A Friend For You

Jesus Your Friend

Jesus is your friend

I have a friend. He is the best friend I have ever had. He is so kind and true that I would like you to know Him, too. His name is Jesus. The wonderful thing is that He would like to be your friend.

Let me tell you about Him. We read this story in the Bible. The Bible is true. It is God's Word.

God is the one Who created the world and everything in it. He is Lord of Heaven and earth. He gives life and breath to all things.

Complete text of: A Friend For You

God's creation

Jesus is the Son of God. God sent Him from heaven to this earth to be our very own Savior. God loved the world so much (that means He loved you and me) that He sent His only Son, Jesus, (to die for our sins) that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby. His father and mother on earth were Joseph and Mary. He was born in a stable and laid in a manger.

Jesus' birth

Jesus grew up with Joseph and Mary and He obeyed them. He had brothers and sisters to play with. He helped Joseph in his carpenter shop.

Jesus and the lad with food

When Jesus grew to be a man, He taught the people about His Father in heaven. He showed them that God loved them. He healed the sick and comforted those in trouble. He was a Friend of the children. He wanted to have the children close to Him. He had time for them. The children loved Jesus and loved to be with Him.

Some people did not love Jesus. They envied Him, and even hated Him. They hated Him so much that they wanted to kill Him. One dreadful day they killed Jesus by nailing Him to a cross. Jesus had done nothing wrong. He had to die in our place because you and I have done wrong.

Jesus on the cross

The story of Jesus does not end with His death. God raised Him from the dead! His followers saw Him. Then one day He went back to heaven.

Today He is able to see and hear you. He knows all about you and cares for you. Just come to Him in prayer. Tell Him all about your troubles. He is ready to help you. You can bow your head and talk to Him, anytime, anywhere.

Someday He is coming again! He will take all those who believe on Him home to heaven.

Jesus listening to a woman pray

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Heaven—Your Future Home?

What About Your Future?

Who can think about the future without considering whether there is another existence after this life? Man cannot escape the thoughts of his state after death, but is inclined to put them out of his mind. He busies himself with the things of this life, placing thoughts of death, heaven, and hell into the distant future (Matthew 24:48, Ecclesiastes 8:11). The reality is, however, that a choice must be made. To do nothing will mean being eternally lost.

There Are Only Two Destinies

The glories of heaven and the terrors of hell convince us that we must make heaven our eternal destiny. There is a choice to be made if we are to realize this reward. No sin will enter heaven; this is sure. There will be eternal punishment in hell for those who do not find forgiveness for their sins. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46).

Heaven—The Home for All the Redeemed

To the redeemed, those who have been washed in the blood of Christ, heaven is a special place (Revelation 7:13-14). It is home. Their desire for heaven is like the desire of the psalmist in Psalm 63:1, “My soul thirsteth for thee… in a dry and thirsty land.” To the fleshly, earthly mind, heaven seems a distant, far-off place. To the person born of the Holy Spirit of God, heaven is close and real. He experiences a foretaste of his eternal home.

The virtues exemplified by Christ—truth, humility, purity, and love—are precious to the child of God. As God graces the believer’s life with love from heaven, he is careful to be honest and humble. His heart longs for the fullness and purity of these Christian graces in the heavenly home (2 Corinthians 5:1).

Heaven—A Place of Light

Complete text of: Heaven—Your Future Home?

Life on this earth has many shadows. We often encounter things we do not understand. We attempt to look into the future, but are not able to do so. Disappointments are often experienced in our lives. All of this could be described as darkness.

Heaven has only light. It is where God dwells. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). In His light is perfect understanding. Knowledge will be complete. The past and all events will be totally clear. In this light, there will be full fellowship between the Father and all those who reside with Him.

Heaven is described as “the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). Attributes of light listed in the scriptures are knowledge, holiness, and joy. This light is without interruption—forever! There shall be no night there (Revelation 21:25).

Heaven—A Place without Threat or Sin

“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie” (Revelation 21:27). Discouragement, disappointment, temptation, and sin are part of the earthly life. They will never enter that beautiful land.

In Revelation 21:4 we read, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” To the Christian, heaven is the fulfilling rest, the completion of the journey. He knows that even as God has wiped away his tears on earth, so all sorrow will be taken away in the perfection of heaven.

Immortal State of the Saved

Human relations are important to us here on earth. Others’ joys and sorrows touch our emotions. Family ties are meaningful and separation is painful. All of this is a necessary part of our mortal state.

When Jesus returns for judgment, everyone will be transformed. The dead will rise. The mortal body that is corrupt and subject to death will become immortal. “And the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:52, 53).

