Friendship Study – Edition #19: Friend of Sin

June 18th, 2007

Friendship Study – Edition #19: Friend of Sin

The last time I did an edition on friendship, it was on August 18th, 2006. So, why not pick up a study in what has been a forgotten series? It’s only been 10 months (to the day, I might add).

Genesis 34:13-29
Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob's sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. They said to them, “We can't do such a thing; we can't give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. We will give our consent to you on one condition only: that you become like us by circumcising all your males. Then we will give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves. We'll settle among you and become one people with you. But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we'll take our sister and go.”

Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. The young man, who was the most honored of all his father's household, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob's daughter. So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to their fellow townsmen. “These men are friendly toward us,” they said. “Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours. But the men will consent to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. Won't their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them, and they will settle among us.”

All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.

Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem's house and left. The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where their sister had been defiled. They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields. They carried off all their wealth and all their women and children, taking as plunder everything in the houses.

This is just a shortened QT, but my thought on this passage is straight forward. The verse in thought is: “These men are friendly toward us.” These people had a trust toward them. Albeit, they trusted blindly, these people did trust them. And this was after the ruler’s son of those parts had violated Dinah, Jacob’s daughter (in verse two, it says: When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.) They had committed a sin against Jacob and his daughter. And despite that, they received Hamor and Shechem with kindness, at least at first. The sons retaliated. They had put up a front to be kind.

Is it good to have anger in your heart to others who trust you and let in boil inside? No, it is not good.

Matthew 18:15-17
“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Hebrews 12:14-15
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Ephesians 4:25-27
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

It is not allowed to have sinful anger. And these scriptures tell me that I can’t even go to even go to bed without reconciliation. And, I believe that the Matthew 18 scripture has to happen rapidly, or there will be a bitter root built. It’s not good to let anger boil inside against friends. It’s not a way to treat friends. It’s not the way to treat people I don’t know. Johnny Out.

Friendship Study - Edition #18: Desecration on the Sabbath

August 18th, 2006

Friendship Study – Edition #18: Desecration on the Sabbath

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.”
Mother Teresa

Leviticus 19:30-32
“‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD. Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.’”

Sabbath (noun):

1. A day of rest and worship: Sunday for most Christians; Saturday for the Jews and a few Christians; Friday for Muslims

Elderly (adj.):

1. Being past middle age and approaching old age; rather old.


2. Of, relating to, or characteristic of older persons or life in later years.


3. Advanced in years.

Revere (verb):

1. To regard with awe, deference, and devotion.

Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Hebrews 12:14-17, 25-29
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken - that is, created things - so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

1st Peter 3:1-4
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Mark 2:23-28
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:23 Sabbath:
sab'-bat-on
The Sabbath (that is, Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension a se'nnight, that is, the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications: - sabbath (day), week.

Leviticus 19:30
shab-bawth'
Intermission, that is, (specifically) the Sabbath: - (+ every) sabbath.

Matthew 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

He answered, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread - which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Desecrate (verb):

1. To violate the sacredness of; profane.


2. Violate the sacred character of a place or language.


3. Remove the consecration from a person or an object.

OK, I know I’ve thrown a lot of scripture, definitions, and Greek and Hebrew, but I was just trying to get a good understand of this all. Now, a priest worked on the Sabbath. They cleansed people from their sin. They also circumcised the children. They were breaking the “God’s Law” by doing God’s work. An oxymoron of sorts to the Jews but it was the right thing to do. And should a Christian not do God’s work on “the Sabbath” just because it is Sunday, or Saturday… or Tuesday, for that matter? No, originally, the Sabbath was made for us, not the other way around. And what that means, is God set aside for me to worship him. And what day can I worship God now? Can I worship on Tuesday? Can I worship on Friday? Heaven forbid that I might worship on Monday. The freedom is there to worship on all days, every moment I am awake, I can worship God. I can also do the work of God on any given day and it wouldn’t be violating God’s Law.

Consecration (noun):

1. A solemn commitment of your life or your time to some cherished purpose.


2. Sanctification of something by setting it apart (usually with religious rites) as dedicated to God.

Now at the end of Jesus’ prayer in John 17, he says this: My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. Jesus died for me, so that I may be set apart, that I might be dedicated to God. Am I living a life that reflects that? He says for them I sanctify myself… He set himself apart so that I may too be set apart. That’s huge. That’s more than huge, that makes Mount Everest look like a molehill. That’s all the restaurants in Addison serving lunch to me at the same time, look like a snack (in case you didn’t know, Addison has more restaurants per square mile than anywhere else in the United States, most likely the world). You get the idea. It’s a big deal. So Christ did this for me, what is my gratitude? Everyday is a day dedicated to God, do I show that? I can do better. I need to do better. Anyway, Johnny OUT.

