The Finding of “Real Friendship”

By brother george

If John Wayne were here, he would probably say;
“Men become Men in the company of Men”
Well, Men here we are, let’s get to it; Do we want to project the
John Wayne image “ I do not need anybody ” or do we want to
improve our lives and man up to get better connected with God.
It is your choice, do it on your own and travel around in circles
with the lost or read the directions God gave you.

I have made study notes on a few Scriptures that reveal; what
is real friendship, why God wants us to have real friendships,
and how do we become real friends. God’s directions are like
bricks to be placed one by one for you to build upon. You must
do the hard part of building “Real Friendships”.

Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.

“love at all times” is loyalty and that is the greatest proof of a
real friendship. Loyalty is being a real friend available to help
a brother during a difficult time.

Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a
friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Many people are those fair weather companions around for their
enjoyment, but leave when they are not benefiting. We need a real
friend who will stick close as a brother and be there for us if needed.

John 13:34-35 (NIV)
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another."

Jesus says our Christ- like love will show that we are His disciples.
We show we are Jesus followers by helping a brother when it
is not easy, sharing when it hurts, giving time for his welfare,
by taking a hurt without complaint. Our actions will speak loudly
to others. Be aware that the only Bible being read by some men
is you.

John 15:12-15 (NIV)
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for
his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 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.

Jesus laid down His life with love for us. We are told to love
each other as Jesus loved us. There are many ways for us to
demonstrate our love by; listening, praying, sharing, helping,
and encouraging. Jesus called His disciples friends and thus
by extension all His followers are His friends. We as followers
are called to be His friend, to love Him and to love one another.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward
love and good deeds.
25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit
of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more
as you see the Day approaching.

Fellowship is a gift from Christ it helps us grow in faith, overcome
doubts, improves our connection with God and encourages one
another. Let Christ’s love motivate you to care for your brothers.
To neglect Christian meetings is to give up encouragement to
your brothers. We come together to share our faith and strengthen
one another in the Lord. We should never consider excuses for not
attending Christian meetings. If difficulties occur we should make
greater effort to overcome and be faithful in our attendance. Your
attendance demonstrates the value you place on your brothers and
their friendship.

Romans 12:10 (NIV)
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another
above yourselves.

Brotherly Love is devotion to other Christian men with a family
type of love not based on our personal attraction. Men do not
deprive yourself and your brothers of real friendship. Look
around and you will find a brother who needs your friendship.
Ask God to reveal one to you and take the challenge of being a
real friend. Stop wishing you could find a real friend, become one.
Increase your opportunities by placing yourself in situations
where friendships can develop. Place yourself in the way of
friendship with an activity such as a church ministry.
Christianity is not meant to be a spectator sport, get on the team,
get off the bench and get in the game.

Heavenly Father, our prayer is for your help for inward changes
that will increase our capacity for friendship, and for the
opportunities to develop real friendships. This is asked for as it
is in your word and in the name of Jesus, amen.

Castaways are by Choice

Sometimes, “Do you feel as though you are alone on an island?”

Today, more people are feeling isolated than any time in our history.

People are not really getting connected for any meaningful purpose.

Men are still projecting I am "OK" or I don't need anybody image.

Sure, we have casual friends and we have busy lives, maybe too busy.

Some of us pursue relief and comfort outside of God’s plan,
that only provides a greater division in our relationships.

As examples; some of us busy ourselves in work, or sports,
or a hobby that avoids dealing with life’s disappointments.

These diversions are not helping anyone spiritually or relationally.

Most men are not connecting on an honest level with other men.

Brothers relating to brothers, that is how God wants us to be.

Caring about a brother and feeling that a brother cares about you.

Buddy System; watching each other’s back, praying for your buddy,
encouraging your buddy, and sharing some activities together.

Brothers helping each other to be the man, God wants us to be.

When one brother shows he cares about a another brother,
this encourages that brother to care more for his brothers.

What goes around comes around and the more we reach out to our
brothers the more we will receive from God and from our brothers.

You can develop good bonding between brothers through team work
in a church activity or an outreach project or offer to help a brother.

A few examples are church ushers, housekeeping, ride sharing,
painting, repair projects or any shared worthwhile activity.

This bonding between two or more brothers sharing their time
with each other is a great morale booster to all the brothers.

This is what a congregation family is about, caring about each
other and be forgiving of your brothers rough spots with love.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;
give preference to one another in honor. (Rom. 12:10 NASB)

Brotherly Love is too be devoted to other Christians with a family
type of love, that is not based on our personal attraction.

