What is your Discipline Focus in 2022?

 The leadership in my church is focusing on a different discipline over this next year.  The different disciplines are:

1. Prayer
2. Faith
3. Discipline
4. Gratitude
5. Forgiveness
6. Remembering
7. Abiding
8. Friendship
9. Fullness of God

Honestly, I could be more disciplined in all these areas, who couldn't, right?  

I felt led to focus on the discipline of friendship.  Alex at church wrote these out with some amazing information to follow.  He states: The goal is "building a Christ-Centered Disciplines into our lives".

What does the bible say about Friendship?

A true friend has two characteristics known in the Jewish culture and which Christ demonstrated, found in John 15:12-15.  One is to sacrifice and the second is openness and meek speech.  That is one I truly need to work on.  I have been told I need to be a velvet brick.  

These biblical friendships will be studied so I can learn what a true friendship looks like

• Jonathan and David (1 Samuel 20)
• Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2)
• Paul and Timothy (2 Timothy 1)
• Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1)

Do I have friendships or am I a friend who shows more worldly characteristics or Christ-centered friendship?  

Examples to dwell on

Worldly vs Christ-Centered

• abandon you in a challenge or load-bearing
• focused on success only or shares, encourages in defeats
• concerned with impressions or "while we were yet"
• seek position or humble, shared footing
• exploitive or always speaks well
• surface deep or sees it all

How can I measure friendship?

• Spreads truth (Ephesians 4:15)
• Builds community (Acts 2:42-47; Proverbs 17:7)
• Lightens the load (Galatians 6:2; Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
• Reflects God (John 13:35)
• Refines you (Hebrews 3:13; Proverbs 27:17)
• Provides counsel (Proverbs 27:9)

Hold me accountable, if you see my not acting Christlike or not being a friend.  I want to grow in Christ as I learn to be more of a Godly friend.

Blessings,

Barbra

Are we busy or focusing on the relationship?

Do you feel like you are serving the Lord and just keep spinning your wheels and getting weary?  I heard a message this past week by David Jeremiah.  He was talking about being busy.  Are we busy?  Before you answer that read what he says about being busy.  

Being

Under

Satan's

Yolk

Does that describe you?  It describes me at times.  I feel that I am doing HIS work only to find myself busy staying away from my RELATIONSHIP with HIM.

Sometimes I am busy doing what is good works, but at what cost?  What is more important the works or the relationship?

This year I am focusing on the discipline of friendship.   I have to remember it is not only friendship with those I cam see and touch, but a friendship with my savior.  

The Commission

Click play, sit and meditate on the words as you listen to them.  Let them sink into your heart as you listen to the Lord tell you what He has for you to hear today.

This morning in Sunday School we spoke about the love of Jesus and how HE is for everyone in the world.  

• The loveable
• The unloveable
• The person who just cut us off on the road
• The person's whose approval we are seeking after
• The Taliban who blew up the Twin Towers
• To put it more into what is going on today, the Russians fighting against Ukraine.  President Putan

Jesus loves each and every one of them.  

Tonight as I was driving to church I heard this song, I've heard it before, but tonight it just resognated with me.  

What we are seeing now in this world is a spiritual battle.  Satan knows his time is coming to an end and he is trying his hardest to take as many with him as possible.

As we are approaching the season of Easter.  Let us begin now to prepare our hearts for his love.  May we understand with our hearts what HE has gone thru to love each of us.  KNOW that you are loved and that if you have accepted Jesus that makes you a child of the King and NOTHING can take that away from you.    

Read these words and let them penetrate your heart.  Pray over these words that they will be life changing, maybe for yourself or for those that you know.

The Commission by Cain

See my hands and look at my feet
It's okay if it's hard to believe
I have faith that you will do greater things
It's my time to go, but before I leave


Go tell the world about me
I was dead but now I live
I've gotta go now for a little while
But goodbye is not the end


Don't forget the things that I taught you
I've conquered death and I hold the keys
Where I go you will go too someday
But there's much to do here before you leave so


Go tell the world about me
I was dead but now I live
I've gotta go now for a little while
But goodbye is not the


End of the journey
The end of the road
My spirit is with you
Wherever you go
You have a purpose
And I have a plan
I'll make you this promise
I'll come back again
But until then

Go tell the world about me
For I was dead but now I live
Oh, I've gotta go now for a little while
Hey, but goodbye is not the end


(Go tell the world)
Oh, go tell them about me
(Go tell the world)
I've gotta go
(Go tell the world)
For a little while
But goodbye is not the end