Friendship Study - Edition #17: Fixed Eyes on Kleenex

August 4th, 2006

Friendship Study – Edition #17: Fixed Eyes on Kleenex

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.”
Mother Teresa

Hebrews 12:1-13
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

A big thanks to Captain Scott for the help on the paper. With you, my wife, and the writing center, I think it turned out pretty good. Hopefully the teacher will feel the same way. I was thinking that if through the struggles, hard times, and garbage that everyday life brings, that the only way to really get through it is by being what Hebrews says. I, of course, have my problems and trials. Who doesn’t is really the question… but, the solution to whatever trial is right there: “Fix my eyes on Christ.” Seriously, it sounds like a band-aid solution to a gunshot problem, and I say this being one who is bi-polar and one who is dealing with what could be a major health issue. I mean, someone can walk up to me and spout off the solution… and it just wouldn’t click. Now, I don’t know who wrote Hebrews, most likely Bob trained by Paul, no one really knows. It could’ve been Bob, but it doesn’t matter who wrote, it is about the quantity therein. When one is depressed, it takes training to get out of it. The writer says “Let US…”. It is a group effort here. So if someone is depressed, the group gets together and, as a whole, pull the poor soul out of it. It takes things like training the person to “Consider him so that you will not lose heart.” “Think about Christ so that you will not grow weary and tired, and then lose focus.” And the really neat thing is this… at the end of it all, when we ALL persevere, the great reward is waiting. And if the depression is for whatever reason lingering…

Revelation 7:14-17
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

God has the hanky to wipe the tears. Need any Kleenex? Need a moment to collect yourself? God is there. His son went through it all, and whatever pain I am feeling now, Christ had it worse. Whatever loneliness I feel, Christ had it worse. Whatever temptation I feel, Christ had it worse. Christ is the best superhero ever. He knocks Superman down. He topples tall buildings full of sin in a single bound. He’s faster than a speeding temptation. And he is stronger than the Devil. What other superhero does any need? And the best thing about him, he’s on call 24/7. So is his nemesis.

When a friend befalls temptation, struggles, or hardship, they need help, from both above and here. A good neighbor helps his friend in their time of need. That is what love is about. Love your neighbor as yourself, it is written. I mean, do you want help in time of need? I know I do. Anyway… I need to be a better neighbor, a better friend. 168 hours in a week, 8,760 hours in a year… 8,784 hours in a leap year; it just doesn’t seem like enough time until you look at it like that. Roughly, I am already 283,656 hours old… give or take a few, and that is if I was born at 12:01 AM on my birthday… and going into midnight tonight… so I will be off by a few hours. Minutes: 17,019,360 old. Seconds: 1,021,161,600 old… where does the time go? I seriously had a point with all this, but I got lost in my math. I do love math. Encourage your friends… time is short. Maybe that was it… I don’t know. Take care. :-) Johnny Out.

Friendship Study – Edition #16: Is Person B an Apple?

July 7th, 2006

Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship Study – Edition #16: Is Person B an Apple?

It’s been a whole week since I have posted. I do apologize. A friend had once told me that I have quiet times that are like “meat” instead of milk. And if that is the case, these days, it seems like I’ve been having “fast food.” One thing that has really been on my heart of late is that of friendship. I spoke with a brother a few weeks ago who moved in from another city, I guess a year ago, and he’s been struggling quite a bit with friendships. And I was thinking, not necessarily about his situation, but in general, of a social experiment, of where person A is brought into a group unknowingly and is showered with love, attention, and generosity. Person B comes along and is introduced to the group at the same time as person A but is not shown the same experience, but the exact opposite. Person B is ignored, gets little attention, and is greeted only when he makes himself known.

I actually have a diagram to go along with what I am talking about. Person A is welcomed into the “Circle of Friends.” Or I could phrase another way, person A is welcomed into the house, the heart of the people, whereas person B isn’t. And when I made this little “Circle of Friends” clip art or whatever you want to call it, I purposely made it to look like that of an eye, because I’ve heard that the eyes are the doorway to the soul. It’s somewhat poetic.

Oh, and just think… a year from today, it will be a “Perfect Day.” A bit random, but rather interesting… Hey, the date will then be “7/7/07”. I guess there should be a movie called the “Un-Omen”? I don’t know…

I guess I should forewarn you, I am taking an Old Testament Survey class in school, which I am excited about, so look for a bunch of posting to be coming from the old side of things. My paper is going to be on Malachi!

Deuteronomy 32:1-47
Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. They have acted corruptly toward him; to their shame they are no longer his children, but a warped and crooked generation. Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. The LORD alone led him; no foreign god was with him. He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag, with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape. Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior. They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to demons, which are not God - gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear. You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. The LORD saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters. “I will hide my face from them,” he said, “and see what their end will be; for they are a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful. They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding. For a fire has been kindled by my wrath, one that burns to the realm of death below. It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap calamities upon them and spend my arrows against them. I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust. In the street the sword will make them childless; in their homes terror will reign. Young men and young women will perish, infants and gray-haired men. I said I would scatter them and blot out their memory from mankind, but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest the adversary misunderstand and say, ‘Our hand has triumphed; the LORD has not done all this.’” They are a nation without sense, there is no discernment in them. If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be! How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up? For their rock is not like our Rock, as even our enemies concede. Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are filled with poison, and their clusters with bitterness. Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras. “Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults? It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” The LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. He will say: “Now where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in, the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up to help you! Let them give you shelter! See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. I lift my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever, when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.” Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.

Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you - they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Deuteronomy 32:10 apple:
'îyshôn
ee-shone'
The little man of the eye; the pupil or ball; hence the middle (of night): - apple [of the eye], black, obscure.

Deuteronomy 32:10 eye:
‛ayin
ah'-yin
An eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy a fountain (as the eye of the landscape): - affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye ([-brow], [-d], -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow [from the margin], X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open (-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you (-rselves).

