Thoughts for Life: A SHARING OF FRIENDSHIP

A Sharing of Friendship

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7 NLT

Anita van der Elst- "Lunchtime approached as we ran errands.

'Where do you want to go to eat?' my husband asked.

Weighing a few options, we settled on a favorite restaurant close to our route. As we enjoyed our food, the attendant escorted three people and a baby past our table to the courtyard beyond. The older woman caught my eye.

'She looks familiar,' I said. 'I think we went to the same church, but I can’t remember her name.'

My husband didn’t think it could be her. After all, it had been at least twelve years prior, in another state, and 1,200 miles away.

But the more I watched, the stronger became the sense that it was my friend.

When I finally remembered her name, I said, 'It will bug me forever if I don’t check.'

Although not something I easily do, I went to her table.

'Excuse me,' I said, 'Is your name Iris?'

She looked at me wide-eyed and said, 'Is that you, Anita?'

We had a wonderful chat. She had moved to help her daughter and son-in-law with their baby.

'Since I don’t know anyone else here, I have been praying that the Lord would help me find friends, and here He brought you right to my table.'

Why did we all choose to go to that restaurant at that time? The table they were seated at could’ve been in a different section or my view in the opposite direction. I didn’t realize God was leading my husband and me that day. We’ve remarked many times since then about how the Lord does His work. Sometimes it is behind the scenes. He places us in significant roles without us even knowing.

Iris and I believe God orchestrated our meeting. She prayed, the Holy Spirit heard and directed, and God met her need for local friendship. It is a delight to be in Bible studies again with this dear lady and to enjoy our fellowship.

No matter your need, you can make your request known to the Lord. He delights to meet it."

Let's pray:

Father, there will be times when we will see things happen that are unexpected. Our reactions will vary, but when we realize that You have brought someone near, that we used to know, may we respond with a tender reaction to them.

This woman was drawn to the woman who looked like a long-lost friend, and was pleasantly surprised that it was her, and that she had been asking You to give her some friends in this new town, where she had come to help her daughter and son-in-law with their new baby. They could see that You had placed them there without them even knowing the reason.

Thank You for answering her and our prayers in Jesus' name. Amen!

#71 Testimony- George Mueller

"The stops of a good man, as well as his steps, are ordered by the Lord. Bona Fleming had to change trains in Cincinnati and St. Louis to reach his evangelistic engagement in Oklahoma. As he waited in the Cinicinnati train station, an inner voice impressed him, "Don't take that train." Fleming argued in hs mind, "This is the only train sure to make connections for the westbound train."

Again the inner voice spoke, so clearly that Fleming turned around to see who had said. "Don't take the 9:30 train." No one had spoken. He began to sense impending danger.

Just before the 9:30 train was announced, Fleming thought "I must get there in time for that meeting. I do not want to disappoint the people" "Leave that to me,"came another clear impression. Fleming paused a bit, then doubting his impressions he started up a third time. Again the clear impression came, "Don't take that train!" Fleming went back to his seat. As he waited he felt an abiding sense of peace.

Fleming boarded the noon train. Ninety miles out of Cincinati, the train stopped. There on the siding they saw the wreckage of the 9:30 train. When Fleming reached St. Louis, he made the proper connections and reached his Oklahoma engagement on time.

Some of God's restraints in your life may be dramatic and may involve major decisions. Others may be built into your life so naturally that you are as unconscious of them as you are of some of God's touches of prompting. Both can become as normal in your spiritual life as eating or exercising are in your physical life." George Mueller

1381-1385 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1381- 2 Chron. 25:9b "The LORD is able to give thee much more than this."

1382- Ps. 35:22b "O Lord, be not far from me."

1383- Ecc. 2:24a "There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink,

and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour."

1384- Pro. 21:3 "To do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."

1385- Is. 24:14a "They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the

LORD."

#71 Hymn- My Country, 'Tis of Thee

The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (p. 105)

This patriotic hymn was written by Samuel Francis Smith, a native Bostonian, born on October 21, 1808. After attending Boston Latin School, he enrolled in Harvard, then attended Andover Seminary. While there, Samuel became fascinated by the work of Adoniram Judson, America's first missionary, and he developed a lifelong passion for world evangelism.

He has always been most revered for this patriotic hymn he wrote as a 23-year-old student.

Church Notes: HOLD FAST!

Christ learned obedience by what He went through. He persevered to accomplish the Father's will for Him, for us. We're not to fear, but live in such a way that we will obtain the promises through faith and obedience.

Our High Priest is behind the Veil in heaven, interceding for us now. We are to trust in God's trustworthiness to save us, just as He said He would. We're to believe in Christ as our Savior, giving Him our all, being determined to follow and obey what He tells us in and through His Word, the Bible, with the help of the Holy Spirit living within us.

God made an oath, using Himself as guarentee, that Jesus was our Savior. We're to hold onto what Jesus did with confidence, as He's our Anchor in heaven!

Some encouraging words-

What a joy it is to obey the Lord, who provides us with His Spirit to counsel and empowers us, and who ensures that everything that happens to us, even the cyclone that brings nothing but distruction, has come through the hedge of His love before it reaches us.

A Message on Prayer:

“The prayer warrior stands between the authority and power of heaven and the darkness and power of hell between the Lamb on the throne and Satan, the great dragon. Christ has delegated to the prayer warrior His authority, the right to use His name and plead His blood, and He has armed the warrior for spiritual conquest; the prayer warrior is to enforce the victory of Calvary on the battlefield of earth.”

(Pg. 235 of MIGHTY PREVAILING PRAYER by Wesley L. Duewel

Posts from INTERCESSORY PRAYERS, by Dutch Sheets

Upcoming posts:

2/8- COMPASSION IN ACTION- Patricia Paydon

15th- MINISTRY OF THRORNS- Becky White

22nd- SEARCH ME, O GOD- Jois J Stucky