Psalms In My Palms - Book 1 - Wisdom

Friends Indeed Are Friends In Deed!

Psalms 112:1-10; 133:1-3

WISDOM speaks again on another topic!-

It takes two to make a blessed family, a man and his wife! But are you aware that it also takes two to form a real unity of friendship- a reaching out to others for help or support. So I have chosen two Psalms to blend my idea of unity in true friendship.

Why do we need friends? Because there is nothing compares to a good friend! They care, listen, comfort and may even correct you, but you need them! Proverbs 27:6b, 17-NEB-"trustworthy are the bruises of a friend;" and "as iron sharpens iron, so friends sharpen each other's faces." KJV-"faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."and "iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Friends let you know when your off the blessed track!

How do we get a friend? Only by cultivating a friendship! Samuel Johnson was quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations as saying, "If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, Sir, should keep his friendship in constant repair." Sounds sensible

Friends impact our lives either for good or evil. Some changes may be necessary as long as our choice does not affect righteous moral conduct, false philosophies, Godly convictions, or spiritual character. Never permit a friendship which destroys your standing with God!

There are four types of friends- acquaintances, (brief passing friendship); casual friendships, (job or work site places us next to them); close friends, (we choose these because of a common understanding); and the intimate friendship, (closest and therefore you have freedom to criticize, correct, encourage, or embrace). We have probably found the basic purpose of Psalms 133:1-3-TEV-"How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God's people to live together like brothers! It is like the precious olive oil running down from Aaron's head and beard, down to the collar of his robes. It is like the dew on Mount Herman, falling on the hills of Zion. That's where the Lord has promised His blessing, life that never ends,". The good pleasant unity of friendship. (John 17:10-"And all Mine are Thine and Thine are Mine and I am glorified in them."). That is the greatest friendship we can have!

Do you realize that all of this is leading up to eternal life forever in the presence of God? We need to get along together here on earth if we intend to see this in our own life. There are not several doors to eternal life! Only one! Jesus said in John 10:9, "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture." If we would gain sustenance to grow as Christians (Sheep of His pasture) we must be friends with people around us. There is an old saying, "To get a friend you must be a friend." Friendships are not accidental. They must be worked on! The unity of friendship is found when you "agree to disagree" without repercussions. We are not losing our identity but gaining an understanding friend.

God pours out His blessing on friendships. It flows like the anointing oil on Aaron as the High Priest of God! It flows like the dew which waters the mountain and then runs down beyond into the valley. This is all the benefits from the small drops of dew. There has to be an outflow as the inflow is too much blessing for you to hold within. Let it out in Jesus' Name. It is a blessing of eternal life and open to everyone who believe. (Read Exodus 30:22-33)

Some acquaintances have become casual friendships; some casual friendships have advanced to close friends; and, some close friends have finally developed into intimate friendships. It really works to gain God's blessing!

Psalms 112:1-10 has the same sense of unity from friendship as it begins in the home. (NKJV)-"Praise the Lord!" That is the best way to meet a friend! (That's how I met my husband in church, praising and worshipping God). In Hebrew it means "Hallelujah!" " Blessed is the man who fears the Lord." The Torah says, "Blessed are those who walk in the law of Yahweh." TEV-"Who takes pleasure in obeying His commands." (Read Psalms 15). Then the Psalmist tells us the results of the first verse, how a life of Praise, Respect, and Obedience works! Blessed is translated as manifestly happy. This measure is the same one found in Psalms one. "Blessed is the man..."

"His children will be mighty in the land. The good man's descendants will be blessed." This man benefits from his life of obedience-"wealth and riches will be in his house; his righteousness will endure forever; unto the upright there rises light in darkness; he has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor." He reaches out to befriend others even those suffering from poverty. Again the Psalmist repeats, "his righteousness endures forever ". What a blessed promise that His promises are enduring forever!

"His horn will be exalted with honor." The horn was a symbol of power. When used by a righteous person it speaks of well known and a lasting value in the life of the believer. The power of God!

Then as quickly as the Psalmist glorified and praised the righteous person he throws in the reason we need to be using this WISDOM because-(NKJV) "The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish."

What a contrast we see again in the WISDOM of praising and obeying God. If we, like the wicked, only see and gnash our teeth at this goodness, we will receive a narrowing desire to reach out or befriend anyone with a caring, supportive attitude. We cannot be anyone's friend. The end can be life everlasting or it can be perishing. As TEV says the ungodly "are upset...glare in anger and disappear. Their hopes are gone forever." Here is your choice-

LIFE EVERLASTING OR HOPE GONE FOREVER. IT'S YOUR CHOICE!

You are my friend! IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL WHEN WE SEE JESUS!

(Read John 17:1-26 for Unity of Oneness in Christ)

Next time...