In a relationship, I think it would be good to be the apple of God’s eye, rather than say, the outer limits. Israel, or Jacob, was the apple of God’s eye. In the diagram, the outer limits would be the nose, cheek, or eye brow area… flesh. I would think another way would be worldly, and God isn’t that at all. But still, when I turn my back on God, it would be ME turning my back on HIM, not the other way around. I’m still the apple of HIS eye. In the NIV, the word apple is used ten times. With the word eye in the same verse, it is used four times. The first, listed above, the others (all Old Testament)…

Psalm 17:7-8
Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings…

Proverbs 7:1-3
My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

I remember thinking about putting God’s word on my heart, because with the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks… but this is interesting. To put God’s teachings as the “apple of my eyes”…

Apple-of-My-Eye (Urban Dictionary):
One’s favorite person; the one you love most.

The urban dictionary went on to explain (and I should note, my wonderful wife did so earlier…) “In Old English, the pupil of the eye (the round, dark center) was called the 'apple'. It was thought that the pupil was a round object much like an apple (a piece of fruit). When you look at someone, their reflection appears in your pupil. So if someone is the 'apple of your eye', he or she is someone that you look at a lot and enjoy seeing.”

So, the question remains: is person B an apple? Or at least, no experiments, am I making that person feel accommodating, am I opening my home up? Am I doing as much as I can to get to the apple of the eye with my friends as God is with me? Because, to be honest with you, that brother that I spoke with, he didn’t sound so good. I’ve been praying for him. Anyway, Johnny Out.

Friendship Study - Edition #15: I Don't Understand!

June 30th, 2006

Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship Study – Edition #15: I Don’t Understand!

UNDERSTANDING, n. A cerebral secretion that enables one having it to know a house from a horse by the roof on the house. Its nature and laws have been exhaustively expounded by Locke, who rode a house, and Kant, who lived in a horse.

His understanding was so keen
That all things which he'd felt, heard, seen,
He could interpret without fail
If he was in or out of jail.
He wrote at Inspiration's call
Deep disquisitions on them all,
Then, pent at last in an asylum,
Performed the service to compile 'em.
So great a writer, all men swore,
They never had not read before.
—Jorrock Wormley

Just to clear this all up, this all came from the source, thedevilsdictionary.com. I had an itch to check out understanding. I want to take just a small part of a verse and take a look at it… and then look at some other verses… maybe. I don’t know. Just want to check on understanding first and see where it takes me…

Romans 7:15
I do not understand what I do.

Understand:
ginōskō
ghin-oce'-ko
A prolonged form of a primary verb; to “know” (absolutely), in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as shown at left, with others not thus clearly expressed): - allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) known (-ledge), perceive, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.

And for the addicts of the world, I am sure this really helps. I mean think of this: I cannot be sure of what I do (or did in the past, for that matter). I cannot speak of what I do. I do not have the knowledge of what I do. I cannot perceive of what I do.

Oh, by the way, the “not” that I had mentioned in a previous post, if I recall in Colossians… it appears to be acceptable to be in the scripture every bit as much as out. Really, more so to be out than in the translations. Like I said, it makes sense either way you read, with or without the not, so no damage done, I guess.

Ephesians 5:1-21
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

I am just going to focus on the last full paragraph. I put the rest in for context. Well, except for the coarse joking… I really want to check that out. I like a good joke and I like to laugh and it pricks my heart every time I read this scripture.

Ephesians 5:4 coarse joking:
eutrapelia
yoo-trap-el-ee'-ah
(meaning well turned, that is, ready at repartee, jocose); witticism, that is, (in a vulgar sense) ribaldry: - jesting.

Ribaldry (noun):

• Vulgar, lewdly humorous language or joking or an instance of it.

Jocose (adj.)

• Given to joking; merry.


• Characterized by joking; humorous.

Of course, everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. A clean joke is good, but telling sixty in a row while at work… not looking good for the old job security there. Yeah. Unless, of course, your job is telling jokes, then tell away. I know an old lady who lived in a shoe. She got stepped on a lot. She should have moved. I just made that up. That’s a freebie and being that bad, it shouldn’t cost anything anyway.

“Be very careful how you live, making the most of every opportunity.” How about that statement? I need to make the most out of every opportunity. I haven’t. And it’s been difficult. I’ve been having to make choices of late on whether to decide to do this or that, to give here or there, to serve here or there, to clean this room or that room, to go to school and have pain or to take save a pill and miss school. Understanding. Choices. Making the most out of each and every opportunity. “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.” Foolish. Therefore do not be stupid… unfortunately, it can be translated that way. How about the seven year old version. Therefore do not be a pooh-pooh head…

Ephesians 5:17 foolish:
aphrōn
af'-rone
Properly mindless, that is, stupid, (by implication) ignorant, (specifically) egotistic, (practically) rash, or (morally) unbelieving: - fool (-ish), unwise.

Ephesians 5:17 understand:
suniēmi
soon-ee'-ay-mee
To put together, that is, (mentally) to comprehend; by implication to act piously: - consider, understand, be wise.

A different understanding than from Romans. I was thinking today, which actually led to this whole QT, the problem with relationships, friendships, countries, wars, whatever… a lack of understanding maybe? Could it be that simple? I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not. Stupid is the equivilant of being rash, rushing into things. Wise is the equivilant of putting things together and comprehending and understanding and consideration. Just an observation. For some this may be the last, so I bid thee farewell. Alas, Johnny Out.

