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Friendship often ends in love,
but love in friendship, never.
~ Charles Caleb Colton
Tag Archives: Friendship
Friendship ending in love
Friendship to share
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Friendship increases happiness and reduces misery, by doubling our joys, and sharing our sorrows.
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
Dealing with friends
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Getting on well with friends
is important
as they are rare birds.
~ Marcus Ampe
The rare strange birds
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Friends are those rare people
who ask how you are doing
and then wait for your answer.
Intimacy!!
The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
Maya Angelou
Being human, we always yearn for human connections, friendships, care, love, companionship to have some sense of security, worthiness, calm, groundedness, and the feeling of being loved. Socially connecting with other human beings is our natural instinct, and crucial to our existence as well. When we meet amazing people, we can exchange a lot of goodness — appreciate eachother’s similarities and differences; as diversity is always inspiring and to be respected, admired and celebrated. And that’s the beauty of being human that they connect, associate, relate and never cease to grow and expand, if they allow themselves.
There is another aspect of “social craving” as well ; to avoid the distress and discomfort of loneliness. Butwhat if we…
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Why kids self-segregate
Friendships between people of different races are common until about the age of 10, when children begin to self-segregate.
“The long-standing assumption has been that children become more prejudiced at this age,”
Evan Apfelbaum and Kristin Pauker write in Time, but new research suggests that children’s hesitation to socialize across racial lines has more to do with their understanding of prejudice. In a pair of studies, researchers found that children who view prejudice as an immutable trait were less likely to interact with cross-race peers.
“Even children who showed low levels of prejudice showed less interest engaging across racial lines when they thought prejudice was fixed,”
write Apfelbaum and Pauker. In other words, talking about prejudice as a malleable quality that can be overcome may help prevent children from avoiding interracial interactions. [TIME]
Filed under Being and Feeling, Lifestyle
Living in peace through restoration
In times of war, there exist the danger, people getting frustrated and angry, wanting to do the wrong things against others.
In wartime, the greatest need is for friends.
Here one should not forget Who is always ready to be the Greatest Friend and the Saviour in high need. In times of fear and suffering, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, the Most High and Only True God, is there to guide us through those dark times. Best we give Him our hand and let Him lead us through this darkness to light full of hope.
With everything that’s going on in our world the idea of living in peace might seem impossible. But what is impossible for man is possible with God.
2 Corinthians 13:11 says: “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
Restoration. I don’t think I’ve noticed that particular word before. Restoration means bringing back to a former position or condition. Rebuilding, reconstructing, renewing or recovering. What would restoration look like in your life? Forgiving a betrayal so that a friendship can begin again? Studying every night for an hour instead of scrolling social media to raise your grades? Sitting down with a counsellor to discuss a hurt that is preventing you from moving forward?
Only you know the answer to that question but restoration is possible and the end…
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A Friend Like You
In a time when many have to seek refuge, crawl unexpectedly under the table or seek refuge at the alarm signals, friendship is one of the most special necessities to keep each other straight.
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Preceding
The one who knows who you are and where you have been
One of the tasks of true friendship
. . . he who plants kindness gathers love.
What are friends and friendship
A true friend is like the air…
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Additional reading
- Offering words of hope
- Gandhi’s Prayer for Peace
- The Golden rule not always as easy as its sounds
- Alternative four letter words
- Friendship and Offer for the cause of democracy
- Subcutaneous power for humanity 3 Facing changing attitudes
- Subcutaneous power for humanity 4 Not crossing borders of friendship
- Subcutaneous power for humanity 5 Loneliness, Virtual and real friends
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Related
- Companion
- Broken bonds
- So let’s talk about anxiety…
- Of Love: Space
- Sidelined
- Friendship Breakups Don’t Get Any Easier in Our 50s
- My Most Treasured Things / Mis Cosas Más Preciadas
- The man who had a pair of pliers in his back pocket
- The Little Things
- Summary of the essay of friendship by Francis Bacon
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A Friend Like You
There’s lots of things
With which I’m blessed,
Tho’ my life’s been both Sunny and Blue,
But of all my blessings,
This one’s the best:
To have a friend like you.
