I Love My Church - Day 7

I like to eat.  Eating is a good thing.  I find it can be very fulfilling, especially when I'm hungry.  What satisfies your tummy when you are hungry?

What about the soul?  How do we satisfy the soul?  Since birth, there is a hunger in the soul that many feel but have no idea how to satisfy.  So we satisfy it with sexual addictions, food addictions, beverage addictions, material addictions, adrenaline fixes, you name it.  We are trying to find something that will satisfy the soul.

There is only one place where you can find satisfaction for the soul, it is in God's Word, the Bible.

God told the people of Israel to remember He is the provider and sustainer in life.  They will find satisfaction for the soul in Him.  Read about it in Deuteronomy 8 or click to view http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%208&version=NIV (Click back arrow on web browser to return)

"Man doesn't live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."  God's words will satisfy the soul.  Where do we find His words?  We find in the age old book that has stood the test of time; the Bible.  We find satisfaction as we read and obey His words.

You've read one chapter today already.  Make that a habit of yours to read a passage or chapter every day.  You can reach for the protein bar and have your tummy filled.  Reach for the Soul satisfaction bar found in God's word and satisfy the soul.

As you close: Thank God for His Word, the Bible.  Thank God it is trustworthy and life giving.  Ask God for consistency in reading it.

God Bless!

I Love My Church - Day 6

One reason I love the church is that we get the chance to develop wonderful friendships. 

Facebook has become the face of our friendship world. It gives us an opportunity to see how people are doing and an opportunity to connect quicker than ever.

What is friendship?  Wikipedia defines friendship, "In a comparison of personal relationships, friendship is considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations."

In short, we have varying degrees of frienships but the intent is that it is closer than just knowing someone exists.  The degree of intimacy, closeness, is up to each individual.  I choose to get closer to some than others. Others I keep at an arms distance.  I know you do the same.

Frienships are meant to be a part of your church family experience.  You are meant to find a friend, someone you can be open with and be someone for others to open up with.  Do you have that kind of friend in the church? 

King David was a friend of Jonathan.  Jonathan's father, Saul was king of Israel and desired to kill David over a jealous spirit.  David was a mightier warrior than Saul and that produced an anger in Saul and it drove him to attempt murder of David.  God protected David and used Jonathan to protect him.  In I Samuel 20 we read about their last time together as close friends.

Read about it in I Samuel 20 or click to view http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+20&version=NIV (Click back arrow on web browser to return)

Do you have this kind of friendship in the church?  Being new to Brighton Chapel, it will take some time but I look forward to friendships God will develop in my life in our church. 

That is another reason why I love this church!

As you close:  Thank God for friendships.  Ask God for a good friend.  Ask God to help you be a good friend to someone in our church!

God Bless!