Friendship Study - Edition #14: The Least of a Friend

June 16th, 2006 (and June 17th)

Happy Friend’s Day!!! (A Day Late NOW!)
Friendship Study – Edition #14: The Least of a Friend

Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’”

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’”

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’”

“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This is another one of those scriptures I have been sitting on. The internet is broken, so I have been forced to use alternate methods, still using the computer, still using software, just not the internet. I’m using “Compton’s Interactive Bible NIV” which I’ve had for ages, just hadn’t used in a long time. When the internet went down, I dusted off the CD-rom and down-loaded the software. It’s good stuff, but I have forgotten how to use the material, like it’s search engine especially. There are two parts that I really wanted to look at in this passage:

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” And “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” These two parts tell basically in my mind what I need to know.

Matthew 25:35 hungry:
peinaō
pi-nah'-o
Through the idea of pinching toil; “pine”); to famish (absolutely or comparatively); figuratively to crave: - be an hungered.

Matthew 25:35 gave:
didōmi
did'-o-mee
A prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternate in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection): - adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.

Matthew 25:35 stranger:
xenos
xen'-os
Apparently a primary word; foreign (literally alien, or figuratively novel); by implication a guest or (vice-versa) entertainer: - host, strange (-r).

Matthew 25:36 needed clothes:
gumnos
goom-nos'
Of uncertain affinity; nude (absolutely or relatively, literally or figuratively): - naked.

Matthew 25:36 clothed:
per-ee-bal'-lo
To throw all around, that is, invest (with a palisade or with clothing): - array, cast about, clothe (-d me), put on.

Matthew 25:36 sick:
astheneō
as-then-eh'-o
To be feeble (in any sense): - be diseased, impotent folk (man), (be) sick, (be, be made) weak.

Matthew 25:36 looked after:
episkeptomai
ep-ee-skep'-tom-ahee;
To inspect, that is, (by implication) to select; by extension to go to see, relieve: - look out, visit.

Matthew 25:36 prison:
phulakē
foo-lak-ay'
a guarding or (concretely guard), the act, the parson; figuratively the place, the condition, or (specifically) the time (as a division of day or night), literally or figuratively: - cage, hold, (im-) prison (-ment), ward, watch.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” When I see someone “pining” for food, I need to feed them. I don’t know what pining for food means.

Pine (verb):

1. To feel a lingering, often nostalgic desire.


2. To wither or waste away from longing or grief.

I guess this gives a new meaning to Pine Trees. “For when I was wasting away, you offered me something to eat, I was thirsty and you offered me something to drink, I was an alien and you invited me in, I was naked and you invested in me, I was weak and you looked out me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Relieve (verb):

1. To cause a lessening or alleviation of.


2. To free from pain, anxiety, or distress.


3. To rescue from siege.


4. To release (a person) from an obligation, restriction, or burden.


5. To make less tedious, monotonous, or unpleasant.

This is interesting: “…I was weak and you relieved me…” now that is very cool. Now the last part.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Matthew 25:40 least:
elachistos
el-akh'-is-tos
Least (in size, amount, dignity, etc.): - least, very little (small), smallest.

Matthew 25:40 brothers:
adelphos
ad-el-fos'
A brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote: - brother.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the worst-dignified-pathetic-scrubby-miniscule-insufficient person that is near you, then you did that for me.”

I guess this puts a new spin on “love your neighbor” and “do unto others.” I mean, if I did to others as I would have God do unto me, that would change things entirely. I mean, think about it. “Do unto others as God would do unto you,” that’s not the golden rule, that’s the ETERNAL rule. The sheep and the goat, I discovered, that if I am a sheep friend, I would do as a sheep would do, according to this passage. If I am a goat friend, then I wouldn’t do as a sheep. It’s pretty much cut and dry. And it’s VERY convicting because I don’t see me doing all the sheepish things. But at least I am growing and that is a good thing. Johnny Out.

Friendship - Edition #13: 91.4% Friend

June 2nd, 2006

Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship – Edition #13: 91.4% Friend

2nd Kings 4:8-37
One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”

One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”

She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”

“What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.

Gehazi said, “Well, she has no son and her husband is old.”

Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”

“No, my lord,” she objected. “Don’t mislead your servant, O man of God!”

But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. “My head! My head!” he said to his father.

His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.

She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.”

“Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.”

“It's all right,” she said.

She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don't slow down for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There's the Shunammite! Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”

“Everything is all right,” she said.

When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

“Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”

Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.

Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”

When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out upon him, the boy's body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

Now, I don’t need to check Hebrew or anything… the good old English is good enough for tonight. I can camp out on this passage alone. But I am curious to see what Gehazi means, aren’t you? Just a little curious… why not…

2nd Kings 4:31 Gehazi:
gay-khah-zee', gay-khah-zee'
Valley of a visionary; Gechazi, the servant of Elisha: - Gehazi.

I just see what Elisha did for his friend. He blessed her abundantly… and when she was in need, he dropped everything to help when he was made aware of the situation. I don’t know if that is my character 100%. I’m working to fill needs, my health isn’t the best these days, I had to leave school early yesterday due to not taking my medication correctly… it’s a mess. I can that this class that I am taking, it’s great. I took some wonderful notes yesterday on servitude (interestingly enough, the class is about getting a job, so you need to know how to serve in the workplace – good thing). I just see, my days might be numbered a little shorter than expected, so be it, that isn’t my call to make. Before I was born, I didn’t “tell” God that I had to live “X amount” of years… and even if my prideful self did so (and I wouldn’t put it past me to have done it), I know God has a way to put a “spin” on things. He could have simply replied “OK, in dog years then” and shipped on my way. Anyway, I digress. Elisha didn’t give up on her. And she wasn’t even a JEW. He didn’t give up on her, her family, and her son. He gave her hope when she had none. He gave her a family when she was childless. He gave her friendship when she was desperate. He gave her a LORD to trust in. He gave her faith. And that is friendship. That is the type of friend I need to be, I’m not there yet, not 100%, but I want to be. Johnny Out.

