Friend - A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

Proverbs 17:17 (HCSB)17  A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.  

A sincere and hearty friend not only loves in the good times and the bad times.  When we have plenty and when we have little.

We don’t have very many friends like that.   

Proverbs 18:24 (HCSB)24  A man with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

Even after they abandoned him when He was arrested,  didn’t believe the women when they told them that He had risen, after meeting them and sending them out and they went fishing, Jesus still called John and the rest of the disciples, His friends.   

He called them His friends  before these things happened and He still called them His friends afterwards.  Here is what he said at the Passover meal, what we call the Last Supper,

John 15:13-15 (HCSB) 13  No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. 14  You are My friends if you do what I command you.15  I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father (Emphasis mine).  He called them His friends three times in these three verses.

Here is what He said after His crucifixion,  when He saw that they had gone back to their “old ways”

John 21:4-5 (NIRV) Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, "Friends, don't you have any fish?" "No," they answered. (emphasis mine)

Jesus never changed His mind about them and He doesn’t change His mind about you.  

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​You Can Experience Friendship with God
​By Rick Warren

NOTE:  Full scriptural text added by me.

“Since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life”(Romans 5:10 NLT).Your relationship to God has many different aspects: God is your Creator and Maker, Lord and Master, Judge, Redeemer, Father, Savior, and much more.

Psalm 89:26 (HCSB)26  He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the rock of my salvation.’

Isaiah 33:22 (HCSB)22  For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King. He will save us.

John 13:13 (HCSB)13  You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am.

1 John 3:1 (HCSB)1  Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.

Jude 1:4 (HCSB)4  For some men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

But the most shocking truth is this: Almighty God yearns to be your friend!In Eden we see God’s ideal relationship with us: Adam and Eve enjoyed an intimate friendship with God. There were no rituals, ceremonies, or religion—just a simple, loving relationship between God and the people he created. Unhindered by guilt or fear, Adam and Eve delighted in God, and he delighted in them.We were made to live in God’s continual presence, but after the Fall, that ideal relationship was lost. Only a few people in Old Testament times had the privilege of friendship with God. Moses and Abraham were called “friends of God,” David was called “a man after my own heart,” and Job, Enoch, and Noah had intimate friendships with God.

Genesis 5:22 (HCSB)22  And after the birth of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered ⌊other⌋ sons and daughters.

Genesis 6:8 (HCSB)8  Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the LORD.

Exodus 33:11 (HCSB)11  The LORD spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his assistant, the young man Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the inside of the tent.

2 Chronicles 20:7 (HCSB)7  Are You not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?

Job 29:4 (HCSB)4  ⌊I would be⌋ as I was in the days of my youth when God’s friendship rested on my tent,

Isaiah 41:8 (HCSB)8  But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham, My friend--

Acts 13:22 (HCSB)22  After removing him, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man loyal to Me, who will carry out all My will.’

James 2:23 (HCSB)23  So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.  

But fear of God, not friendship, was more common in the Old Testament. Then Jesus changed the situation. When he paid for our sins on the cross, the veil in the temple that symbolized our separation from God was split from top to bottom, indicating that direct access to God was once again available.

Unlike the Old Testament priests who had to spend hours preparing to meet God, we can now approach God anytime.

Romans 5:11 (HCSB)11  And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him.
Friendship with God is possible only because of the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:18 (HCSB)18  Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

An old hymn says, “What a friend we have in Jesus,” but actually, God invites us to enjoy friendship and fellowship with all three persons of the Trinity:

The Father

1 John 1:3 (HCSB)3  what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

The Son

1 Corinthians 1:9 (HCSB)9  God is faithful; you were called by Him into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
 
The Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NLT2)14  May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. ​

​You Are Part of God’s Inner Circle
By Rick Warren

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 NIV).

The original Greek word for friend in this verse does not mean a casual acquaintance but a close, trusted relationship. The same word is used to refer to the best man at a weddingand a king’s inner circle of intimate, trusted friends. In royal courts, servants must keep their distance from the king, but the inner circle of trusted friends enjoy close contact, direct access, and confidential information.

That God would want me for a close friend is hard to understand. But the Bible says, “He is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you”

Exodus 34:14 (HCSB)14  You are never to bow down to another god because Yahweh, being jealous by nature, is a jealous God.