In times of trouble
Friends will say,
“Just ask… I’ll help you through it.”
But you don’t wait for me to ask,
You just get up
And you do it!
And I can think
Of nothing in life
That I could more wisely do,
Than know a friend,
And be a friend,
And love a friend… like you.
By Anon.
Artist Inge Look.
Text and image source: Snowwolfs Woodland Nook https://www.facebook.com/531188960392510/posts/2082553225256068/
What are friends and friendship
Friendship.
According to Aristotle, a Greek philosopher from ancient times, there are three types of friendship,
I. Friendship of utility II. Friendship of pleasure, and finally, III. Perfect friendship
But what is a friend?
A friend is someone other than family that you share close affection with. A friend will share kindness, sympathy, compassion, loyalty, fun, common beliefs and values.
A true friend will celebrate the good times, and provide support during the bad times.
Ecclesiastes tells us
“You are better off having a friend than being all alone…..if you fall, your friend can help you up.” Ch 4 v 9-10
In the Bible there are many mentions of friends, and it is easy to see the attributes that make a good friend;
Loving, respectful, positive, forgiving, reliable, loyal, inspirational, vigilant, supportive, non-judgemental, trustworthy, cooperative, wise, and self- controlled.
We are told in Luke 6 v 31
“treat others as you want to be treated.”
Of course, the most powerful example of a friend, was Jesus.
John 15 v 12 -13 “Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.”
Let us all remember the example Jesus gave us, and be the sort of friend to others that we would want for ourselves.
In a world where we can be anything, let us be kind, compassionate, sympathetic and empathetic, loyal, and fun to those around us, as we journey together towards the Kingdom. There, by God’s grace, we will meet our best friend.
Dear Lord,
Help us to be good friends to those around us.
Help us to show love and kindness to others, as you have shown us.
Help us to provide support and comfort to our friends as they have need.
Thank you for being our friend and comforter,
and for our many blessings.
Amen 🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Related
- Learning from others
- Growing Friendships, Changing the World
- Part 3: Why Schedule People and People People Should Be Friends
- Love Lust Break-up Friendship.
- My Cute Friend
- Meeting others in our mess
- How do you know if your friend has your back? What if they the devil you need to run from? This scares me alot
- rich
- Who are your friends at work?
- Slick Ways to Make Friends When You’re Targeted by Bullies
- Happy Endings
- Prioritizing Relationships
- Visits with Friends
- My thoughts to present Friends with benefits..
- Into every life some rain must fall.
- All the World’s A Stage
- Despite the Let Down
Someone needs …
”Someone not far from where you are,
needs your tender touch, your simple smile, your holy hug…today.”
‘A friend loves at all times…’ Proverbs 17:17
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. . . he who plants kindness gathers love.
Dutch version / Nederlandse versie: . . . hij die vriendelijkheid zaait, verzamelt liefde
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Preceding
“A good deed is never lost;
he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and…
he who plants kindness gathers love.”
~Saint Basil
Artist~Frederick Morgan
Text & image source: Rest in the Arms of Angels https://web.facebook.com/Rest-in-the-Arms-of-Angels-164081253667227/
Trouble in my brain
Who does not want to be loved? Who is not longing for attention, recognition, acknowledgement and for being recognised as a human being, to be seen and heard and why not for receiving a hug?
I’m so confused.
There’s a big mess in my head.
I don’t know where to start and where to end.
There’s no problem in my life.
The only problems are made by me.
I’ve got no big threats against my life.
Then why is my brain fried?
Problems are problems, if you give them the space to be problems.
Because the only one recognizing those problems, is you.
It’s your brain telling you there’s a problem, but when is it really one?
My brain is fried with problems.
Or aren’t they such things?
Are they just thoughts, which pass my mind too many at the same time, so that I can’t see which one is which anymore?