Too show genuine appreciation for fellow believers by serving them.

Who has got your back? Reach out until you’re a brother’s buddy!

Just spend a little time with a brother and find a really good friend.

“Do not become an island or a Castaway, be God's connection."

JOY

by Sister Joan

On some days every women knows, it is hard to be cheerful.
Recently while praying; the Holy Spirit gave me “just one word” “JOY”.
I was puzzled; Did God want me to be more joyful? I’ll try to do that.
The Holy Spirit impressed upon me to share "Joy" with my sisters.

”For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but
of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”(Romans 14:17)

God wants us, not only to love Him with all our hearts and to love one
another, but to also be full of His joy. God has made it very clear:
He intends that His Joy should become our joy.
God wants believers to share His love with His joy in their hearts.

God’s glorious and inexpressible joy can be ours.
“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you

do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly Rejoice with Joy

inexpressible and full of Glory.” (1 Peter 1:8)

How does God define Joy?
God defines Joy as an attitude, a choice from within us.
So then, what is Gods Joy?
Joy is the heart of God’s plan and Joy is our strength.
When we draw strength from joy, it makes us less likely to be tempted.
God’s aim is for us to be filled with joy – that His Joy will be in us.
Joy is also necessary for Spiritual life. Your joy is your responsibility.
If you miss out on joy, you miss out on the reason for your existence.
Rejoice in every moment of life, because every moment is a gift from God.
Every day is God’s day, so rejoice in it.

If we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, then one of the results is
supposed to be “ Joy”. The Bible says, Joy is a fruit of the Spirit.
Then what prevents this precious Spiritual fruit from growing ?
Many different weeds can choke it. Like neglect & inattention can stunt it.
Carelessness can wither it before it has a chance to thrive.
A healthy, happy joyful soul does not grow without tender diligent care.
Having an abiding attitude of thanksgiving regardless of circumstances.

How, then, is it possible to become a joyful person in a pain filled world ?
We can because; God’s way allows us to hold on to our joy no matter

what heart breaks we face. It is a way that has nothing to do with us and

everything to do with HIM. Whatever you are facing, you need not let your

fear dictate feelings and actions. Your big stuff may be big, but God is bigger.

Jesus told us in this world you will have trouble, but take heart !

I have overcome the world.

Remember; God wants us to be joyful children and to share that joy with the world and each other. When you see a sister down, upset, discourage, what- ever state she is in, lift her up in prayer, comfort her, encourage her to help restore her joy. Realize she is under attack. The enemy would like nothing better than to take her joy away.

Without Love, there is no Joy.
Help us Father to be joyful Christians, help us to claim your joy, and
knowing that your joy is in us you will use it to reach others, amen.

“Just Imagine, Your Destination”

by brother george

Imagine, this world without God, and there would be only evil.
Imagine, how horrible this world would be with only evil.
Thank you, God for balancing evil with your goodness.
Thank you, God for providing us with a choice.
Imagine, this world without evil, and there would be only love.
Imagine how wonderful this world will be with only love.
Our Bible tells us, that wonderful world will come.
God has provided everyone a choice before that day.
The final day of choice has already come for many.
Life’s journey is short, have you made that choice?

You can right now make that choice, through prayer.
The prayer of faith, if you proclaim; “Jesus is Lord” and
believe in your heart that God raise Him from the dead,
you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

Lord, I know that I need your grace, and I ask for your mercy.
I ask forgiveness for all my sins. I believe that Jesus died on
the cross for my sins and rose again. I ask for the Holy Spirit to
come into my life and into my heart. All this I ask in Jesus’ name,
amen.

What Happens When I Die ? !

By brother george

We have all asked that question. Sooner or later someone will ask
you,”What happens to us after we die ?” I believe the Bible reveals
many truths about death, afterlife, eternal life, and heaven .

The Bible Scriptures tell us that, Believers will never perish, never
die, have eternal life, everlasting life, live forever. Included in the
Scriptures are also the Scripture verses that are spoken by Jesus. I
believe those verses are giving you the truth directly from God’s Son.

If you believe in God and accept the Bible as God’s Word, there you
will find your true answers. I have selected a few of the Scripture
verses that You could find in the New Testament as examples of
God’s plan for us.