God deeply desires that we know him intimately. In fact, he planned the universe and orchestrated history, including the details of our lives, so that we could become his friends. The Bible says, “He made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him” (Acts 17:26-27 The Message).

Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure. God says, “If any want to boast, they should boast that they know and understand me . . . These are the things that please me” (Jeremiah 9:24 GNT).
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It’s difficult to imagine how an intimate friendship is possible between an omnipotent, invisible, perfect God and a finite, sinful human being. It’s easier to understand a Master-servant relationship or a Creator-creation relationship or even Father-child. Yet God wants us as his friends, and that’s an incredible honor.

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Friend of God Lyrics by Israel Houghton


Who am I that You are mindful of me
That You hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me
How You love me it's amazing

(Chorus)
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend

God Almighty, Lord of Glory
You have called me friend

(Repeat Chorus)
He calls me friend
He calls me friend...
 ​

Editor's Note:  Here's another post from our guest blogger, Sara Bailey.  Sara always give us compassionate tips and advice in dealing with the loss of a loved one.  

There’s plenty to do when a loved one passes away, and none of them are pleasant. But you can take the sting out of them by being organized and coordinating with others. Involving other family members in difficult tasks after you lose a relative can be therapeutic, a chance for everyone to come together for mutual emotional support. It also makes it easier to indulge in a little self-care at a time when you need to nurse those emotional wounds.

Let Everyone Know

One of the first things to do when a family member dies is to let family and close friends know what’s happened. These are difficult phone calls to make, and it can be a very difficult task for one person to handle. To ease the burden, make a list of primary contacts and divide it among a handful of people to ensure that everyone receives notification in a timely basis. Remember to let your deceased relative’s former employer know, as well as friends and family living abroad or in other parts of the country. You can also ask the people you contact if they’ll help by passing the word along to their own family members and perhaps help you work through your call list.

Sorting Out the Departed’s Belongings

Sorting through a deceased loved one’s belongings is an emotionally challenging task. There’s a physical aspect to it that connects you to a lost loved one through your senses. Be ready for powerful memories to come flooding back when you handle your relative’s favorite putter or begin the process of cleaning out his or her closet. It’s perfectly okay to shed some tears — it’s a good way to begin the healing process. As you go through what’s sure to be a roller coaster of emotions, consider pairing the task with a bereavement program that can guide everyone through the grieving process. If you can get several people involved, it’s possible to work in shifts so that everyone can take turns or spend some time alone with their thoughts.

The best approach is to take it a room at a time and make separate piles (or use boxes) to divide what will be donated, thrown out, recycled, or handed down to other family members. One of the cardinal rules when sorting through belongings is to see each room through to completion. It’s okay to take a break, but try not to stop and come back to it tomorrow or the next day. It’s too easy to let it get away from you and leave the job incomplete. If you’re unable to throw away any of your relative’s belongings, find someone who can, as this is an important part of the sorting process. Otherwise, you could end up defeating your purpose.

Key Documents

When someone dies, it’s important to assemble important documents that will be needed to file insurance and Social Security claims, as well as to provide proof of death to debtors and settle all outstanding financial responsibilities. Gather the will, Social Security card, life insurance contract, funeral preneed contract (if one exists), organ and/or tissue donation authorization, and Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty if your loved one served in the military.

Self-Care

It’s natural that you should want to help out at this difficult time, especially if it means relieving other family members of some of the burden they’re facing. While that’s a noble instinct, be careful not to neglect your own emotional and physical needs and overdo it. There’s nothing wrong with spending an hour or two resting, taking in a movie, or running your own errands while helping your family. Self-care is always important. 

When a death occurs, it’s important for family members to pull together for mutual emotional support. It can be easy to forget that there are many tasks to be performed after someone passes away — often arduous and always painful —  that frequently go much faster when there are multiple hands available to see them through. It’s an act of grace and mercy for those who were closest to the departed, who are the ones who suffer most.

To contact Sara email her at [email protected] and visit her website The Widow Net 

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Image courtesy of Pixabay

Editor’s Note:  Three years ago I published the post “What Is A Christian?”.    A few days ago I posted the link to on Facebook.  This post “What Is A Real Christian?” is a great compliment to it.   