I can’t differentiate between them.
I want things but do I have the right to?
I’m aware of my past and my failures.
I try to stop myself from doing weird things.
But…
View original post 1,147 more words
Filed under Being and Feeling, Lifestyle, Welfare matters
No Friendship is an accident
No Friendship is an accident.
Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Vriendschap gebeurt niet per ongeluk
Friendship. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Related articles
The one who knows who you are and where you have been
A friend is one who knows who you are:
understands where you have been,
accept what you become
and still gently invites you to grow.
Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Een vriend is degene die weet en begrijpt
Accept No Substitute (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Not walking in front of or behind me
“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend”
― Albert Camus
Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Niet voor of achter mij gaan
Albert Camus, Nobel prize winner, half-length portrait, seated at desk, facing left, smoking cigarette (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Further reading
- Stand Tall
- Fall in love with your best friend
- I was featured on my friends blog!
- Back in the Seattle Again*
- This one might go too far…
- Deactivating is hard to do
- Mature Decisions
- My Own Friend
- Signed, Your Friend.
- A Poem For a Friend
- Tuesday June 11, 2017
- unconditional love
- You Have What It Takes
- Affirmation 7/11/17
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Related articles
Friendship born
“Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .”
― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Ontstaan van Vriendschap
Craigellachie Span The magestic Span of the old Craigellachie bridge. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Related articles
A true friend is like the air…
A true friend is not like the rain
which pours and goes away.
A true friend is like the air,
sometimes silent but always around you.
Photo & text credit: “Precious World” https://www.facebook.com/ourpreciousworld/?fref=photo
Witnessing because we love
Yesterday we saw how Jesus spoke about God His second commandment and how Jesus ordered us to keep to a Royal Law.
In the readings of this week we can find an other work than the brotherly love we have to do. Though that work should be part of brotherly love. Out of love to others we should go out into the world and proclaim the Good News. Witnessing to others is a way of showing our love to them, because we want them also to be saved.
God’s abundance is for the furthering of His will here on earth. God wants all people to know Him and to worship Him. We, when we are thankful for what God provided for us, will love to serve our God and shall do our best to be workers in the name of Jesus, following his orders to preach.
The Lord Jesus stripped himself of everything save love, that he might more readily meet each human soul on its own level. Jesus emptied himself, humbled himself, only wanted to do the will of God, his heavenly Father and asked us also to put our own selfish will aside. That will demand some work. Like Jesus became obedient unto death, even the death at the stake, for our sakes, we should offer our selves, working hard to bring others also into the knowledge of God.
Jesus was set on proclaiming the Gospel so that even the dying thief might enter Paradise, and that not one prodigal in all the human family should think that he had sunk too low or gone so far as to be excluded from the hope of salvation.
One of the duties of friendship is just to lend an ear to others and our second duty is to try to give them right answers. Those answers are given by God in His Book of books, the Bible, which we should carry in our heart. To keep it only for ourself is selfish. We should share it with others around us.
The first followers of Christ Jesus were very well aware of their responsibility. They also knew it was God Who had given Jesus authority and also given them responsibility of serving His church by proclaiming the word of God in its fullness. Paul wrote.
Colossians 1:21-29 The Scriptures 1998+ (21) And you, who once were estranged and enemies in the mind by wicked works, but now He has completely restored to favour (22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you set-apart, and blameless, and unreprovable before Him, (23) if indeed you continue in the belief, founded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the expectation of the Good News which you heard, which was proclaimed to every creature under the heaven, of which I, Sha’ul, became a servant, (24) who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in Messiah’s afflictions, for the sake of His Body, which is the assembly, (25) of which I became a servant according to the administration of Elohim which was given to me for you, to fill the word of Elohim, (26) the secret which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His set-apart ones, (27) to whom Elohim desired to make known what are the riches of the esteem of this secret among the gentiles: which is Messiah in you,1 the expectancy of esteem, Footnote: 1See Messiah in you in the Explanatory Notes. (28) whom we announce, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, in order to present every man perfect in Messiah יהושע {Jehsua}, (29) for which I also labour, striving according to the working of Him who works in me in power.
