Real friendship has fallen on the rocks in these days of cheap, easy friends through social media. We can have thousands of Facebook friends and yet not so much as one real friend. Or, we could be connected with several true friends through social media but because of the nature of the relationship (through posts, pics, and likes) we lose sight of what a real friend is supposed to be and do. I hope these posts on friendship help you think through the kind of friend you are and the kind of friends you have. Having good, close friends is a real treasure and blessing in life that should never be taken for granted. And now that we’ve covered the things to look for and avoid in choosing friends, I’d like to give you some advice about relationships. Continue reading “The pitfalls to avoid in friendships”
What to avoid in looking for a friend
Yesterday I gave some suggestions about what to look for in a friend. Three traits that mark a good friend are a fear of God, loyalty, and honesty. Today I’d like to suggest four traits that you should avoid in looking for a friend. Continue reading “What to avoid in looking for a friend”
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What to look for in a friend
A good friend is a rare treasure. There are some people we’re sure are trusted and dependable friends; but trouble comes and they abandon us. And there are others of whom we’re unsure who, in trouble, prove to be true to us. So what should we look for and avoid in making friends? Continue reading “What to look for in a friend”
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What’s so bad about pride?
“There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves…. There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others” (C. S. Lewis). That universal vice, that most unpopular fault, is pride. Continue reading “What’s so bad about pride?”
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The church’s inner life of prayer, Col 4.2-4
One of the best ways our weekly gatherings for worship help us is by teaching us and reminding us of our corporate spirituality. And we really do need to be reminded of this. We’re so in tune with our individual spirituality that we’re prone to forget our corporate spirituality. Continue reading “The church’s inner life of prayer, Col 4.2-4”
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Is Jesus precious to you?
Precious things are things we dearly prize, things we keep close, watch closely, and, in a sense cannot live without. We like many things and would not easily part with them, but precious things are things we love and can’t bear to be without. I wonder, how precious is Jesus to you? Continue reading “Is Jesus precious to you?”
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Thoughts of His return
Today my thoughts are taken up with our Lord’s promise to return for His church. I think of His words in Jn 14.2-3, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” O the joy of that promise! O the blessing of those precious words to my soul! Will you pause and think with me a moment? Continue reading “Thoughts of His return”
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Thoughts of hell
Having shared some thoughts of heaven and of earth over the last two days, it might be expected that today I would share thoughts of hell. And what heavy and sad thoughts they are… Hell is not a pleasant thing to think about; but we can’t escape the fact that our Saviour and His Holy Scripture put it before our minds repeatedly and honestly in an effort to strike the conscience with the truth and fearfulness of it. We must, therefore, think of hell. But alas! there’s nothing good that can be said about it. Continue reading “Thoughts of hell”
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Thoughts of earth
My thoughts soared high yesterday as I dwelt upon the joys, the happiness, and the eternal fullness of living in the presence of God and growing in the knowledge of God forever. Today my thoughts are sobered by the present realities of dwelling upon this earth. Life, as the poets say, is a vale of tears. Jesus said, in this world you will have tribulation (Jn 16.33), and Paul said, we must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations (Acts 14.22). Why, then, should we expect comfort in this world? Continue reading “Thoughts of earth”
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Thoughts of heaven
This morning I spent some time meditating upon heaven. It is such a vast subject that I found myself lost in the thoughts of it! The joys that await us cannot be less infinite than the God in whom we’ll find those joys and from whom we’ll receive them. And though our souls shall be perfect in comparison to what they are now, and delighted and ravished with the presence of God Most High, yet they shall ever be on the increase, growing wiser and wiser in God as the ages roll on eternally. Let me share some of my thoughts with you. Continue reading “Thoughts of heaven”