What is a real Christian?

You are...if you did this;

Romans 10:8‭-‬10 ESV But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.


Once you do that in sincerity (God and you know), you are saved and a joint heir with Christ.  In other words a member of God's family just like His Son Jesus.

Once saved you are changed, “born again” and at that moment you are a Christian.   It happened instantaneously without your help. It was because of God's grace.

Ephesians 2:8‭-‬10 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

You are a new creation, a Christian and nothing can change that.

2 Corinthians 5:16‭-‬17 ESV From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

We have heard these verses, especially verse 17 many perhaps hundreds of times;

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, ⌊he is⌋ a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come

What does that mean?

The old sinful person you once were has gone as a result of the finished work of Christ.

The first thing we need to understand is that this new creation is something created by God.

John 1:12‭-‬13 ESV But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

In order for this new creation to take place we must be born again.  Jesus told Nicodemus,

John 3:5‭-‬6 ESV Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

This tells us that this new birth or creation was brought about by the will of God. We did not inherit the new nature, we didn't recreate ourselves. God didn't just clean up our old nature either; He created something entirely fresh and unique. The new creation is completely new, created from nothing, just as the whole universe was created by God from nothing. Only God could do that.

We don’t know how it happens but we know that it does. In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus when he asked Jesus how is it possible to born again Jesus said

John 3:8 ESV The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

You didn't work for it or pay for it, but somebody had to purchase it and it was very costly.

John 3:16‭-‬17 ESV "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Paul in his letter to the Galatians wrote:

Galatians 1:3‭-‬5 ESV Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

We have to now realize, as new creatures, that we no longer have an identity apart from Christ.
​

What Is a "Real" Christian?
By David Burchett


“If you were a real Christian you would (fill in the blank)” is one of my least favorite phrases.

I have found that blank is always filled with an observation that you would believe exactly as your accuser if you were, in fact, a real Christian. The strategy is from the guilt is a way easier persuasion tactic than grace handbook.

Recently I passed a billboard with this message.

Real Christians Obey Jesus.

Okay. I get the intent of the message. Too many folks leave their Sunday Lesson in the parking lot as they drive to lunch.

Exactly what does it mean to be a “real Christian”? We subtly (or in my own experience, not so subtly) program Christians to believe that growth is about doing more right things. That righteousness somehow requires busyness for Jesus. We imply that change can only happen when you are trying hard and being disciplined for God. The truth is that a dramatic change has already happened when you make that faith commitment to follow Jesus.

Let’s just hit the highlights. Scripture tells you that at the moment you trust Jesus you have a new identity. You are literally a new creation. God sees you as righteous because of your relationship with Jesus. That’s it. Nothing you have done or ever will do earns that righteousness. It is a gift of grace.

You are changed completely when you trust Christ. The trick is living out of that truth. I see Jesus putting His arm around me and explaining that I have been changed. I see Him telling me that my sins are completely forgiven. I see Him explaining to me that all of those things that used to be true about me are no longer true. That no matter what the Accuser might say those things are dead and buried at the Cross. I don’t have to grit my teeth and try harder to win favor and please Him. That sin does not have power over me anymore.  That if I trust Him and let God love me I will please Him. My faith and trust is what pleases Him according to God’s Word.

All I need to do to be a “real” Christian is to believe and trust that. I have been a follower of Jesus for five decades. During stretches of that journey you would have been hard pressed to see if that my faith was real. What potential judges would not have seen was that Jesus was slowly and patiently working in my life to make me more in His image. I am a very different person today than I was in my early walk. It was never helpful to have someone point out that “if I was a real Christian” I would be doing this or that. What did help was having grace filled believers come along side me, believe in me, and help me find the gift of grace that Jesus offers. Those are the people you remember with gratitude and joy.

Jesus talks about how we limit our ability to have peace when we don’t allow Him to provide us with strength. He didn’t mention a harness of legalism and works. He talked instead about a yoke, and that His yoke is “easy.”

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30, NLT

Jesus wants you to don His yoke. Trust Him. Have faith. He has done the heavy lifting already. Rest in Him.  Learn how to be humble and gentle in spirit. Quit trying so dadgum (that may not be in the Greek) hard and serve out of grateful love. Jesus tells us when we believe those truths, our burdens are light. The walk with Him is easy and natural.

