Fair Weathered Friends

"How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women!" 2 Samuel 1:26


This verse is so precious. It's a shame that satan has gotten minds to distort this verse to be proof that a homosexual relationship existed in the Bible and was "Ok by God". So far from the truth!!! This friendship was God ordained and exemplified true "Agape" love between two great and powerful men of God, warriors no less. That word, "Agape", has been defined in some ways as being "the love that consumes."


WOW. Jonathan protected David from the murderous hands of his own father, Saul. So when Jonathan died, it sucked the life out of David. David had many, many women..but none could compare to the love of a true friend. This love they had was the consuming love of God, true and pure, free of any pretense and suppositions. They were true friends, true brothers in the Lord, even until the very end.


You know, I have many, many friends. But I have FEW true friends. Yeah, I have those email buddies, or Facebook friends..and I have my regular text crew that I hear from often. However, TRUE friends are few for me BUT they are the most invaluable, irreplaceable people I have in my life. They don't change, like the weather here in Florida does. They don't wait for a sunny day to give me a call. As a matter of a fact, NOTHING about ME prompts them to reach out to me.




You see, they are driven by a life of love. They have AGAPE written all over their hearts. They don't care if I am in a bad mood, a good mood, have money, flat broke, look nice, look a mess, smell good, smell bad, fat or skinny..well, skinny doesn't seem to come..but you get the picture! They are so SECURE in JESUS CHRIST that IF I DON'T reach out to them, you can best bet they are reaching out to me.




I have been on vacation a few weeks now. I have had some rough moments. Since my mind and soul have been quieted and not burdened with the daily hustle of life, I have had time to reflect on some deep pains. I have encountered 5 deaths in a few months time. Two of those deaths were very dear to me. One was my nephew. Another was a young lady I ministered to and spent much time with trying to disciple her in the things of God. They both committed suicide. Their deaths came and sucked the wind out of my lungs, it seemed. On a few occasions, while here in the Sunshine State, my tears fell like the rain that comes without warning.




And who did I hear from not even within hours of my dark times? My TRUE friends. I am ashamed to say I am not as faithful to them as they are to me. However, they are not moved by who I am or am not to them. They are moved by the Spirit of the Living GOD who has spoken to the depths of their souls and prompted them to reach me. Let me tell you this: they are my lifelines on this earth. They are the reasons that I have been able to climb out of pits so deep I thought the earth would close in over me. I thank God for true friends.




They don't just say, "Oh, I been prayin for ya.." No, they pray, but they also act. They remove their own desires of what they wish I would do for them, and they do for me, not realizing that their very acts of love cause deep conviction in my heart from the Lord. You see, when things are done out of love, love is a strong weapon, and it has the POWER to change people. So their loving acts make me want to be more like them, hence, more like Jesus.




These FEW friends that I have realize that I could be here today and gone tomorrow. They waste no time in letting me know they love me. They don't overdo it. They are spirit-led and so their words are received..often right on time..and just what Jesus ordered for my weary soul.




The Bible tells us to love, not with mere words, but with action. Beloved, if you have been a fair-weathered friend at times-and we all have been this-then let today be the day of change. Ask the Lord, ask Him only, to show you who to begin to show true, deep Agape love for. Then begin to pray for that person(s). And when the Spirit of God moves you to reach out to them-do it! Don't let your flesh stop you! And certainly not your pride! "Well, they didn't call me" is a poor excuse.



Unfortunately, my nephew and my sister in Christ are no longer around for me to try and get closer to. But can I confess to you my sins so I may be healed? God had put BOTH of them on my heart many, many times..and I procrastinated time and time again, thinking a better time would come. I don't wallow in self-pity about it, no way, but I have learned invaluable lessons about life. Life is a vapor, as is stated in Ecclesiastes, and is here today and gone tomorrow.




I want to reach those in life that God is prompting me to reach before it is too late. I have asked God to change me, to make me more like Jesus, to love without walls and apprehension. Most of all-to number my days..(Psalm 90). I am ever so grateful to the few true Agape friends that I have. Your love to me is better than the deepest love of men, and I mean this. I dedicate this post to you. Your love has conquered many, many of my own personal "demons" that only God knows about. But He chose YOU to love me, heal me, and put me back on His path of Righteousness..for His Name's sake...for none of us are exempt from hardship.


I thank you. And I pray to be more like the Jesus in you. Please, never change.



XtremeFaith

Perfectionism

"So be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is Perfect." Matthew 5:48




Did I ever tell you that I had an issue with perfectionism for many years? I also had OCD--obsessive compulsive disorder. Praise God, I have been delivered from them both. I chose this photo of carpet stripes to make myself laugh. Not that I laugh about any disorder--no, no, no.


I laugh about a memory I have when my kids were young. I was not able to leave my home until my carpet had vacuum stripes in it. So I used to put the kids on the porch, right where they could see mommy, and I would vacuum. I would finish and leave the vacuum at the front door until we came home. Even if I was running late, the carpets HAD to get vacuumed. Now, I know I have been set free, because I could care less about carpet stripes. And if I vacuum, it's like the miracle when Jesus turned the water into wine.


What does it mean to be like our Father, perfect? Does it mean we never slip up ever again? Does it mean that we don't have a bad thought again? If that is the case, I am doomed. I have made about ten mistakes in the last five minutes but whose counting? I almost ran the Goya truck off the road. He was going too slow, and I had to get my kid to the train station. Then I almost fell down the stairs, because I have my man's slippers on my feet, so a few cuss words almost came out. (ok, one came out---maybe two) Perfectionism is FAR from me. Trust me. I am still on the wheel, being perfected. Big difference.


The word "perfect" used in this scripture derives from the Greek word "teleios" meaning "complete", "full", or "having reached the end." In the Old Testament, this word is translated as "sound or unblemished." So where do we find our place in perfectionism? It's easy. Only in God. In God, we are full, complete, reached the end (meaning the end of us!), sound, and unblemished. God is ultimately saying, "See yourself as I, the Lord, see you." Wow.


We are to desire to be better, but He is the Potter, we are the clay. When I slipped up today, I said, "Lord, look at me. You have to help me get better." That's it. I didn't abuse myself by condemning myself to no end. What glory does that bring to God? I felt conviction, yes, but I repented and moved on. People with religious spirits will have a problem with what I just wrote. "We have to be holy, holy, holy..as God is holy." Yes, but perfectionism is not within the human capability. Holiness is. Holiness is found when we "clothe ourselves IN JESUS..His righteousness..His holiness..becomes ours." But to never make a mistake again? That is pride and arrogance for us to think that. We "perfect" ourselves by understanding we are not perfect! BUT we rest in the fact that we are COMPLETE in GOD.


Lord, I will fail you today. However, I am made "perfect" in my weaknesses. I am perfect in Christ, meaning I am whole and complete. Father, let none of my mistakes have any bearing on who I am in Jesus. Father, help me to pick myself up, dust off my mistakes, and keep moving lest I become swallowed up in self-pity and pride. I look to You, Lord, to walk with me throughout my day. I fix my eyes on Jesus, who took my imperfections, and made me whole. Amen.