My Friend

I looked is the definition of a friend. It is “someone we know well, like, and trust. A friend is one in whom we might share common values and beliefs.”  Next, I thought about how I would define a friend.  

     When I think about a friend, I think of someone I have known, someone I trust, and someone I can tell my secrets to and who will not be unkind. My friend will listen and guide while not judging me.

     While considering what I want in a friend I remembered the song, What a Friend We Have In Jesus.This song written by Joseph Scriven truly describes the best friend I would ever have.  In the following I removed “we” and “our” and inserted “I” and “my” to make it personal.  

 

What a friend (I) have in Jesus
All (my) sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer

O what peace (I) often forfeit
O what needless pain (I) bear
All because (I ) do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

Have (I) trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
(I) should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can (I ) find a friend so faithful
Who will all (my) sorrows share?
Jesus knows (my) every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer

 

I must say, few people have true, lasting friends, but Jesus is a friend who will always stay true, always listen, always walk through trails with me, and He will always be forgiving and loving. 

     I hold fast to John 13, “Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends…No longer do I call you slaves,…but I have called you friends…You did not choose Me but I chose you.”

 

Shifting Prayer Toward God's Desires

Too often when I pray, I am asking for health, healing, blessings either for me or others. I was reminded this morning of what Paul prayed. Even in his trials, he "shifted his prayer toward what God desired" not what he desired. The devotional referred to Colossians 1:9-14. I am listing these thoughts from the devotional to remind me how to pray for what God desires: 

1. To be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
2. To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all ways. 
3. To bear fruit in every good work. 
4. To increase in the knowledge of God. 
5. To be strengthened with God's power so I can remain steadfast.
5. To joyously give thanks for all God has done for me. 

Lord, I pray for all of the above in my life today and in the future. I pray for Your Almighty will in my life. Amen!

Heart Vs Head

Woe to the one who has to analyze everything! There are just some things the human mind cannot comprehend, like: Why would Jesus leave His heavenly throne; His Father in glory and come to earth to be persecuted and to shed His blood for me? Why would He continually offer grace when I ask forgiveness but keep on sinning? Why would He walk with me through my trials and continue to bless me? Why does my heart leap with joy when I pray to Him? It is not for me to figure out. It is only for me to "Believe!"

Heart vs Head Knowledge 

 

Heart knowledge

Is so much more than college.

To know Him fills me to the brim;

It elevates-

Makes strong the waits.

His love ascends and never ends-

It transcends!

An ounce of heart 

Blows head knowledge off the chart.

To know Christ is not overpriced.

He is the Bread of Life-

The end of heart’s strife.

He is what I panted after.

He is my laughter!

He is my delight, protecting through the night. 

He takes away the dark and gives life its spark.

To know Him is to love Him,

Sending the heart leaping into a happy hymn. 

Heart learning is, Jesus, yearning-

Wanting more of what He has in store.

Heart knowledge, not college,

Makes Jesus my friend as I comprehend;

I’m no longer man born of female-

No longer frail and living just a few more days-

No longer traveling a wayward maze.

Heart knowledge is letting Jesus amaze

Until, upon His face, I gaze.

The more He pulls my heartstrings, 

The higher my heart sings.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 10/14/2024 

 

“…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”  Ephesians 3:17b-18

Book Review on "Confronting The Presidents"

My Book Review on Confronting the Presidents

 

I have never been a history buff and did not think I wanted to read the book my neighbor offered, but I thought, “Why not? At least skim through it!” So, I accepted the book and began reading. I found I could not put it down. 

     Confronting the Presidents by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard was fascinating! It was not overridden with government policy but, rather, shared personal likes and dislikes- what their preferences were for meals, work, social status, etc. 

     I found that George Washington did not attend his demanding mother’s funeral nor pay for her headstone. I found that President Benjamin Harrison and his family were so afraid of the first installation of electric lighting in the White House that they hired a man whose only job was to turn the lights on and off. They were afraid of being electrocuted! Franklin Roosevelt won four terms in office before the 22^nd Amendment, making it illegal to serve more than two terms, was passed. There were some Presidents who rose out of poverty while others were born into wealth. There were some who were discipled and others not so much. Some Presidents cheated on their wives and others were drunks. Many made it through their terms because of support from their spouses, and the portrayals of the wives was interesting, as well.

     All in all, Confronting the Presidents is kind of like reading People Magazine. I recommend it!

 

      

Lazy

My devotional today was about being lazy in life. You know, “Not diligent in my work and faithful in my walk for God”. So, I asked myself, “Am I being lazy?”

 

L ax in talking with God 

A ble but not willing to find time for God 

Z ero in my praise

Y awning through my walk with God

 

The devotional ended with a prayer much like this: “Lord, Forgive me and help me choose to turn away from my lazy and neglectful attitudes. Please help me to follow through and become someone who is industrious for You.” 

Bedtime Prayer

There is a bedtime prayer I remember saying as a child. It went something like this: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep: For if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” 

     As I have gotten older, it is not so much I sleep through the night; instead it is how often do I wake. Was it something I ate or drank? Was it worry? Was it some other reason; like, God getting my attention? 

     I remember how Samuel was awakened in the night because God wanted to give him a message. Then there is Job 33 which says, “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber in their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.” Also David wrote in Psalms, “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel in the night…” 

     There are verses in Scripture that tell me “God works through the night.” 

     I think my new bedtime prayer should be, “Now, I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, but if He wakes me in the night, I pray to hear ‘cause He is near.”

     I not only have to be alert to His call in the day but in the night, as well. My night-time waking moments may be to simply pray for someone or just thank Him and praise His Holy Name. 

     

     

A Wasted Year

Yesterday, I studied how the Israelites had to wander 40 years because they were not ready. Then I read the scripture where Jesus told Simon to go out into the deep water and cast his nets. It got me to thinking about missed opportunities and missed or prolonged blessings because of my fear or lack of faith and was inspired to write the following:  

A Wasted Year

 

What joy could have been mine, 

Had- 

I sought God’s design.

Instead-

 I struggled with a wasted year,

Because- 

My future was not clear.

God put a wink into my heart 

And held out His hands for mine to link.

But-

 I did not reach back.

My life had to be set in white or black.

So-

I was pitching tents, 

Not-

Looking for God’s turn of events.

I had weary hours,

Not-

 God’s scented flowers.

I was stressed,

 Not-

In God’s rest. 

Oh! What a wasted year!

Things just were not clear.

Yet, 

God whispered again into my ear,

But-

I had too much fear.

So- 

I wandered another year.

There was so much more I could have won,

If-

 I had only looked to the mighty One.

Instead- 

My year has been wasted;

Whereas-

I could have had His blessings,

And-

Tasted.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 10/7/2024 

 

“He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’” Luke 5:4 NIV