Being a “real” Christian means beginning each day with a profound sense of gratitude that Jesus offered me this gift of grace. A “real” Christian would never, never, never take advantage of a God who loves you so much that such a sacrifice was made.

I do believe a “real” Christian obeys Jesus but it is so critical to clarify why and how. I obey out of gratitude for His grace. I love Him because He loved me first. Jesus loved me when I was unlovable. Forgave me when I was unforgivable. How hard is it to follow and obey someone who loves you like that? That is real.

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Psalms 145:1‭-‬21 ESV I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord , and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord , and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord , and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
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The Lord Is Gracious And Merciful To All

The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. The psalmist, David, is proclaiming that the love of God is beyond boundaries of ethnicity, culture, race, and even religion.

The account of the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew shows this. Matthew names two Gentile women Ruth and Rahab who were  Gentiles. Four other ancestors in the list were known for their sinfulness, Judah, King David, King Solomon, and King Ahaz.

Matthew 1:1‭-‬15 ESV The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob,

God’s human history, proclaims that God includes everyone, every race, every ethnicity, male and female, sinner and righteous, in his plan of salvation, regardless of their backgrounds.

In the midst of  escalating racial, ethnic and religious fanaticism and a growing spirit of intolerance throughout the world today, Christians can serve the human family by joining together to bear witness to the all-embracing love of God, proclaiming with the psalmist that ‘the Lord is gracious and merciful’ to all.

Prayer

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God,  we give praise to you for your great glory made manifest in all of creation. Give us an open heart to embrace all who experience discrimination.  Help us to grow in love beyond prejudice and injustice. Grant us the grace to respect the uniqueness of each person, so that in our diversity we may experience unity.
This prayer we make in the name of Jesus Amen.

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Over the years I've published a number of posts on Ministry Burnout (See Burnout 1 and Burnout 2 series ). Those posts were directed at Pastors, Ministers, and ministry and church leaders, but I never thought about those sitting the pews on Sundays, or attending Bible Study, Prayer meetings, Small Group meetings, this church meeting and that church meeting. Some, maybe a lot of those people are suffering “church burnout”. Kristen Terrette gives us 10 ways to fight it or avoid it.

NOTE: Full scriptures and some edits added by me (to read the original post click the Link.
 
10 Ways to Fight Church Burnout
Kristen Terrette

1. Pray

Whenever you feel a restlessness or disturbance in your spirit, it’s a call to prayer. The Holy Spirit uses these emotions, these nudges, to get our attention and draw us into communication with Him. Jesus provides the perfect example⎯He always went to the Father in prayer. Scripture provides great illustrations of this when Jesus’ heart was sad, and when His flesh was weak.

Luke 22:44 ESV And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Mark 14:34 ESV And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."

Matthew 26:41 ESV Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Jesus was strengthened through prayer, then we will be as well.

Go to Him and discuss the struggle you feel concerning your church life. You may be surprised by what He tells you to do. He may ask you to forgive an offender, or ask you to step into a role you weren’t expecting, or even wanting. He may want you to find a different church family. He may reveal some sinful attitudes you’ve been harboring. But you’ll never know His answer if you don’t first seek His direction.
 
2. Serve Somewhere New

Every church relies on volunteer participation to function and thrive. Volunteers can make or break a ministry. But having the wrong volunteers in the wrong positions is just as detrimental to your church and the fatigue of the volunteer.

If a volunteer position isn’t bringing you joy, God may have a different assignment for you. Don’t discount God moving you to a different position. You may need to stop serving where you are and allow God to lead you to something new.  

3. Start Serving

Some regular church attenders never meet anyone. They seem content to sit, listen, sing, and leave without having invested in any friendships. This is a tragedy and not what Jesus intended for His followers. Human relationships nurture and encourage us, so this type of isolation in our walk with God is taxing on our spiritual journey and could cause quite a bit of burnout.

Some of your closest friendships can develop with those you serve alongside. People with a common goal become allies. Whether it’s to bring children to Christ, play an instrument on stage, or greet people in the parking lot, these developing friendships make church more enjoyable. It creates a bond. Give it try.