Even when the mystery may have been hid from ages and from generations, now for us it should be clear, having been made manifest to the Elohim His saints. When having received the blessings of the offering of Jeshua we, out of thankfulness should be pleased that we got to know what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the non believers. Having Christ in us we do have the hope of glory and should be so overtaken by joy that we shout it out and call others to become partakers of the same joy.
It is that Messiah, given to us, without us having to do something for it, that now our turn has come to do something in return. The Grace is given for free, but now we have to act when we have come into the faith and want to make the faith alive. It is the Messiah whom we should preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, whereunto the apostles also laboured, striving according to his working, which works in believers of Christ mightily.
The message kept secret for centuries and generations past has been revealed to God’s people. And the secret “Christ in you is the hope of glory!’” should be sounding all over the earth.
Our task is to get this hope of glory with Christ in us. Having his presence and power in our life, because it is the only way we will ever become all that God has created us to be. That is the great secret that is now made known to all! And this is why we we have to do the work of faith proclaiming Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully grown, mature and complete in Christ. It is to this end we like the apostle Paul have to labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in the followers of Christ.
Like it was the great Life Lesson Philemon learned from Paul, and how it has made all the difference for him in everything he did, we too should be inspired by Jesus’ teachings and by the power of God’s Spirit should inspire others as well.
We were made for a purpose; one that will never be realized apart from our Lord Jesus Christ. Once Christ puts his presence and power into our lives – then we can do whatever Christ can do through us if we are opening ourselves to him! Paul’s timeless words should become our very own, so that we too can say
‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!’
This is our hope of glory!
In Christ – the defeated become victorious; the weak become strong; the poor become rich! In Christ – the lame are made to leap and dance; the blind are made to see; the enslaved are set free and rejoice!
In Christ – the lowly are raised up; the brokenhearted are healed; sinners are forgiven, and backsliders are restored! In Christ –dreamers are envisioned; builders are empowered; and all are strengthened with might in their inner man!
To become in Christ we should give ourselves to him, which demands works.
To bring others to Christ also demands works. Though we do have to show others others that Christ is the Way.
We do have to open our ears so that others can open their hearts. We then should try to show them the answers God provides. Like David did not brood on his problems in solitary bitterness we with those around us should bring them before God.
We ourselves must not be ‘puffed up’ because of the way our careful reading of God’s word has led us to increasingly comprehend the ‘big picture’ of the meaning of life and the spirit of genuine love for God that must be part of this.
Let us be like the scribe who knew that there is only one God; and there is none other but He and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength. To love God demands action or work. But when we do love we first of all have to love His creations as well because when we do not love our neighbour as ourself, we do not show appreciation for the creation of God, because each person is a created being, allowed to live here on earth by God.
Mark 12:26-33 The Scriptures 1998+ (26) “And concerning the dead, that they rise – have you not read in the book of Mosheh, at the bush, how Elohim spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the Elohim of Aḇraham, and the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ’? (27) “He is not the Elohim of the dead, but Elohim of the living. You, then, go greatly astray.” (28) And one of the scribes coming near, hearing them reasoning together, knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first command of all?” (29) And יהושע {Jeshua} answered him, “The first of all the commands is, ‘Hear, O Yisra’ĕl, יהוה {Jehovah} our Elohim, יהוה {Jehovah} is one. (30) ‘And you shall love יהוה {Jehovah} your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first command. (31) “And the second, like it, is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other command greater than these.” (32) And the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one Elohim, and there is no other besides Him. (33) “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the being, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is more than all the burnt offerings and offerings.”
We should clearly understand what is being said here. There is only One True God the Elohim Hashem יהוה {Jehovah} and this we should believe and practice with all our heart, offering our love for God to others.