In this state, family relationships will no longer carry the same meaning for us. Jesus taught that there will be no marriage relationships in heaven (Matthew 22:30). The emotions of this life will pale in comparison to the joy that will be in the presence of the Lord God. Nothing will blemish the relationship between the saved and the Lamb of God.

The saints shall continually look on things which mortal eyes have never seen; they shall hear things which mortal ears have never heard; and they shall know that which the heart has never thought upon.

Jesus and His Own Will be Glorified

A day is coming when the Lord Jesus shall appear to all the inhabitants of the earth. Everyone will stand before Him to be judged (Matthew 25:31-34). His true followers, even though they were despised and rejected in their earth life, will be taken into glory (heaven). There they will be able to praise and glorify God without end. Mortality will give way to immortality. “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54). See also 2 Corinthians 5:1.

In this life the saints have had many trials, temptations, and difficulties. Through grace those that have trusted in the Deliverer and persevered to the end will be taken to heaven. People from all lands and of all tongues and ages who have kept the faith will be there. This great and innumerable throng, pardoned from sin and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, will inhabit heaven (Revelation 7:9-14).

These souls who have been redeemed in this life will be glorified in heaven. How wonderful it will be to experience the marriage of His Church with the Lamb of God. This will be glory beyond compare (Revelation 19:7-9).

Heaven—Beyond Human Understanding

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The glory and splendor of heaven cannot be fully understood or described. Our minds understand the things which we can see and feel. While we understand that heaven is the abode of the soul with God, He has chosen not to reveal all the aspects of that eternal home.

Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was given a glimpse of heaven. As he was being stoned for his faith, he “looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55).

Even though much about heaven cannot be explained, we know enough that we, like faithful people through the ages, desire to dwell eternally in the city that God has made. Hebrews 11:10 tells us that Abraham by faith “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Read also Hebrews 11:13-16.

Will We Be There?

Where will we go when life is over? Will we go to Heaven? The Spirit of God gently knocks and reminds us to prepare for our eternal future.

We need to recognize our need of God. Through the fall of man in the beginning, man has forfeited (lost) his favor with God. Repenting of our sins and finding forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ can restore this relationship. God then accepts us as just, and pardons us. We thus become a child of God through the power of the Word and Spirit (John 3:5; 1:12). The peace that we experience is a foretaste of the fullness of rest that will be ours in that eternal abode. Every soul can have clear evidence in his heart that a mansion has been prepared for him in heaven (John 14:2-3).

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Profanity—What is It?

The Bible says: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45).

Swearing is a very prevalent, evil practice in society. It adversely affects our relationship with God and our fellowman. The use of profanity is associated with speech that is not sacred or holy, irreverent toward God and man, showing contempt for holy things, and blasphemy. In Exodus 20:7 we read, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

Often there is ignorance involved in the use of profanity, especially in children. This habit that is formed in youth can last a lifetime and is very difficult to break. In James 3:6 we read: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

The meaning of some curse words is that God should curse instead of forgive, put in prison instead of set free, cast away instead of deliver. They also infer that God should use His power to punish instead of bless or have mercy. Should someone be deprived of all happiness of both body and soul in this world, and in eternity shut out of heaven and cast into hell? The horrible condemnation man can pronounce upon himself is indescribable when one is sold to and under the control of Satan. When God opens our eyes to what has overtaken us, it becomes abhorrent. Jesus said that “Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:22).

The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:4 to the professing Christian: “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” The tongue, unless the heart of man is cleansed by the Holy Spirit, remains an unruly evil in one way or another. Even though man may possibly cease and refrain from sins such as profanity and kindred evils, the mouth speaks what is in the heart.  “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12: 36-37).

Complete text of: Profanity—What is It?

“The Lord…is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  We are still in the day of grace when we can prepare to meet our God. He will deliver us from every sin, if we will let Him. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Jesus spoke of His own ministry when He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).

Today there is still pardon for our sins if we come to the Lord Jesus who made an atonement for us through His shed blood. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness, and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).  “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers” (Ephesians. 4:29).

YOU TELL ON YOURSELF

You tell on yourself

By the words you speak, by the friends you seek,

By the way you employ your leisure time,

By the use you make of your dollar and dime,

You tell what you are by the things you wear,

By the spirit you, your burdens bear,

By the kind of things at which you laugh,

By the songs you sing, just a paragraph,

You tell what you are by the way you walk,

By the things of which you delight to talk,

By the manner in which you bear defeat,

By so simple a thing as the way you eat,

By the books you choose from the well filled shelf,

In these things and more-you tell on yourself-.

“Let not sin, [unrighteous thoughts, words or deeds] therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Romans 6:12). “Let your speech be alway with grace seasoned with salt...” (Colossians 4:6).

 

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