Friendship - Edition #12: What do I owe my friend?

May 26th, 2006

Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship – Edition #12: What do I owe my friend?

Romans 13:1-14
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Loving each other is the fulfillment of the law. And the difficult thing I find is respecting the things of my friends and loved ones, the things they do, that I don’t like. Whether it is a sport like Turtle Wrestling (I just made that up, watch for a video game to come out in two years, I’m sure) or I don’t know, just the little things that normally would get under my skin, I have to find that I have to respect them for their point of view. I find that respect is probably the hardest lesson learned, at least when it when goes down to the heart… if I can learn to respect “from the heart” and love from the heart… then good things. Johnny Out

Friendship - Edition #11: The Friendly Shepherd

May 19th, 2006

Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship – Edition #11: The Friendly Shepherd

Wow, what a week! I have learned I do not have MS, which is a good thing. We don’t know what I have, which is puzzling to the doctor… he wants to send me to the medical school and that can take 6 to 8 months. Some good news is that I am able to drive again, which I wasn’t able to do for about two and a half weeks. I would like to ask that you pray for me to get in there, to the medical school so the doctors can see me and make an accurate diagnosis. Just pray that they get me in there quickly. Yesterday, my family and I were able to see some friends become engaged. That was simply awesome! He proposed and she said YES! Or, if it was Old Testament, it would be: Hallelujah!!

Psalm 23:1-6
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

I really needed to just look at this today. I started my thoughts rather early, and then things happened, and here it is, late… and the day didn’t go like it started. It’s been a while since I’ve looked at Psalm 23. It’s been a while since I’ve read the book “A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23” as well, but it’s a great book, for those who don’t have it. The Author of that book, Phillip Keller, passed away, I think it was back in 2001, but I’m not 100% sure. I really wrestled with God today. I probably cried more today than I have in quite some time. I simply asked God where his power is at, because I’m not seeing it. I mean, if he heals, why have I had this pain for almost a year and a half? I then continued to yell (in my car, mind you) where is your POWER? WHERE – IS – IT?!

I pictured myself in the classic facial expression of Luke Skywalker squirming away from Darth Vader going “no… no… it can’t be true…” I did come to my senses. I thought about the thorn in Paul’s side that was never removed… and of course, if God answered in the way that we as people wanted, then no one would ever die, and there would be people over 2000 years old right now. Talk about overcrowding issues? So, I still have to think with some logic.

Psalm 23:1 want:
châsêr
khaw-sare'
A primitive root; to lack; by implication to fail, want, lessen: - be abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have) lack, make lower, want.

Psalm 23:3 restores:
shûb
shoob
A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbially again: - ([break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep]) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call [to mind], carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back) X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get [oneself] (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), [go] out, hinder, let, [see] more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), X repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.

Psalm 23:3 soul:
nephesh
neh'-fesh
Properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): - any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

Psalm 23:4 shadow of death:
tsalmâveth
tsal-maw'-veth
Shade of death, that is, the grave (figuratively calamity): - shadow of death.

Psalm 23:4 fear:
yârê'
yaw-ray'
A primitive root; to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten: - affright, be (make) afraid, dread (-ful), (put in) fear (-ful, -fully, -ing). (be had in) reverence (-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).



Psalm 23:4 evil:
ra‛ râ‛âh
rah, raw-aw'
Bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun: - adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.]

Calamity (noun):

1. An event that brings terrible loss, lasting distress, or severe affliction; a disaster.


2. Dire distress resulting from loss or tragedy.

Psalm 23:1-6
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through a horrendous calamity, I will not fear the affliction, for you, God, are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Matthew 18:1-14
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

“Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”

“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

You know, I have a son. He loves me to no end. He loves to play with me, with his toys, and he likes to grab my finger and walk around. When he gets scared, he turns to me for comfort. When he does something cool, he wants to share his joy with me. I love him. I love him with everything I’ve got. Maybe I love him too much. But I know God loves me in ways that I cannot even fathom. I know that my dad loves me in ways he cannot express. And that’s OK. I know he loves me. With Psalm 23, I have to be honest, though, I am afraid of the affliction. I think I need God’s shepherding. To have some time to reflect and get good relationship with him. And I seriously need “restore” my soul, or just get a refill. Something. One thing is for sure, I need to make sure I get these emails out… because, if I don’t, then bad things. Again, pray for me. Johnny Out.

Friendship - Edition #10: The Joy of a Friend

May 12th, 2006

Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship – Edition #10: The Joy of a Friend

I have been struggling again with depression. The IV Steroids are somewhat to blame, so say the side effects. Last night was really tough for me. I sat next to my wife and tried to talk and it was just really hard to get the words out what it was that I was feeling. I struggled with words and they did come out… and it wasn’t easy. I will say that through this whole ordeal, this whole journey and wherever it takes me and my family, that I can truly say that I am blessed. And that is a wonderful to thing to say. It is an amazing thing to say. I am surrounded by a group of friends whose outpouring of love is never-ending. I have family who come over on a daily basis to help with my son. The phone calls and emails never stop. A friend gave my wife a card yesterday with a little gift and it was very touching. It’s good to have friends in all kinds of places.