Do we feel as thankful as we should for the wondrous blessing of being spiritual children of God – in this godless world? Let us make sure that we do – and then – how soon will we see and experience – for ever – “the salvation of God”.
Paul challenges us when he looks at the call of Christ to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. He expresses this responsibility in the bluntest terms,
1 Corinthians 9:16 The Scriptures 1998+ (16) For if I bring the Good News, it is no boasting for me, for necessity is laid on me, and it is woe to me if I do not bring the Good News!
Youngsters listening to a preacher
Let us not overlook that it is for necessity is laid on us as well. ‘A necessity’, etc.: i.e. having no choice. The compelling force was twofold, love of god and love of Christ plus fear of being held responsible for the loss of souls. Woe: calamity, in this case, eternal death. So explicit and solemn was Christ’s commission that Paul could not retain his favour if he refused to obey it. 1 Corinthians 9:17 shows how this impending woe, and the necessity it laid on Paul, make the mere fact of his preaching no ground of exultation. For if we do this of our own will, we shall have a reward. But if not of our own will, we will have a stewardship entrusted to us.
1 Corinthians 9:17 The Scriptures 1998+ (17) For if I do this voluntarily I have a reward, but if not voluntarily, I am entrusted with a management.
Stewardship “stresses obligation, responsibility, and faithfulness of the servant to his master in carrying out the entrusted task” (Rienecker and Rogers, p. 415). In other places such as Luke 16:2-4 this same term is used to describe the management of property.
We have to do the preaching or witnessing as a matter of duty, because God has entrusted us with this task. And this is something too many Christians forget or do not want to see.
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Preceding
Your position about materialistic desires having conquered the world
When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation
Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats
A Royal Rule given to followers of Christ
First man’s task still counting today
He who knows himself, is kind to others
January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
Letter to the Romans, chapter 3
Letter to the Romans, chapter 4
Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4
Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works
Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?
Crisis man needed in this world
Preaching Christ Is Not Enough
Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news
A Christian has to have eyes and ears and a tongue to use in good ways
Daring to speak in multicultural environment
Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach
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Additional reading
- A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
- Bible in the first place #2/3
- Hope by faith and free gift
- Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
- The Right One to follow and to worship
- Illuminating our minds and watching out
- Those who love Jesus
- Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
- Paulus to Philemon
- Bringing Good News into the world
- Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
- First Century of Christianity
- Looking on what is going on and not being of it
- Let us make sure we are not stiff-necked
- Priest, scribes and others with authority
- Breathing to teach
- Witnessing
- How should we preach?
- Showing by the scriptures that …
- Necessary to be known all over the earth
- Church sent into the world
- How do I know if I’m called to ministry?
- Not all ability to preach
- A Synod to speak freely and to listen without reservations
- Preachers should know and continue the task Jesus has given his followers
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
- Risen With Him
- Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
- Missionary action paradigm for all endeavours of the church
- Engaging the culture without losing the gospel
- Counting sands and stars
- The Big Conversation
- The Big Conversation – Christadelphians in the United Kingdom
- The Big conversation – Antagonists
- What Should I Preach ?
- How to Choose a Bible for Preaching
- Positive Preaching Day 2015
- Soviet Witnesses
- Using the name Jehovah but not a witness of that name
- Why we do not have our worship-services in a church building
- Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #5 Not law binding
- Sunday 7 September service: Imitate prophets and Paul
- Begin by carrying away small stones to remove a mountain
- Signs of the Last Days
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Further related articles
- The Sum of our Stories
- The Gospel Addresses the Culture
- Baptism and Temptation
- Are You Ready For Jesus’ Return?
- Can you be faithful?
- Learn It, Do It, Teach It …Preach it?
- Preaching on the Subject of Heaven
- John Newton on the Practical Effects of Faith
- “forgiveness is not a legal action”
- Into the Wilderness
- 1 Peter 2:1-3, What about Milk?