4. Bring a Friend

A new set of eyes will always see things a pair of tired eyes is missing. Bringing a friend can help you notice things you may be taking for granted when it comes to your church and its activities. A good friend will also tell you truth when they see something unbecoming.

What’s more, Jesus has sent us on a Great Commission⎯go into the world, make disciples, baptizing and teaching them to obey God’s Word.

Matthew 28:19‭-‬20 ESV Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

These were his final words to His friends, and they’re the same ones He gives us today. The church is His body doing works for His Kingdom, living out the Great Commission. By inviting a friend, we are doing what we’ve been sent by God to do, and He will surely bless us with peace and joy, instead of burnout and fatigue.

5. Try a New Church

Most ministry leaders aren’t happy about this one. But the truth is that there are many reasons God may move you to a new church. If you are feeling disillusioned by yours, then you need to discern if God is encouraging you to move elsewhere.

God has reasons we may not understand. It could be He’s trying to protect you from something. It’s possible a church has been praying for someone with your skill set, and God is sending you there. Or you could legitimately need a refresh from the place you’ve been on repeat for a while. The church should be unified, so even one disgruntled member could be infectious to the group.
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Either way, much prayer is needed to evaluate God’s will. Get still. Pray. Listen. And try a new church if God tells you to.
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6. Evaluate Your Walk with God

Are you an acquaintance with God or do you have a relationship with Him? Acquaintances and close relationships look very different. We communicate daily to the people we love and cherish.

Scripture says we should love God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Mark 12:30 ESV And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

And guess what? He loves us back even more than we could ever love Him. To love this way means we talk with Him through prayer, study about Him by meditating on His Word, and praise Him by lifting our hands in thanksgiving for being there for us every day.

We’ll eventually burnout wherever we attend if our relationship with Him isn’t thriving. It’s exhausting trying to pretend on a Sunday what you are not living out during the week.

7. Prepare Your Heart Before Service

Hebrews 12:28‭-‬29 ESV Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

So let us be thankful. Then we can worship God in a way that pleases him…A grateful heart praises God all the time. It isn’t bound by life’s circumstances; it’s thankful through them.

If you have gone a week without praying, singing, clapping, dancing, or swaying as you praise God, how do you expect to simply jump right in on a Sunday morning?

8. Repent

We often leave out repentance as part of our walk with God. Sin hardens our hearts towards God.

Ephesians 4:18‭-‬19 ESV They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

When this happens, no amount of church attendance or Sunday skips will reduce your fatigue. We won’t be able to tap into God’s presence and splendor the way He intends.  Sin congests and clogs up your heart. It’s hard to receive a word from God until you repent and your heart rinsed clean.

Acts 3:19‭-‬21 ESV Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Ask God to show you the areas in your life which need repentance. Afterwards, see if your church burnout alleviates as He refreshes you.

9. Don't Fall into The Enemy's Trap

A church service doesn’t necessarily need a full band and a great Praise Team.  You don’t even need music at all in order to have a wonderful worship experience. However, if we’re honest we have heard said, and even said ourselves, “the services feel dry”, or “I’m just not getting anything from them”.

Granted, this can be true for your situation, but don’t fall into the enemy’s trap. The evil one wants nothing more than for churchgoers to call its activities bland, dry, boring, and lacking the Holy Spirit’s presence. Remember though that if you’re there and you’re a believer then the Holy Spirit is there, which means it’s often us who have the problem.
Before vocalizing these feelings, we should pray for revival in us and our church. We must stop ourselves from spreading the enemy’s attack  to cause disunity. He wants our churches to fail, and we can never contribute to this.

10. Take the Sabbath Seriously

Even God rested on the seventh day of creation, but not because he was tired⎯He wanted to set an example for us. Jesus cared for His followers enough that He told them to get “take a break”.

Mark 6:31‭-‬32 ESV And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

Can you imagine Him saying those words to you?

He is.
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His Word is alive and directed to us, His followers, today. Feeling burnout can be a cover for our human bodies and minds simply being tired. Honor the Sabbath. Clear your schedule. Go with Jesus to a quiet place and get some rest.

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​“I felt like my body had been cut open and all my happiness pulled out.”  

​Have you ever felt like that after losing a loved one?

