I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. Psalm 119:63.
It is natural to seek companionship. Everyone will find companions or make them. And just in proportion to the strength of the friendship, will be the amount of influence which friends will exert over one another for good or for evil….
Young persons who are thrown into one another’s society may make their association a blessing or a curse. They may edify, bless, and strengthen one another, improving in deportment, in disposition, in knowledge; or, by permitting themselves to become careless and unfaithful, they may exert only a demoralizing influence.
It is by leading the followers of Christ to associate with the ungodly and unite in their amusements, that Satan is most successful in alluring them into sin…. The followers of Christ are to separate themselves from sinners, choosing their society only when there is opportunity to do them good. We cannot be too decided in shunning the company of those who exert an influence to draw us away from God. While we pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” we are to shun temptation, so far as possible.
By the choice of evil companions many have been led step by step from the path of virtue into depths of disobedience and dissipation to which at one time they would have thought it impossible for them to sink.
We may refuse to be corrupted, and place ourselves where evil association shall not corrupt our hearts. Individually the youth should seek for association with those who are toiling upward with unfaltering steps.
Better than all the friendship of the world is the friendship of Christ’s redeemed.
The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven.
The Faith I Live By p. 234
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Prayer Requests
—-Please put Ron on your prayer list he has extreme health issues has lived on the streets for a long time. and now has his own apartment low housing. his mother and sister are members. the mother is trying to live it but the daughter is doing horrible.. physically and spiritually. thank you M.
—-Pray that God will guide my children in the way they should go. Buck
—-Please pray for Jake who is in the hospital. K
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Dear Friends,
One time, as Ron and I were reading from the book of Esther concerning Haman’s abasement and death, Ron commented, “Unfortunately, there’s a little bit of Haman in all of us.” I was shocked! Yet, as I thought about it, I could see how true his words were. How often we are filled with self love, self importance. How many times we feel slighted if we are not given the recognition that we think that we deserve. How often we are filled with thoughts of hatred and retaliation against the one whom we think has wronged us.
Yet, this is not Jesus’ way. Our Dear Saviour told a parable illustrating how pride separates us from Him. “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14
Peter tells us, “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7 James adds, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:7-10
When we feel that we have been wronged, we are to bring our case before the King of the Universe, Who assures us, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Rom 12:19 He, alone, can help us. He, alone, judges aright. We are to leave our case in His hands and continue walking hand in hand with Him. David advises, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Ps 37:1-12
Let us turn from our pride and self importance and become the loving and lovable Christian that our Dear Saviour desires us to be. . Let us refrain from attempting to justify ourselves as did Haman when we feel that we have been wronged. Let us bring all of our trials, all of our cares, all of the situations arise that perplex us, and lay them at our Loving Redeemer’s feet knowing that He, Who loves us more than He loves His own life, will make all things right in His time.
Rose