John 3:22-36
After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. (This was before John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.”

“The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.”

John 3:29 friend:
philos
fee'-los
Properly dear, that is, a friend; actively fond, that is, friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.): - friend.

John 3:29 joy:
chara
khar-ah'
Cheerfulness, that is, calm delight: - gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy (-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous).

John 3:29 mine:
plēroō
play-ro'-o
To make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: - accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.

This one is very short today. But my idea is this: if I can’t get joy from hearing God’s word, maybe I can get joy from hearing someone’s voice, such as the voice of a friend. Get a little delight from a buddy, a friend, who can cheer you up when you are down. Galatians 6:2 does say to help carry each other’s burdens. The only way we can do that is to be there comforting each other. I just want to let you know that, I appreciate you all, your prayers, your thoughts, and your studies. Ladies, have a great Mother’s Day on the 14th, should I not catch you prior, and, of course, Johnny Out.

Friendship - Edition #9: I Pity the Fool

May 5th, 2006

Cinco-de-Mayo!
Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship – Edition #9: I Pity the Fool

Today, I will have a lumbar puncture and found out the official results of the MRI, which entails a ruptured disk as well as other problems with my 8th and 9th Thoracic Vertebrae. Exciting!!! It really is! I mean, I want this stuff OVER, because, with the problems over, I can move forward and on with my education. I prayed last night. It was an interesting prayer… but before I go into it, I want to share the scripture it referenced.

Judges 4:21-22
But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you're looking for.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple-dead.

Now, my prayer was like this: “I pray God; you took out an unrighteous man and put a peg through his temple while he was asleep. No one has that opportunity with right now, for I am awake. I may be righteous in your eyes, I may be unrighteous in your eyes, but what I do know is that I put forth an effort to please you. I beg you to give me some time to sleep tonight.” And you know what? I had the best night of sleep in quite a while… I even woke up a couple of times with the thunder but it was really OK in all.

So, it’s Friday. It is friend’s day.

Ecclesiastes 4:10
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Now, I always here this scripture in reference to marriage, but for some reason, every time I hear it, I think of Mr. T. “I pity the fool who falls down with no one to help him up!!!” Maybe I am the only one, but probably not after this… Now, the friend here is a simple companion. Here’s the Hebrew: châbêr “khaw-bare'” an associate: - companion, fellow, knit together. Now, here I don’t think of an associate as a friend. I don’t think many people do.

Associate (verb):

1. A companion; a comrade.

When I think of someone that I don’t call a “friend” but just someone that I would simple say that I just “associate” with… then what are they really? And what is it that I am saying? I do pity the fool who has no friends. And I pity the fool who also turns friends away for the sake of pride. Ecclesiastes 4:10 is not just about marriage, is also about helping others out when we fall down. It is good to be there for our friends in there time of need. Johnny Out.

Friendship - Edition #8: To the Test

April 28th, 2006

Happy Friend’s Day!!!
Friendship – Edition #8: To the Test

Well, today was going to try again at an MRI. Yesterday, I sat in a tube for about 50 minutes before they sent me home. Apparently, I broke the computer. I had a habit of that at the companies that I worked for, but this time, I didn’t even touch the thing… I promise! But, alas, there are parts to be ordered, and it will be Tuesday afternoon when I get to get stuck back in the tube again, with the whirring sounds and clicking sounds and buzzing sounds and grunting sounds… sounds like fun.

Leviticus 19:18
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.’”

Mark 12:28-34
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Deuteronomy 6:13-17
Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah. Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you.

Matthew 4:7
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Luke 4:12
Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

First, I want to check a few things before I go into my thoughts… because my thoughts may change entirely based on what I find. Leviticus puts out the Ten Commandments. And throughout the commandments, God reminds us that he is God. He says “I am the LORD.” In fact, the whole book of Leviticus, the exact phrase “I am the LORD” is used 49 times. There are only 27 chapters, and remarkably, the phrase isn’t used in the last chapter.

Matthew 4:7 and Luke 4:12 Test:
ekpeirazō
ek-pi-rad'-zo
To test thoroughly: - tempt.

1st John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

1st John 3:16 Lay Down:
tithēmi
tith'-ay-mee
A prolonged form of a primary word θέω theō (which is used only as an alternate in certain tenses); to place (in the widest application, literally and figuratively; properly in a passive or horizontal posture, and thus different from G2476, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while G2749 is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate): - + advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down.

1st John 3:16 Brothers:
adelphos
ad-el-fos'
A brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like [H1]): - brother.

1st John 3:16 Ought:
opheilō  opheileō
of-i'-lo, of-i-leh'-o
To owe (pecuniarily); figuratively to be under obligation (ought, must, should); morally to fail in duty: - behove, be bound, (be) debt (-or), (be) due (-ty), be guilty (indebted), (must) need (-s), ought, owe, should.

