love God," because "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5). You will love Him as One who saved you from the burning fires of hell. You will have a divine nature with new desires, including love for God, love for God's Word and love for God's people.

Fifty Ways to Please God

1 Without faith it is impossible to please [God] (Hebrews 11:6).

2 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31).

3 He that believeth on the Son [Jesus Christ] hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36).

4 Believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

5 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve (Matt. 4:10).

6 Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

7 Worship [God] ... in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

8 Obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

9 Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto unto God (Romans 12:1).

10 Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

11 Desire spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1).

12 Stand fast in the faith (1 Cor. 16:13).

13 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30).

14 Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

15 Study to show thyself approved unto God ... rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16).

17 Seek those things which are above ... set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1,2).

18 Rejoice in the Lord alway (Phil. 4:4).

19 Praying ... in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18).

20 Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).

21 Quench not the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19).

22 Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him (Colossians 3:17).

23 In every thing give thanks (1 Thess. 5:18).

24 Offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually (Hebrews 13:15).

25 Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

26 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me (Matthew 11:29).

27 Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour (2 Peter 3:18).

28 Sanctify the Lord God in your heart (1 Peter 3:15).

29 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

30 Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

31 Submit yourselves to God (James 4:7).

32 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

33 Reckon ... yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God (Romans 6:11).

34 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14).

35 Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19).

36 Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (Hebrews 10:23).

37 Make straight paths for your feet (Hebrews 12:13).

38 Flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18).

39 Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:20).

40 Refuse not Him that speaketh (Hebrews 12:25).

41 Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord (Hebrews 12:5).

42 Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you (1 Peter 5:7).

43 Live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:12).

44 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine (1 Timothy 4:16).

45 Neglect not the gift that is in thee (1 Timothy 4:14).

46 Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32).

47 Keep yourselves in the love of God (Jude 21).

48 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world (1 John 2:15).

49 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

50 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God (2 Peter 3:12).