Flawed Friends

Have you ever noticed that we want our friends to become to us what we've never become to them? In fact, we expect them to be what we could never be to anyone-- perfect. Perfect is being without flaw. A perfect friend never is unfair, never treats you wrongly, never overreacts to a situation. A perfect friend is just that... perfect in every way. But that person doesn't exist. Truthfully, you don't have any perfect friends, and you are not one yourself.

You may have friends of whom you've never had a fight with. There may be those with whom you seem to hit it off. That is great! We all need friends that are special to us. Everyone needs a friend that will stand with him through thick and thin. A friend that will go to battle with them, believe in them, and encourage them, no matter what they have done or are going through. But even that friend falls short of the perfection mark. We just tend to overlook, ignore, or are purposely blind to their shortcomings.

My wife and I are away on vacation. Our grandson, his mom, and dad are with us, as are some friends. Zach, the grandson, Samuel, and Sydney Grace were collecting seashells yesterday as the sun was going down. It was for a project for my daughter Ti Ti, who leads Kid's Church back home. They returned with some perfect sea shells, among others that were imperfect. What they don't know is that Samuel and Sydney Grace's dad had bought an assortment of sea shells in the camp store, and planted them so as to help their project. The perfect shells to them weren't formed from the ocean, the grind of the water, waves, and rocks. Truthfully, I've never studied their formation. I just know most of the seashells you pick up at the beach are cracked, chipped, or have an imperfect form. Like my friends... and like me.

Job was going through the crisis of a lifetime. Calamity after calamity, trial after trial had hit. His finances, his home, tragic loss of lives and property, and his health were all affected. He was having wife problems. He needed his friends, but they weren't there initially. And when they showed up, they said nothing. Things got worse when they finally spoke to him. They played the blame game. Instead of encouragement, came accusations. Job called them "physicians of no value." Physicians are supposed to help heal, aren't they? Job's friends had become his frenemies-- friend enemies. Do you have frenemies? Have you become one?

Before Job could be restored, he had to pray for those flawed friends. I believe he had to forgive them. So must you and I. We are flawed, we are imperfect. Our shell is cracked, fragmented, and chipped. But Jesus loves us anyway. We should love one another as He has loved us!

Lord, thank you for my flawed friends today. Bless them, I pray. And forgive me when I hurt them. In Jesus' name, amen!

DEALING WITH AN ISSUE?

Luke 8:43 says "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years..."

The bible does not give us this woman's name, but we do have some history. Her history was one of pain and disappointment. She had suffered with a disease for twelve long years. She had invested all of her income on trying to get better. But nothing and no one was able to help her or provide the relief she needed. We have a saying here in the South that indicates how we feel sometimes when we find ourselves at rock bottom: "broke, busted, and disgusted." I am sure if we could ask the nameless woman how she felt during these years of sickness, she would have expressed something in that vein.

She was dealing with an issue. It was a blood hemorrhage. According to the Levitical law, she was unclean. Add that to her problems. Not only suffering, but religion and society called upon her to be cast as unclean. Restrictions were placed upon her life because of her condition. Her condition affected her position.

This woman was actually dealing with a number of "issues." The pain, sickness, and disease were one. The financial strain was another. The unclean issue was another. I am sure discouragement, fear, and worry crept in. And what about isolation? Isolation from family, friends, church, and community were also a real part of her life. Yes, she was dealing, not just with an issue, but with a number of them. But she had one dominant issue that was engine that propelled the others. Get rid of the one, and the others would be lifeless, or at least less effective.

Like the woman in the bible, most of us are dealing with issues. It may be a marriage breakdown, a financial crisis, a sickness or disease. It may be a struggle with drugs or alcohol. Your issue may be lust. You may have an issue of unforgiveness. You probably have one dominant issue that is your greatest weakness. Yes, I have an issue, and I have issues. No, I am not telling you mine. I am just stating that we all have them.

The good news is that there is ONE who is able to give us the victory over the issue. His name is Jesus. The sick woman heard of Him, and pressed through the crowd. She touched the hem of his garment, and was instantly made whole. Healed, delivered, free-- from every issue.

Some healings are instantaneous, and some are a process. This one thing I know. I just want to lay every issue in my life before Christ, who can do what none other can.

I encourage you today to lay your issue before Jesus!

MY HURTING HEART

My heart is hurting. No, I am not speaking of physical chest pains. I am talking about an inward pain that is nonetheless just as real. The burden of people who have come across my path this week with real needs are on my mind and in my heart. The burden of a precious lady whose husband has been ill. She is now facing surgery for cancer. The teenager who is in the hospital dealing with some personal issues. She is one of the sweetest girls you will ever meet. She has a poor self image. We are lifting her up to be set free from every wrong choice in her life. My heart is heavy for the near 500 who lost their jobs in the county, of which some are members of my church. And for the ones who are struggling financially due to sickness and loss of work. My heart goes out my son in law and daughter, as the road to recovery continues. It will be the first of the year before he is released to go back to work. Others who are suffering physically. My dad continues to receive treatment for cancer.

I am burdened for lost souls. For those who have gotten discouraged and gotten out of church. For those who have fallen back into Satan's trap. We are believing for God to reach them and restore them.

My hurt is hurting with a godly burden. My hurt is for the injustice done to another. It is for the victim who could not defend theirself. My anguish is that someone who should love would resort to unspeakable and unthinkable actions. I am burdened for the past pain and for the present pain that is carried because of yesterday's wounds. My burden is for the physical and emotional needs that are carried. I find myself praying and weeping.


You know what it is like to feel the pain of others. You understand the thing when it hits you in the gut, and it really bothers you. You have looked the other way at times, but find then comes the time where you can't do that anymore. For whatever reason, like the Good Samaritan, you see someone wounded, and you know you must respond. And sometimes all we can do is pray. And so we do that. When we can't do anything else, we can pray. When we can't undo the past, we can pray. When we can't fix the present problems, we can pray. And prayer helps. And prayer works.



You see, we serve a God who is more than enough. He is able to touch, heal, restore. I preach that all the time. Today I am reminded that there are people who need that kind of God.

And so I am hurting in my heart.. hurting and praying.



Love and Prayers,
Pastor Ronnie