Monday, July 25, 2005

A friend that sticks closer than a brother

God is a God of MANY promises. I have been doing devotions almost every day (its hard to do it everyday, but im working on it) And so far in my devotions its all about Promises to be enjoyed.

Isaiah 29:13 says: " The Lord says: these people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Therefore once more i will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Basically what this verse is saying is that their mouth praises him but their heart is not there. For example: Worship. They sing the songs but do they REALLY mean it in their hearts. Theres a verse in James 3: 9-10 that says:

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."

We come to church, sing praises to the Lord, but then we go home and be rude and disrespectful to other people. Our hearts weren't in the worship because we wouldnt go home and be rude to people if we love and worship God because God wants us to love our neighbors. He also says that if we love him we will obey his commands. So one of his commands is to love our neighbors.

What God has been teaching me lately is patience with other people. I have been going through depression in the last year, ongoing fight to be happy, I have relied on my friends so much through this and they havent really been there really. I dont really feel that they have been, I felt like i was kinda pushed away like i was nothing. I was really not happy with that. But then i prayed to God and they were saying that the reason why they were pushing me away was because they want me to rely on God more. But lately I HAVE been relying on God more, reading his word, writing important things down that i read from his word, praying to him for guidance, praising his name, listening to worship CDs and singing to him. But yet i still feel that i dont have my friends support. I dont know what im doing wrong. Should i just not care about that or just brush it off as nothing or what? Is there something im doing wrong when it comes to relying on God? I dont know, but I will continue to pray and do everything that im doing! If nothing changes, oh well. God is THE friend that sticks closer than a brother (or a sister)!

Off I go! God Bless

11 comments:

Victory of the People said...

daily devotions is disipline. keep at it.

its like deoderant. at first its annoying and you forget it some days, but soon enough it becomes un normal to not where it. devotions work the same, at first its not rutine and sometimes we forget to, but soon enough our morning isnt complete without it...

do you do devotions at night or morning?

Christine said...

it varies from day to day, sometimes if i am home on a day off from my many volunteer jobs, i will do it in the afternoon, like just when i wake up.....sometimes it is in the evening. its almost 12, so once i get off of here im going to do my devotion for the day. right now i dont have time to do devotions on the days that i work at daycamp, cuz i am so rushed in the mornings and too tired when i come home. I gotta get out of that habit of being too tired to have time with God. haha I like that analogy of the deoderant haha that made me laugh. :) Thank you for always commenting on my blogs. :) You're awesome! and so encouraging!

Karyn Baker said...

Hey Christine - good post. Here's an interesting thought about your friends - how about instead of always seeing what you're getting from them, how about always focus on what you can give or be to them? Kind of like how we're trying to change our focus from being on ourselves when we come to a church meeting to being on God alone instead. Might help with the "happiness" factor. I know you're a giving person, it shouldn't be hard!

:)

Christine said...

I do give to my friends. I support them. I dont just see what im getting FROM them. I do see how i can give TO them.....I used to write notes to people encouraging them. I try to make those encouragement books, but its very hard to make time for it. Because of my many jobs. I pretty much have 1 day to myself. The only time i can actually sit down and write someone a note is when i am at the Shelter (like today) That seems like the only time available to do that (In between changing litter boxes and cleaning up) theres just no time. I am going to try harder to encourage. I do try to encourage as much as i can with my mouth. Even email seems impossible lately. ANyways, im going to go now, im going to do my devotions and then get ready to go see my kitties :) see ya 2nite! Ill try to write u a note! Luv ya Bakes

Karyn Baker said...

Yah, I understand what you're saying, I just mean, maybe we should never be looking for what we GET from anyone, you know? It kind of warps our outlooks....

See you tonight. :):)

Christine said...

Yeah, I mostly give to others and sometimes i just want from them (like support). maybe i should just give and give.......

Victory of the People said...

thats cool,
i encourage you to do your devotions in the morning.
i hated it at first. im not so much a mornign person...and getting up earlier then i normally would seemed painful...ahh but isnt following Chirst all about sacrifice!!! but like you i was too tired at night..when i was tired and did them at night i seemed to rush through them just to get them over with...yet in the morning they arent soo rushed and stuff...wow does any of this make sence! haha i feel like im just rambling on, well i am! but anyways...so i encourage you to wake up 15-30 mins ealier to do it!
hey why not try it tomorow morning!!
God Bless Ya Sis!

Christine said...

so wake up at 7 instead of 730...well i wont try that tomorrow..but the day after i will cuz i usually get up at 11 on days off so ill get up at 10....7 might be TOO early for me to start routine..

Anonymous said...

WoW! That hurts! So you think that I'm not "giving" you anthing... well... I guess what I do for you is not enough!

Christine said...

what? who is that?

Christine said...

K, to anyone who took offense to this blog. Sorry, i was just saying how i feel. Its a blog-which means its people's feelings written out (like a journal) So i was just saying how i felt. Im sorry if you took offense, I love all my friends, but i just wanted to put out there how i was feeling. Sorry. Sorry. Who made that comment under anonymous? Im sorry everyone. Maybe i should keep my feelings to myself. maybe?