WFW-A Friend

On Monday nights, we host a home fellowship Bible Study in our home. My husband teaches verse by verse through the Bible. For the last year, we have been chronologically studying through Paul's journey as he taught about Jesus Christ to the nations outside Israel. I love sitting under my husband's teaching and hearing the heart of God poured out through him, as God gives him wisdom and understanding.

This week we studied about how the "wisdom of God" is a mystery to many. That the hidden mystery, which God had planned and foreknew at the foundation of the world, is hidden from many, even the rulers of the age, or those who were scholars, Roman and Jewish leaders at the time. But that this hidden wisdom or instruction is available to all and is revealed through the Holy Spirit. We spent a lot of time on verse 7.

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew;" 1 Cor. 2:7

"But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." v. 10 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." v. 16

All of us probably, know of religion. We have religion and religious systems. There are many of them in our world today. But what really gets me time and time again, is that God does not desire us to follow a religious system. He desires us to follow Him.

He desires a friendship with us.

He desires a relationship with us.

He desires intimacy with us.

We can have the mind of Christ. We can talk to Jesus. We can hear from Jesus and talk with Him. This is all possible. I have felt it. I have experienced it. It is real. ...but not until we believe on and in Jesus Christ through faith.

Until we take this step....."the wisdom of God" is a mystery. When Jesus Christ died on that cross and took all of my sins and your sins upon his shoulders, and shed His blood to cover our sins...and then was raised from the dead three days later......and is alive today.... when He did that....He did it so that you and I could be in a relationship with HIM. He takes the veil off of our eyes on that day we believe and accept HIM through faith. What a day that is!

My husband ended his teaching with John 15:15

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you FRIENDS, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

Think about every friendship you have. They all begin with an introduction. There was a day when you were introduced to your friend and before that day, you didn't really know each other.

You met.

You talked. You enjoyed each other's company. You liked what that person had to say. You liked how they thought about life. They made you laugh. You wanted to get to know them better.

A friendship was developing.

You wanted to know what they liked. What they didn't like. What made them laugh. What made them cry. You wanted to know where they came from and where they thought they were going. You longed to know all about their past. Their triumphs along the way, their pain, their struggles, their joy. You wanted to meet their children and their family. You wanted to be with them more and more.

So, you spent time together.

You called each other on the phone. You met for coffee. You went to lunch. You went to the park with your children and sat together and played together. You emailed each other and planned time together. You met their husband. They became a part of your life. The more time you spent together, the better friends you became.

And time went on...you really began to know each other. You can recognize your friend's voice. You trust each other. You experience life together. There is a relationship. And the more time you spend together...the deeper and more intimate the friendship becomes.

That is what our Father desires with each one of us. He wants me to Know him. He wants me to spend time with Him. He wants me to know His past and to see where He wants to take me in the future. He wants to tell me His plans for my life. He wants to speak to me and as I spend time with HIM....I know His voice when He speaks. He wants to be my friend. He wants to be the first person I run to for comfort and the first person I share my joy with. He wants all of me.

He doesn't call me servant......because I know what my master is doing.....He calls me FRIEND. And through the Holy Spirit...He talks to me and reveals to me everything that comes from my Father.

The picture above is of my daughter, Faith, and her sweet friend, Tabitha at Hershey Park yesterday. We went to Hershey Park, in Hershey, PA, with a family from church who are great friends of ours. We had so much fun! They are a large family (expecting their 9th any day now!) Our children are all great friends with their children as their children are all around the same ages as our children....they only started a couple years before we did...and have kept going! :) Their children are like family to us. I think these two wee ones.....have a beautiful friendship in the making.....and I pray it blossoms into something beautiful.

I hope you have a wonderful day-In Christ's love and amazing grace-Stacy