Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (Psalm 2:11)

Those who don’t know by experience just don’t get it. This picture of a horizontal machining center at work, in a way, sums up the fear of the Lord. You respect its power, its abilities, its productivity, but you never take it for granted.

 

 

 

Imagine letting some part of your body get in the way of these spinning chuck jaws. God can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. In the Bible, Galatians 6:7-8 tells us, Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit, will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Don’t mistake God’s love for gullibility.

Our Daily Bread—Praying Friends

I had to blog this edition of Our Daily Bread as it is a powerful message. We Christ-followers can’t be reminded too often about the value of intercessory prayer.

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Our Daily Bread -- Praying Friends by Anne Cetas

Technorati Tags: prayer,friends,Bible,Apostle Paul

March 9, 2013

READ: 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Brethren, pray for us. —1 Thessalonians 5:25

I met my friend Angie for lunch after having not seen her for several months. At the end of our time together, she pulled out a piece of paper with notes from our previous get-together. It was a list of my prayer requests she had been praying for since then. She went through each one and asked if God had answered yet or if there were any updates. And then we talked about her prayer requests. How encouraging to have a praying friend!

The apostle Paul had a praying relationship with the churches he served, including the one at Thessalonica. He thanked God for the faith, love, and hope of the people (1 Thess. 1:2-3). He longed to see them, and asked God “night and day” that he might be able to visit them again (3:10-11). He requested that the Lord would help them “increase and abound in love to one another and to all” (v.12). He also prayed that their hearts would be blameless before God (v.13). They must have been encouraged as they read about Paul’s concern and prayers for them. Paul knew too his own need for God’s presence and power and pleaded, “Brethren, pray for us” (5:25).

Loving Father, thank You for wanting us to talk with You. Teach us all to be praying friends. —Anne Cetas

I need the prayers of those I love
While traveling on life’s rugged way,
That I may true and faithful be,
And live for Jesus every day. —Vaughn

The best kind of friend is a praying friend.

“Christian”

Christianos means "Christ-follower." How the use of that word has changed since Luke first used it in Acts 11:26. Now it is largely a generic term for anyone associated, however loosely, with the religion of that name. Far be it from any "Christian" to suffer for that name today, as we have become a religious country-club rather than extensions of God's power for salvation.

That is exactly why Christians have historically suffered for Christ’s name; the world doesn’t want to be saved, and would rather kill anyone who stands between them and perdition.

Would I be willing to suffer or die for Christ’s Name? I’d like to think so, but as I’ve seldom even been ridiculed for it, I honestly don’t know. Personally, I’d prefer to avoid even viewing pictures depicting Christians suffering and dying for their Lord, but that’s a preference of my residual fleshly nature, which, I pray, my Savior will eventually eradicate as He continues my sanctification. If that process takes me toward torture and death, I pray for His Holy Spirit to uphold me through it.

One thing I know with certainty: God is faithful.

 

 

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