That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
( John,3:15 )

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
( John,3:16 )

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes
in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into
judgment, but has passed from death into life.( John,5:24 )

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when
the Dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear
will live. ( John,5:25 )

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which
endures To everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you,
because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” ( John,6:27 )

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting
life. ( John,6:47 )

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone
eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give
is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” ( John,6:51 )

"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither
shall Anyone snatch them out of My hand." ( John,10:28 )

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live". ( John,11:25 )

"And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you
believe this ?” (John,11:26)

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this
life is in His Son. ( 1 John,5:11 )

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God
does not have life. ( 1 John 5:12 )

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that
you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
( 1 John 5:13 )

but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus
Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel, ( 2 Timothy 1:10 )

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we
have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in
the heavens. ( 2 Corinthians 5:1 )

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait
for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ( Philippians 3:20 )

who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His
glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to
subdue all things to Himself. ( Philippians 3:21 )

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will
bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:14 )

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are
alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means
precede those who are asleep. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:15 )

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the
dead in Christ will rise first. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16 )

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall
always be with the Lord. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17 )

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John,14:2)

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John,14:3)

Consider that we may exist as a physical body with a individual soul
and spirit. We know our physical body dies and we know from the
Bible that the physical body can be resurrected. We know that, when
our physical body dies our soul and spirit leaves the Body. Your soul
and spirit, that is you and you leave your body and face God upon
death of that body. The flesh body may be considered sleeping or at
rest as it can be (regardless of it’s form) resurrected by God. The
spirit and Soul of a believer is eternal and will be united with Christ
at the very moment that the Physical body ceases to be awake. The
physical body of the believer is mortal and will perish or sleep until
the day of the final resurrection.

The Bible says we will be changed and that Salvation is your choice.

Four Ways To Do One to One

(Starting Well - Chapter Twelve)
By Joan Esherick

This author realized discipling was a gift, that she needed to
give to others. She wrote there are more ways to disciple than
you might think. Joan gives us four of her discipling experiences
to show what God can do when one believer invests into another.

Case One; “The Study Method”, for a new believer; set a weekly
meeting day, a session duration time, and a finish date. Show
this new believer by your example how to pray before and after
each study session. You invest the effort and entrust all the
results to God.

Case Two; “The Grow Method”, to deepen your disciples faith set
a biweekly meeting day, session duration time, monthly special
outing dates, and a mini-retreat date, also a finish date. Examine
Bible study methods and devotional practices of your disciple.
The results of your examination may give you some good places to
start strengthening this disciple.

Open your library and show your study tools; Topical Bibles,
Bible Dictionaries, concordances, commentaries, Christian Classics.
Then explain how useful these are as study tools. Encourage your
disciples to do study on their own and afterwards discuss their
findings. Spend time together outside of the study sessions to
discuss the everyday type of challenges.

Case Three; “Walk Method”, frequent informal meetings over a long
duration. Welcome your new disciple into your home and life. This
is a life to life relationship that is a friendship of conversations,
helping each other, also sharing struggles and victories.

Case Four; “Help Method”, contact by phone and informal get
together in person as needed. This is a short term crisis intervention
until the proper support group is established. You are Comforting,
listening, and encouraging them. As others begin to fulfill the
needs you may withdraw.

You “seek God first” (we can not repeat that enough) and follow
His guidance for the method best suited for the disciple to whom
He leads you.

Recommended by brother george

Scratching Where They Itch

(Starting Well - Chapter Eleven)
By Mistie Hutchison

“Discerning your disciple’s needs”, that is the hard part of discipling.
Obvious, is how Mistie described asking God for guidance.
(chapter ten, ”Tell God first”. Let us keep repeating that principle)
God will reveal needs that you may not normally see. Jesus spent
time in prayer before major decisions, such as choosing His disciples.
(Luke 6:12-13)

Listen attentively to what your disciples are saying. You need to
know what is going on inside them, if you are to serve their real
needs. This means you really hear them and you are seeing their
emotions and circumstances.

Asking good questions can be helpful in finding those needs.
Mistie suggested a few questions to ask in the beginning of a
discipling relationship;
“Where would you like to improve your life ?”
“What do you feel your needs are ?”
“How can I help you ?”

When someone is asked; ”What are your needs ?”
There may be a difference between their felt need and their real
need. Felt needs are what a person thinks is most important for
their life. A real need can be defined as a need that God has placed
in our lives. The process of finding someone’s real needs may
require time, careful listening, asking questions, and getting into
the Scriptures.

Being a part of God’s work in another person’s life will be worth the
time and effort if you ask God first and you follow His guidance.

Recommended by brother george