“I am beyond heart broken and praying for peace."  That's what a friend sent me in a text a few days ago. Then on Sunday March 3, 2019 a number of destructive tornadoes hit Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Twenty-three fatalities, some of them children, were reported as a result of the tornadoes, in Lee County Alabama.  A friend of mine lost 10 family members, who lived in Lee County, in a matter of minutes.  

My wife went went to be with the Lord on January 24, 2015 and I suffered through a long period of grief.  Me wife lost all of her siblings, and two children in the 40 years that we were married and I watched and suffered with her as she grieved each of those losses.  Those were difficult times, and I don’t want to lessen the periods of grief which were very real, but they were each for one person at a time. I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like to suffer the loss of 10 loved ones at once. This reminds me of the woman who lost 9 family members when the duck boat sank in Branson, Missouri last year.  

We can pray for my friend and her family, and we can be present to offer support but there is nothing that can take away the pain.  The greatest source of comfort we can offer comes from the Bible. God knows, feels, and understands our pain and His Word offers some consolation.  Here are 10 Scriptures about death to comfort the grieving. The Scriptures were compiled by Lori Hatcher in her article 10 Scriptures about Death to Comfort the Grieving.    This post is for my friends.

Editor’s Note:  You can read the original article by clicking the link.  This post includes my edits to the original article.
 
1. Isaiah 53:3 (NLT2)3  He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

This verse is meaningful to me because it reminds us that while no one on earth could understand your unique pain, Jesus can. Fully God and fully man, Jesus experienced the depths of human emotion during his time on earth so he could identify with our grief. This verse gave and

John 11:34-35 (NLT2)34  “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.”35  Then Jesus wept.  

are unshakable proof that God is not only aware of your grief, but grieves with you.

2. Psalm 56:8 (NLT2)8  You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
 
You may not understand the physiology of tears, but you may shed a lot during days of grieving.  You’ll remember little things, that you never thought about while your loved one was with you, and they will make you cry.  You may even call their names thinking they’ll answer then you remember that they won’t be answering. 

This Scripture says that God would collect every one of your tears. The ones you blink back. The ones you cried cry silently. The ones that soak your pillow in the middle of the night. Not a single tear escapes His notice. Each one is precious to Him, because you are precious to Him.
 
 
3. Psalm 23:4 (NLT2)4  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
 
This reminds you that death is only a shadow. It passes over for a moment, but it cannot permanently hurt the believer.  Dwight L. Moody described it this way, “The valley of the shadow of death holds no darkness for the child of God. There must be light, else there could be no shadow. Jesus is the light. He has overcome death.”
 
4. John 14:2-4 (NLT2)2  There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?3  When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Many believe death is the end of life, but Christians know it is the portal to eternal life. When Christ died on the cross and rose again, He went on ahead to prepare a place for us.Take great comfort in knowing your loved ones who are believers in Jesus are with Him in a real place called heaven. Instead of mourning because you’ll never see them again, you can look forward to spending eternity with them in the presence of Jesus.

5. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NLT2)13  And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.14  For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.  

The hope of the resurrection is sometimes the only thing that keeps us from being utterly consumed by grief. As the apostle Paul said
 
1 Corinthians 15:19 (NLT2)19  And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
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The believer’s hope reaches far beyond our mortal lives. Christ didn’t come simply to give us a better life here on earth. He died and rose again to prove there is a resurrection for everyone who believes in him. Because of this, we can be hope filled, even in our sorrow.
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6.  2 Corinthians 5:8 (NLT2)8  Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

This verse, paired with the New Testament story of Jesus’ last hours on the cross, reassures us that as soon as your loved ones took their last breaths on earth, they took their first breaths in heaven. You don’t have to wonder if they’re languishing in some in-between holding place hoping to one day see Jesus. Like Christ told the thief on the cross when he placed his faith in him,

Luke 23:42-43 (NLT2)42  Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”43  And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

A pastor once described death as walking from one room into the next. The moment your loved ones stepped out of the room called earth, they stepped into the room called heaven. And Jesus was waiting for them there.

7. Psalm 116:15 (NLT2)15  The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.

Lori writes this in almost every sympathy card she sends. “Through it God says, Your loved one’s death is of infinite value to me. I see every detail. I am present in every agonizing moment. She’s not just one of thousands of souls entering eternity today; her passage is significant because it brings her home to Me.”
 