Now, putting this all together… I should not tempt my God. And since I don’t want to tempt the LORD, I then have this debt that I owe to love my enemies, to love my neighbors, to even lay down my life for my brothers. And who are my brothers? Now, that is the question, isn’t it? Because the Greek says it is “literally or figuratively” so it could be my actual blood brother or it could be my neighbor… as in apartment 1506, who happens to be a UPS driver. Should I put God to a test, being a basis for evaluation or judgment, it would be wrong. It would also be wrong to provoke God. It simply isn’t write to try to entice the LORD. But how easy is it to withhold love? In most cases, it is easier to withhold love and give pain, at least when the sinful nature is in charge. And when the sinful nature is in charge, I provoke my God because I do not love my neighbor as the bible says that I should.

“True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.”
- Charles Caleb Colton

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.” - Unknown

Johnny Out.

Friendship - Edition #7: Friend Instruction

April 21st, 2006

Happy Friends Day!
Friendship – Edition #7: Friend Instruction

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:21-22, 35
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Luke 17:1-4
Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.”

“If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him.”

Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Now, here is the question than I am looking today. If a friend of mine sins against me, I should forgive him. Even if he doesn’t ask for forgiveness, I should forgive him, right? Matthew 6 says that I should forgive, because if I don’t, my sins won’t be forgiven. But the next question is this: if my friend sins against me, should I place a consequence in his way to help him repent? The teaching used in Matthew 28:19 is matheteuo which means to disciple them, instruct them, to turn them into a scholar. I couldn’t find this word used any other place in the New Testament. But still, it doesn’t say anything about consequences for my sin to be dealt by a fellow disciple. If I sin against my wife, does she have a right to deal out a consequence? If my friend sins against me, do I have a right to deal out a consequence and punishment?

Teach (verb):

1. To impart knowledge or skill to.


2. To provide knowledge of; instruct in.


3. To condition to a certain action or frame of mind.


4. To cause to learn by example or experience.


5. To advocate or preach.


6. To carry on instruction on a regular basis in.

Instruct (verb):

1. To provide with knowledge, especially in a methodical way.


2. To give orders to; direct.


3. Give instructions or directions for some task.

Disciple (noun):

1. A disciple of Christ is one who (1) believes his doctrine, (2) rests on his sacrifice, (3) imbibes his spirit, and (4) imitates his example.


2. One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.

Discipled (verb):

1. To punish; to discipline.


2. To teach; to train.

Pupil (noun):

1. A student under the direct supervision of a teacher or professor.

Teaching is a very interesting thing… which is the discussion I had with my wife last night in regards to this matter. So, if a friend sins against me, do I “cross-train” and help him out or do I let it go out the window and let him continue to repeat his folly? Sometimes the best lessons are learned through discipline. But, there is this that comes to mind:

Romans 12:6-8
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

And then in verse nine, it says that love must be sincere. It also says to be devoted to one another in brotherly love. It says to be patient in affliction. And being that the Greek shows that affliction also can be translated to persecution… it is not intended to be coming from a brother.

Hebrews 12:4-11
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Rebuke (verb):

1. To criticize or reprove sharply; reprimand.


2. To check or repress.


3. To reprove gently but earnestly.


4. To counsel (another) against something to be avoided; caution.


5. To remind of something forgotten or disregarded, as an obligation or a responsibility.


6. To voice or convey disapproval of.


7. To find fault with.

And the definition of “reproving gently but earnestly” is key. Consequences and reproving gently just don’t seem to go hand in hand in my mind. Maybe I am wrong… but that’s how I see it. God hands out consequences, not me. I can teach… but I can’t pass judgment on someone else. Those are two different things entirely. To condemn someone to judgment is not my place. It is God who judges, not me. And when I hand out a consequence, I am thus passing a judgment. So going back to the question: if my friend sins against me, should I place a consequence in his way to help him repent? The answer as I see it is no. Because, should I do so, it wouldn’t fly with Romans 12:17-19 which says:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Johnny Out.

Friendship - Edition #6: Exhausting Love

April 14th, 2006

Good Friday!
Friendship – Edition #6: Exhausting Love

1st John 4:7-21
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

God makes love. God is affection. God is benevolence. God means love. These are ways to translate that from the Greek according to E-sword. More so, we ought to love one another. We owe love to each other. I don’t know about you, but to hear that translation is challenging. I owe love to you.

Owe (verb):

• To be indebted to the amount of.


• To have a moral obligation to render or offer.


• To be in debt to.


• To be indebted or obliged for.

I have an obligation to love you. I am in debt for my love for you. I can never give you the love that I am required. Does that mean since I can not give enough that I should not even try? By no means should I have that mindset. I should give everything I can and then some; I should exhaust myself in my effort. Whoever loves God must also love his sister. Whoever loves God must also love his neighbor (Matthew 19:19). Who loves God must also love his friend (John 15:13). Whoever loves God must also love his enemy (Matthew 5:44). If I don’t do there things, then I am a liar. The kicker is that these people are owed the love. I owe it to them to love them. Even the people who rub me the wrong way, even the people who irritate me to no end, and even the people who push my buttons, they are all due love from me.

Romans 13:7
Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

If love, then love.

Romans 13:8-10
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Love is a debt that can never be repaid. I will always owe love to everyone. And that is a good debt to have. There is an obligation for me to love you. And I am glad for that obligation and even gladder to do what I can send in payments. Have a Good Friday everyone… it is friend day, it is Good Friday, and Easter is on Sunday… Johnny Out.