- Preaching
- The Power of Place and Story in Preaching
- Consecutive Expository Preaching
- Stop Teaching
- What’s red and furry and climbs trees? (avoiding the Sunday School answer)
- Train of Thanks 14-15
- ‘Body Language’ in 1 Corinthians
- Sound Bytes or Substance? (Part 2)
- The Essential Element to Church Health and Success
- Sermon in a Sentence
- What’s Pastor Kevin Reading: Will Willimon’s “How Odd of God”
- Dulcis Loquela, Dulcis Oratio, or Un-Umming Your Speech
- Preaching – Prof K J Mathew – Shalom Night Vigil – February 2016
- Preaching – Fr. Roy Palatty – Shalom Night Vigil – February 2016
- “Today You Will Be With Me” – A Sermon Starter
- “Where is the promise of His coming?” (part 2)…
- Expository Preaching
- New Network Show; Preachers of Infernum
- Dressing for Church: Which Way Does One Go?
- How Will You Listen to Your Pastor This Weekend?
- 3 Essentials of A Good Sermon
- QotD – Speaking from the Heart – 2.11.2016
- Almost Spiritual, Almost Revived
- My Library // Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry
- One Anothering – The Ministry of Mutuality
- “Powerful Preacher”
- 6 Ways Bible Reading Enhances Your Church Experience
- One wild preacher!
- The Dilemma of Balance in Preaching
- Unlawful Arrest for Preaching Gospel
- Post-Preaching Inscape
- Benefits of Expository Preaching
- 4 “Non-Sin” Sermon Practices
- Are Red Letters More Important than Black Letters?
- Preacher, Do You Tremble before the Word You Preach?
- A Christ-Centred Life And A Christ-Centred Ministry
- The Ministry of Reconciliation
- Acts 4
- Acts 10
- Challenge: Find Somebody to Love
- Time for a Great Poem (evangelism)
- Don’t just give up, give out! #Lent
- Faith’s Checkbook: A Constant Witness
- Simon Peter
- When We Struggle
- February 8th-Love your neighbor as yourself. And, our unruly society has about as much difficulty with that as did His chosen people back then. Yet, as His children, we are required to be different.
- Leading Souls to Christ, Part 6 (Onward Christian Soldiers #116)
- Are You Sitting?
- We Are The Body!
- Equipping the Saints (Part 2)
- Life Expectations
- Rude Witnessing
- Feb 4 – That’s What Friends Are For
- Thankful
- How evangelism rests on trust and what you possess
- Eleven Trust in Jesus
- So, What Is Good News?
- Parking Lot Salvation
- My Utmost For His Highest: The Key To The Missionary’s Message
- Friendship Born By God
- He Died For Us Let’s Live For Him
- Is being a humanitarian enough to convey the full love of Christ?
- Go Ye!
- Let’s Proclaim The Gospel to The World
- 1 John 1:3 What To Proclaim
- 2016- A year to teach the masses about our Lord!
- Rejoice, Not Criticize
- εὐαγγέλιον – And God Ordained Encounters
- The Work of God
- #AdventWord #Proclaim
- Get The Word Out
- Joy Never Goes Silent
- Good News From The Bad News
- Walk before many people with good tidings and the gospel of peace
- There Is A Fire
- God Energizes Our Efforts August 27
- Refusing to Be Silent
- How Beautiful
- A Passion To Proclaim Him
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Related articles
Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Lifestyle, Religious affairs
The works we have to do according to James
“2 You must consider it the purest joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, 3 for you surely know that what is genuine in your faith produces the patient mind that endures; 4 but you must let your endurance come to its perfect product, so that you may be fully developed and perfectly equipped, without any defects.
5 But if any one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask God who generously gives to everyone and never reproaches one with its lack, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without a doubt, for the man who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is whirled and swayed by the wind. 7 Such a man, indeed, 8 a person with two minds, unreliable in every step he takes, (1:7A) must not expect to get anything from the Lord.
