Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: family

  • Got a minute? – 4

    Got a minute? – 4

    A minute for prayer… minutes for God’s word… minutes for fellowship…

    And now I get personal.  Who are your friends?

    The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.

    Proverbs 12:26

    •  Do you number these as ones who would stand in your stead defending you before all in the Lord?
    • Are they an army of love in Christ Jesus?
    • Or are they few, perhaps even one?
    • Do you even stand alone, one silent witness in the sea of a large congregation?
    • Who are your friends in Christ?

    I must confess that I would go alone to the prophet’s mountain, rather than pour forth Christ’s love upon another.  I fear the closeness of other men and other women, who have so often wounded my insecure confidence and challenged my faith in the Lord.

    A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.  A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment. – Proverbs 17:17;18:1

    Do we give a minute to a friend?

    And then another to another?

    What counsel will we accept in the Lord from our brother (or sister) in Christ?

    Are we a friend to many in Christ?

    Or are we selfish with the minutes God has graciously given to us?

  • Got a minute? – 3

    Got a minute? – 3

    Got a minute for prayer? Good.

    Got a minute or two for the Bible? Good.

    Got an hour? – 60 minutes out of your 1080 minute week?

    Now it becomes more time consuming.

    Got an extra hour for fellowship?

    When we were growing up, no thought was given on Sunday to taking an extra hour for Sunday school.  We just went.

    Our parents had close relationships with the other adults in our church.  We held close to our church friends even at school.  Now we call it, ‘small groups,’ a more concise meaning of God’s purpose for us.  Sure we studied the Bible.  Of course we pray.  Often there is food and fun.

    ‘Fellowship Hall,’ we used to call the big room with all the food and people on special church occasions; but fellowship happens in small groups, Sunday school, Wednesday nights, community service, mission trips.

    Are you an insignificant lone worshiper at the large weekly church service?

    You are missing out on a great blessing God has set before you: fellowship.

     Love one another as I have loved you.  [John 15:12]

    If we love the Lord, will we not follow His commandment?  J

    Jesus said that the ‘church’ is your family. 

    Got an extra hour for fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ?

  • Got a minute?

    Got a minute?

    Note: originally published September 15, 2007

    *Part 1

    commoditiesGot a minute?  I pray that you will give it to God.

    Of course, ‘Got a minute?’ is just an expression.  It may take a couple of minutes to read this and perhaps more to consider it.

     

    I have an electric toothbrush with a one minute timer.  I must confess to you (and my dentist) that I have great difficulty waiting the full minute before I finish brushing.

    I have heard others ask our boss, ‘Got a minute?’ and had to wait the better part of an hour for my time to communicate some question of importance.

     

    I have had complaint of my prayer of thanksgiving at the table taking too long.  I remember my favorite prayer of my childhood was, “God is great, God is good, and we thank Him for this food.  Amen.”

    In considering a more mature thankfulness to God and our hurried neglect for prayer, I have regularly prayed for more than the food.  (At least it is something of family prayer, be it ever so brief.)  Yet in deference to the Lord and our family, I doubt these small offerings of prayer have ever lasted even one minute.

     Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

    I do not pray without ceasing as I should.  Thankfully, after frequent urging of my wife, I pray more often (even for more than a minute); yet petition weighs heavier than the brief praise given to the Lord for the many blessings He has given us.

     Got a minute for prayer? 

    May the Spirit of truth convict us that even in a minute of prayerful silence not taken, the Lord may hope to speak to our hearts.