Friendship – Edition #5: Moving Others Up

April 7th, 2006

I have news about my heart. And as they say about a sure fire kicker in the NFL, “It’s Good!” Yes, my heart is fine. There is no damage on my heart. Wow, I am so grateful that through it all, God has protected me and blessed with this great news. So, my heart is good and my brain is good. We still don’t know what is causing the leg pain but that will be found out soon enough, I am sure. Now, today is Friday (or as I call it “Friends Day”). I am thinking of doing a quiet time on every Friday that helps me become a better friend and a better servant to those I know.

Friendship – Edition #5: Moving Others Up

Luke 14:1-14
One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.

Then he asked them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?” And they had nothing to say.

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Dropsy (noun):

• Swelling from excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue.

James 2:19-24
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

What I like about the scripture from Luke is that, Jesus is saying, as I see it, that I need to be giving to those in need. It’s not wrong to fellowship with friends and family, but it is better to help the poor, the sick, and those in hardship. Friends are great… but how greater would it be to make a friend who is in need. For it is written “wealth brings many friends, but a poor man's friend deserts him.” What has been given me should be that of a rotation of stock. I shouldn’t hoard up money and pass away from this world with nothing to show for it. What good is money when I am dead? Charlie and the Charlie Factory said it best in regards to the golden ticket. One of the uncles said that Charlie shouldn’t sell the ticket. Money comes and goes, but there are only five tickets… he should use that ticket because it is priceless and the opportunity may never come again. Now, think about the Kingdom of God and turn that into a golden ticket. Will I see it to pay the rent? Will I go and waste it away and get kicked out like the four other children? Or will I make the most of the opportunity, save my friends and family as did Charlie? Charlie did something quite amazing… he befriended Willie Wonka. He gave him something that Wonka didn’t have anywhere else, a family, trust, and companionship that everyone needs in this Earthly life. When I put myself out there, helping the homeless, the crippled, and the needy, it is a deed, but more importantly, the possibility of creating a friendship is there… I have a golden ticket, what will I do with it?

Friendship - Edition #4

Sunday, February 12th, 2006

Friendship – Edition #4

An engineer dies and reports to the pearly gates. St. Peter checks his dossier and says, “Ah, you're an engineer — you're in the wrong place.” So the engineer reports to the gates of hell and is let in. Pretty soon, the engineer gets dissatisfied with the level of comfort in hell, and starts designing and building improvements. After a while, they've got air conditioning, flush toilets and escalators, and the engineer is becoming a pretty popular guy. One day God calls Satan up on the telephone and asks with a sneer, “So, how's it going down there in hell?” Satan replies, “Hey, things are going great. We've got air conditioning, flush toilets and escalators, and there's no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next.” God replies, “What??? You've got an engineer? That's a mistake — he should never have gotten down there; send him up here.” Satan says, “No way! I like having an engineer on the staff, and I'm keeping him.” God says, “Send him back up here or I'll sue.” Satan laughs uproariously and answers, “Yeah right. And just where are YOU going to get a lawyer?”

Today, my son is 9 months old… Valentine’s Day is Tuesday, my wife and I have a date set for tomorrow to celebrate, life is good. I feel the warmth of friendship, in my relationship with my wife, with my friends, and with my family. It’s what I have been praying for of late… Ah, the power of cheese… I mean prayer. It’s a wonderful thing. You know, three men came to a river. They had no idea how to cross it, so one man knelt down on his knees and prayed, “Lord give me the power and strength the cross the river.” Suddenly the man became very strong and swam across the river. The next man thought: if it worked for him, it'll work for me. So he knelt down and prayed, “Lord give the skills and the strength to cross the river.” The man built a canoe and rowed himself across the river. The last man thought: if it worked for both of them, I know it'll work for me. So he also knelt down and prayed, “Lord give me the wisdom and knowledge to cross the river.” He turned into a woman and walked across the bridge.

1st Samuel 1:1-20
1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Elkanah her husband would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?"

9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple. 10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. 11 And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

15 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

17 Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

18 She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him."

I can only imagine just how much Hannah had prayed for her child. Day end and day out, she prayed earnestly for the child… she was willing to do whatever it took. And the competitiveness of the other wife, Peninnah, was never ending. Both men and women are extremely competitive in different ways. Men, it would seem is all about having the best stuff, doing the best in the workplace, getting the best promotion, and most importantly, being the best in whatever sport they find themselves involved with. Women, it seems to be having the best looking guy, having the best makeup, looking the prettiest, and having obedient children, thus making themselves the best spouse possible. That would just seem to be an observation, I could be wrong on all accounts, but being a generalization, I wouldn’t be wrong 100%. I wouldn’t be right 100% either… but that’s what generalizations are… generalized material. Hannah is amazing. Her faith is worthy of the “Hall of Faith” in my book. She prayed till she was starting, her face downcast, and in anguish. I think she took more than three trips to the garden to pray… she was even thought to be crazy for her dedication to prayer. And Peninnah wasn’t a friend, she kept jabbing her and mocking her for not being able to give to her husband the way she (Hannah) wanted to give to him. Even though Peninnah wasn’t a friend to Hannah, God was. And he gave to her a son. Hannah, in turn, returned the son to God as gratitude. Her faith was rewarded. In 1st Samuel 2:18-21 is says, “But Samuel was ministering before the LORD - a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, ‘May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the LORD.’ Then they would go home. And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.” Hannah loved God, she was a friend to God, and her faith was so much that she withstood the bickering from Peninnah and God saw the perseverance and blessed her because of such. She suffered, which produced perseverance, and that developed her character, and with her sound character, she was given hope. And with her hope, she was not disappointed. Johnny Out.