9 Let the poor brother of lowly station rejoice in his exalted station as a Christian, 10 and the rich brother rejoice in his being on a level with the poor, because the rich will fade away like the flower of the grass.” (James 1:2-10 Williams)
“12 Blessed is the person who endures trial, for when he stands the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
13 No one must say, when he is tempted to do evil, “I have a temptation from God to do evil,” for God cannot be tempted to do evil, and He never tempts anyone to do so. 14 But anyone is tempted to do evil when he is allured by his own evil desire and enticed by a bait. 15 Then evil desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is completed, it brings forth death.” (James 1:12-15 Williams)
“19 You must understand this, my dearly loved brothers. Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry; 20 for a man’s anger does not produce the uprightness that God requires.
21 So strip yourselves of everything impure and all the evils prevailing around you, and in humble spirit welcome the message which when rooted in your hearts is able to save your souls.
22 Keep on obeying this message; do not merely listen to it, and so deceive yourselves. 23 Because if anyone merely listens to the message without obeying it, he is like a man who looks in a mirror at his own face, 24 for he looks and then goes off and at once forgets how he looked. 25 But the man who looks at the flawless law that makes men free, and keeps on looking, proving himself to be, not a forgetful hearer but an actual doer of what it requires, will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives himself, his religious worship is worthless. 27 A religious worship that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: To look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep one’s own self unstained by the world.” (James 1:19-27 Williams)
“1 My brothers, stop trying to maintain your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious presence of God on earth, along with acts of partiality to certain ones. 2 For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the man who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, “Sit here in this fine place,” and say to the poor man, “Stand up, or sit there on the floor at my feet,” 4 do you not make improper distinctions among yourselves and prove to be critics with evil motives?” (James 2:1-4 Williams)
“8 But if you really observe the law of the King in accordance with the Scripture, “You must love your neighbor as you do yourself,” you are doing right; 9 but if you show partiality, you are committing sin, because you are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
10 For whoever obeys the whole law, except to slip in a single instance, is guilty of breaking it all.
11 For He who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but you do commit murder, you are just the same as a lawbreaker.
12 You must continue talking and acting like people who are to be judged by the law that treats them as free. 13 For merciless judgment will be the portion of the merciless man; yet mercy will triumph over judgment.
14 My brothers, what good is there in a man’s saying that he has faith, if he has no good deeds to prove it? Such faith cannot save him, can it?
15 If some brother or sister is thinly clad and has no food for the day, 16 and one of you says to him, “Blessings on you, keep warm, eat until you have a plenty,” without giving him the things that are needed for the body, what good does it do?
17 So faith by itself, if it has no deeds to back it up, is dead. 18 But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have good deeds. Show me your faith without any good deeds, but I will show you mine by my good deeds.”
19 Do you believe in one God? Very well; the demons, too, believe that, and shudder. 20 But, O senseless man, are you willing to learn that faith without good deeds is worthless?
21 Was not our forefather Abraham shown to be upright by his good deeds, namely, by offering Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 You see that faith co-operated with his good deeds, and by his good deeds faith was made complete; 23 and so the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him for uprightness, and he was called God’s friend.”
24 You see that a man is shown to be upright by his good deeds, and not merely by his faith.
25 Was not even Rahab the prostitute shown to be upright by her good deeds, namely, by entertaining the scouts and sending them off by a different road? 26 Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without good deeds is dead.” (James 2:8-26 Williams)
“13 Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him show by his noble living that his good deeds are done in humility, which wisdom prompts. 14 But if you cherish bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, stop being proud of it and stop being false to the standard of truth. 15 This is not the kind of wisdom that comes down from above; no, it is earthly, human, demoniacal. 16 For wherever jealousy and rivalry exist, there will be confusion and all sorts of evil practices. 17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, free from doubts and insincerity. 18 The harvest of uprightness is grown from the seed of peace by those who are peacemakers.” (James 3:13-18 Williams)
“1 What causes wars and quarrels among you? Is it not your different desires which are ever at war within your bodies?
