What kind of friend am I ?

Morningstar friends come and go with the passing of time. Some friends are lifelong; others are friends only for a season. Some friends will always hold a special place in our hearts even though their love for us may have changed or diminished. Each of us has experienced friendships that fall into at least one, or perhaps all, of these categories.

As we consider our relationships with others, we would do well to ask, “What kind of friend am I?” Am I a fair weather friend who will be there for someone else only when it is convenient for me, or am I a true friend who is sincerely interested in the well being of another individual, regardless of the time and effort it costs me to nurture the friendship? If we are honest, most of us would admit to being disappointed by friends at one time or another. At times, we ourselves have been guilty of the same offense.

Earthly friendships are complicated because human beings are complicated, imperfect creatures. Nonetheless, there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and his name is Jesus.

Jesus is faithful, kind, and loving. He sees us just as we are and loves us, warts and all. When I can’t call on anyone else, I know that I can call on him. I know that he will never, ever stop being my friend and that he will always be with me. His Word assures me of that. Jesus has loved me with an everlasting love that is not dependent on my employment, my financial status, my outer beauty, my sense of humor, or my availability to provide a service or favor. If my circumstances change, Jesus remains faithful, true, and constant. Never too busy for one of his own, he talks to me and is always glad to hear my voice.

What a friend we have in Jesus! Oh, that we would be more like him in our own friendships!

Prayer

Morningstar God desires that we establish a relationship with Him, He always speaks to us even though we don't know it, He has given us our conscience as a voice that tells us what is good and what is bad. He guides us with the Holy Spirit and He teaches us the way to go, He has sent His Son to redeem us and to establish the true way to Him.
Jesus founded His Church on the Apostles and we have learned about our faith through the teachings of the Church.
But faith starts within, as a flame that needs to be fuelled, it hungers for knowledge it hopes to come closer to its goal which is to be united to God. After all this is the plan of God, that we know Him, love Him and serve Him.
Through prayer we can cultivate our faith, we can come closer to God, we can receive the knowledge and wisdom to know Him more intimately and ultimately we can love Him by accepting His commandments and by loving one another.
Prayer then is an expression of our faith, since by the virtue of piety we are moved to seek God, to please Him and to trust Him in all our needs.
Prayer is an act of trust, because we don't see God and yet we come to Him, it is like negotiating with someone who will give us a very great deal. Everything that comes from God is good, so we have nothing to lose when we come respectfully in prayer before Him, but we have so much to win.
Every prayer is listened to, although some prayers are not answered the way we expect. Perhaps we are not praying in accordance with the will of God, perhaps we are unknowlingly giving instructions to God. Let us be very humble when we pray, so that our prayer does not become an insult.......Jason

 

Do you have it?

Morningstar having faith is more than just sitting around waiting on God to move a problem.  We have to make moves when we are burdened down with things.  This simply means that we have faith, but are not going to be lazy, but instead, trust in the Lord that He will lead us in the right direction.  The Bible states, "But do you want to know...that faith without works is dead?" - James 2:20.  Faith is realizing that God will lead you in the right direction.  You know you can't sit around waiting on the Lord, but you trust in Him to guide every aspect of your life.  Remember, sometimes we can only see a piece of the picture, but God sees the whole picture.

So, be confident and assured that the Lord Jesus knows what He is doing.  Put your life in His hands, and let Him lead you.  Keep your faith and don't lose heart; there will be the GREAT REWARD OF ETERNAL LIFE waiting for you.  Never lose hope in Jesus Christ, but realize His love and peace sustain all...........Jason

Do you have Faith?

Morningstar do you have faith in the electric utility company. Proof? Flip the light switch, and the lights come on. Your faith is confirmed. You have faith in the local water department. Proof? Turn on the shower knob, and the water sprays. Your faith is confirmed. You believe in your car. Proof? Turn on the key, and the the engine starts and gets you where you need to go. You don't even have to think about it much, except to be sure you have plenty of gasoline. You believe in television. Proof? Push the button on your remote control, and your faithful TV set displays your favorite channel. Everybody has faith&emdash;in something. Everything in life has an element of faith. Brother and sister, what do you really believe in? Where is your faith today? Can you honestly say that your faith will never fail? Do you "have faith in God?"

When folks get under distress, they often pray. They make special promises to God. They ask Him for special favors. Has He answered your prayers lately? Has He given the special favors you have asked for? No? Then is your light switch more reliable and faithful than your God? You say you "have faith in God." Then why does He not give you what you ask for? If faith is as easy as flipping a switch, thus causing the lights come on, as easy as turning the knob and the shower sprays, as easy as forking over some money for a sack of groceries, as easy as pushing a remote button for the TV, why does God fail to instantly respond when you ask for special favors? Could it be that you have not yet learned the practical answer to what is faith?

 

What is faith? Faith is in fact a way of life, good or bad, happy or sad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Everybody has faith in something. And that faith is defined as whatever dictates your life, sun up to sun down, seven days a week, all year long. Faith is tied to a way of living. The way you live shows the things you have faith in. The way you order your time and life is a precise measure of your real faith. You have faith in your worldly lifestyle, but do you "have faith in God?"Morningstar read Mark11,23 and Heb,11.1........Jason

 

Obeying His word

Morningstar have u ever tried to take a grilled cheese sandwich apart? I dare you. Just try and separate the bread from the cheese after they have been grilled together. You end up with a grilled cheese messwich. That’s exactly what happens when you try and separate being a disciple of Jesus and obeying His word. According to Jesus Himself, there's no such thing as a disciple who doesn't study, know, and practice His word. To illustrate this, I ask guys to hold up their hand in front of them, as I do the same. Then I ask them to follow the motions of my hand with theirs. It's really pretty easy. Then I ask them to close their eyes and follow my hand. Impossible! You must be able to see Jesus in order to follow Him. To see Him today, we must get into the Word. Then we can adequately follow Him. Make it a daily habit to read the Scriptures. Morningstar  have you read his word today?