8. 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (NLT2)51  But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!52  It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.53  For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.54  Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.55  O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
 
9. Revelation 21:3-5 (NLT2)3  I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.4  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”5  And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”  
The thought of Jesus wiping away your tears once and for all is a precious thought. Think of a world where there is no more sorrow, sickness, pain, and death. Picture a place where sin’s curse has been removed, and we’ll never again have to experience the agonizing pain of cancer, Alzheimer’s, or heart disease. No hospitals. No cancer centers. No funeral homes. Just health, joy, and peace.

10. Psalm 30:5 (NLT2)5  For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. (emphasis mine)

Lori’s pastor said,. “Right now,” he said, “you feel like you’ll never be happy again, but you will. You may wonder if it’s okay, if being happy somehow dishonors your loved one. Trust me, it doesn’t.”
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You will smile again. Even in the midst of your grief. You’ll laugh through your tears at the silly things your loved ones had done or said. Other times you’ll share a special memory or tell a story that makes you feel close to them again. There’s healing in tears, but there’s also healing in laughter. You have permission to experience them both in your  journey through grief.
 

Editor’s Note:  The following is from the Godtube Devotional  A Prayer for Those Who Are Battle Weary  which  is an excerpt from the article For Those Who are Battle-Weary by Debbie McDaniel. The scriptures were added by me.
 
A Prayer for Those Who Are Battle Weary
By: Debbie McDaniel
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“The Lord is my banner…For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord.” Exodus 17:15-16

Some days get hard. We feel exhausted. Worn. Tired of fighting. About ready to give up. Feeling like we can’t go on. Struggling through defeat. The enemy seems to be hot on our trail. And we wonder if we’ve been left on our own.

For those who are battle-weary, His Truth over us for this day…

John 8:31-32 ESV So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

We’re not alone. Not ever. God won’t let go, though we may struggle with the lies that He’s left us fending for ourselves in hard times.

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."

His Word is filled with reminders that He fights for us still today. It never says this life will be easy.

John 16:33 ESV I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

He never promises that we won’t get weary, or that we won’t face an enemy or a giant.  But He does say we can come to Him and He will give us rest.
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Matthew 11:28-30 ESV Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

He does promise to fill us with the power of His Spirit and that His joy will be our strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 ESV Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Romans 14:17 ESV For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

He does remind us that the battle is not ours but the Lord’s
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2 Chronicles 20:15 ESV And he said, "Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.

He does say that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of darkness in this life.

Ephesians 6:12-13 ESV For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

None of us are immune. Life is hard some days. And often there’s not even just one “big” thing, but just lots of little battles that can drain us dry. Parenting, marriage, job, relationships, fears, worries about the future, experiencing loss, discouragement, illness, money problems – it all can leave us beaten down and worn. But, praise God, He gives us one another to help in times when we just feel like, “I can’t anymore…”

Galatians 6:2 ESV Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

We’re all in this life thing together; let’s help each other today. Give an encouraging word, smile at someone, write a note, send a text, buy someone a coffee, pray for another soul and let them know that you’re praying, anything, just to remind a fellow believer that you’re holding up their battle-weary arms. And that you’re with them.
And God is with us.

Exodus 17:12-13, 15 ESV But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner,

Dear God,
The battle feels intense some days. We get tired and weak, weary and worn. It’s hard to keep going in the face of defeat. But help us to remember that you will never leave us, that you’re our Refuge and our Strength, an ever-present help in trouble. We know that the enemy wouldn’t be fighting so hard against us, if we weren’t making a difference for your Kingdom. He wouldn’t be trying so hard to stop us, if he didn’t think you had so much good still in store. Remind us that the battle belongs to you, and whatever we’re up against can be taken down in one fail swoop by your Mighty Hand. Help us to trust you more, to never waste time spinning our wheels and wrestling or fighting in our strength. Please forgive us Lord for the times we’ve failed to lift our hands to you, for the days we’ve forgotten to come to you first. Fill us with the Power of your Holy Spirit this day. Fill us with your joy, fill us with your wisdom and discernment, fill us with constant reminders that Your Presence will go with us, and you will give us rest.
In Jesus' name 
Amen
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