You desire things and cannot have them, and so you commit murder. 2 You covet things, but cannot acquire them, and so you quarrel and fight. You do not have them, because you do not ask for them. 3 You ask and fail to get them, because you ask with evil, selfish motives, to spend them on your pleasures.
4 You faithless wives! Do you not know that the friendship of the world means enmity with God? So whoever wants to be a friend to the world puts himself down as an enemy to God. 5 Or, do you think that the Scripture means nothing when it says, “He jealously yearns for the Spirit that He causes to dwell in your hearts”? 6 But He gives a greater spiritual blessing. He says, “God opposes haughty people but blesses humble people.”
7 So then, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will fly from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Get your hands clean, you sinners. Get your hearts purified, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable, mourn, and weep aloud. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you high.
11 Stop talking against one another, brothers. Whoever is in the habit of talking against a brother or of criticizing his brother is criticizing and condemning the law. But if you are in the habit of criticizing the law, you are not a practicer but a critic of the law.
12 There is but one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who has the power to save and to destroy; then who are you that you presume to judge your brother?” (James 4:1-12 Williams)
“7 So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer keeps on waiting and waiting for the precious crop from his land; how he keeps up his patience over it until he gets the early and the late rains.
8 You must be patient, too; you must put iron into your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is close it hand. 9 Stop muttering against one another, brothers, so as to keep from being judged yourselves.
Look! The Judge is standing at the very door. 10 As an example of ill-treatment and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:7-10 Williams)
“12 Above all, my brothers, stop swearing, either by heaven or by the earth, or by anything else. Let your “Yes” mean Yes, and your “No,” No, so as to keep from falling under condemnation.
13 Is any one of you suffering ill-treatment? He should keep on praying. Is anyone in a happy mood? He should keep on singing praise to God.
14 Is anyone sick among you? He should call in the elders of the church, and they should pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 and the prayer that is offered in faith will save the sick man; the Lord will raise him to health, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
16 So practice confessing your sins to one another, and praying for one another, that you may be cured. An upright man’s prayer, when it keeps at work, is very powerful.” (James 5:12-16 Williams)
“19 My brothers, if any one of you has wandered away from the truth, and someone brings him back, 20 you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his evil ways will save the man’s soul from death, and cover up a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20 Williams)
*
Part of Dutch version / Gedeelte van de Nederlandstalige versie: De aanduiding door Paulus en Jacobus van de werken die wij horen te doen
Preceding articles
- Leading people astray!
- Restitution
- Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works
- Luther’s misunderstanding
- January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
- Our life depending on faith
- Romans 4 and the Sacraments
- Is Justification a process?
- Justification – salvation is by grace through faith – JI Packer
- Faith itself not the cause of justification – Louis Berkhof
- Letter to the Romans, chapter 3
- Letter to the Romans, chapter 4
- Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
- Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4
- Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?
- James 2:14-23 — Justified Dynamic Faith & works
- James 2:24 – You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
- James 2:25. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
- Paul giving notice of the works we have to do
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Read also other articles as:
- A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
- Our relationship with God, Jesus and eachother
- The way of salvation
- A “seed” for the blessing of all mankind would come through the family of Abraham
- God works faith
- Faith is the belief that god will do what is right
- Christ’s ethical teaching
- Being Justified by faith
- Faith is knowing there is an ocean because you have seen a brook.
- Faith Requires a Basis
- Walking in love by faith, not by sight
- Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
- A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
- A Living Faith #2 State of your faith
- A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
- A Living Faith #4 Effort
- A Living Faith #5 Perseverance
- A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
- Faith and works
- Sharing your faith
- Bearing fruit
- Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
- The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
- Be holy
- 1 Corinthians 15 Hope in action
- Chief means by which men are built up
- Not to play at Christianity
- To be established in the present truth
- She who sows thistles will reap prickles
- Love for each other attracting others
- Share your faith
- Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus
- Faith, storms and actions to be taken
- The longer you wait
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