Blame God

If you got yourself into a relationship and that relationship turned bad – don’t blame God. People are free to make choices. God made us that way. It was 1) your choice to get into that relationship or situation and 2) the other person’s choice to get into that relationship or situation. Whatever went bad with that is on the two of you – not on God.

If you became a drug addict, alcoholic, or abuser of others – that was your choice. Stop blaming God for your mistakes and errors of life.
God is standing by waiting to heal you, love you, comfort you, lead and teach you. It is your fault if you continue to turn your back on God. Don’t blame God.
Whenever you die (or if Jesus comes back for us before that time), if you have not accepted and received that Jesus Christ is  the Son of God, came in the flesh, died on the cross to pay for all the sins of everyone, and now sits on the right hand of the Father in heaven – if you do not accept these facts and receive Jesus into your heart and life, don’t blame me and don’t blame God. I am free from being blamed because I have told you the truth. I just gave you the answer to your problems.
God sent me through this writing to tell you that His Son Jesus Christ is an option for you. You can escape eternal hell and torment. God is free from blame if you reject and refuse to receive salvation through Jesus Christ.

It is your choice! If you get left out of heaven and the peace, mercy, and love of God – don’t blame God. Choose now!!!!! Morningstar it's time  to wake up........Jason

Hurt people

Morningstar sometimes hurt people, who have had little or no love in their lives sometimes read the bible and see only the anger of God, or they see the self-depreciating language and then decide that it was God’s will that they were not loved and that somehow a God of love thinks it’s ok that they were disrespected in their lives.

I remember clearly when the truth fell “into” me and I suddenly understood that my parents were meant to love me – that was their role in my life. Because they didn’t fulfill their role properly DID NOT mean that God thinks it’s ok for me to go through life without love.

I cried, because I understood that so much of my self-awareness and awareness of God was flawed – I had discovered that He loves me and He wants the best for me… and that my past experiences were not what He had in mind for me. Nor for you!

Some people might think that we should love others and we should quietly disrespect ourselves. If we do this, what message would we send to the people around ourselves… that they should disrespect themselves? But I thought we were loving them and building them up?

How can we have love for them if we do not respect ourselves?............Jason

Love in action

Morningstar demonstrates Christ’s love in action.  People are tired of empty words…they are looking for something real!  They want to know they are loved and our church demonstrates this in many ways.  I love how we reach out to the community to those in need…meeting physical needs in order to reach them for Christ!  Jesus is our perfect example.  He wasn’t concerned about their socioeconomic status very big word ; whether they wore the right clothes or spoke the right way…He loved them and ministered to them right where they were at! Morningstar has demonstrated “love in action” to our family on many occasions but I will always remember the love poured over us when our house burned down.  The news was life-changing for all of us and our church family was right there, providing the emotional, physical and spiritual support we needed during that time.  In James, Chapter 2, James addresses “faith without works” and how our faith, without works, is dead.  In Matthew 7:20 it says “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”  I love my church for demonstrating “love in action” – through good works, ministering to one another as well as the lost, that they may see good fruit produced in us, for the glory of the Lord!.....Jason

Can you hear me now?

When a friend calls you, how do you know it isn't just a prank caller? How do you know it's not your mother, father, brother, teacher or neighbor? You know because you know your friend. By spending time with your friend, you know how they talk—you know the expressions they use, the tone of their voice and the changes in their pitch when they're happy or sad. That's the way it should be with God: You know him—his character, his nature, his interests, his pleasures and displeasure, his joys and hurts—so well that you recognize him and his involvement in your life. God is inviting you to know more than just his voice, though. He is inviting you to know him. It's an awesome opportunity. Morninstar do you know more than his voice?..........Jason

Sowing in tears

Morningstar  church must get back to not just sowing, but “sowing in tears.”  In this age we can easily be self-absorbed, but we must get back to the place where we are moved to tears over the lostness of people, the lostness of our friends and family not in Christ yet.  We must stop just being critical of people who are slaves to sin (Romans 8), and start sowing the love of Christ that will free them from the only thing an unsaved person can do.  We also need to sow in the midst of our own struggles, challenges, and yes, our own tears.  We can’t wait till our lives are perfect, our walk is flawless, and we feel wonderful.  God calls us to sow, even in pain, yes our own pain.  Galatians 6.7, declares that we will reap what we sow, and this verse promises sowing in joy.  So let’s get planting good seed, let’s grow Morningstar and, the Kingdom of God, and may our tears become the call to action, the call away from apathy, and the declaration that, “This is the year of the Lord’s favor.”  I am expecting. I am really expecting...............Jason

thankful

I am thankful for each of you and your commitment to prayer. Your prayers are a vitally important part of the work of the church. Please pray that all of God’s people will become involved in diligently seeking the Lord through prayer and fasting.

God has been showing me that prayer is essential to accomplish His work. Whether it is preaching or teaching or anything else that we do, our fruitfulness in large part is dependent on our praying. We are engaged in a spiritual battle. It can only be won in the spiritual realm..................Jason

Pride?

Morningstar admitting sin and acknowledging that in our own strength we can do nothing to inherit eternal life is a constant stumbling block for prideful people. We are not to boast about ourselves; if we want to boast, then we are to proclaim the glories of God. What we say about ourselves means nothing in God’s work. It is what God says about us that makes the difference (2 Corinthians 10:13).

Why is pride so sinful? Pride is giving ourselves the credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and keeping it for ourselves. Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world would not have been possible were it not for God enabling and sustaining us. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). That is why we give God the glory—He alone deserves it.How much pride do you have?