Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Alan Jackson singing the old hymn … What A Friend In Jesus … poignantly singing of the friendship we have with the Lord God of the universe, … our King Jesus.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Genesis 14:18-19 … [NLT] …
18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High,[a] brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. … “
… Melchizedek’s blessing of friendship.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Genesis 14:17-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Melchizedek, King & Priest, blesses Abraham upon return from battle, with a benediction of friendship.
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Reference Passage #1 [NKJV] : … Job 2:11-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Before they opened their mouths to confuse Job, his three “friends” were real friends to this desperate man of God.
Reference Passage #2 [NKJV] : … John 15:13-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus in the Upper Room tells His Disciples what true friendship is all about.
Reference Passage #3 [NKJV] : … 2nd Thessalonians 2:16-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul’s real friendship with fellow Christians, expressed in this benediction to his “church” friends in Asia Minor.
Reference Passage #4 [NKJV] : … Revelation 3:20 [NLT] …
20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
… Everyday, Jesus, our FRIEND, wants to come in and fellowship with us; and He is asking us to open the doors of our hearts to Him. … But, … will we?
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David Roper, quoted a poet to teach on the essence of real-deal friendship. The ODB author wrote: Poet Samuel Foss wrote, “Let me live by the side of the road and be a friend to man” (“The House by the Side of the Road”). That’s what I want to be—a friend of people. I want to stand by the way, waiting for weary travelers. To look for those who have been battered and wronged by others, who carry the burden of a wounded and disillusioned heart. To nourish and refresh them with an encouraging word and send them on their way. I may not be able to “fix” them or their problems, but I can leave them with a blessing.
Do you have a real-deal FRIEND, … one who would not only die for you, but one who will live for you (see John 15:13-15) … just as Jesus did for sinners and now continues to be our Friend and advocate in Heaven? Yeah, … Alan Jackson certainly sings about it in the linked song today, doesn’t he? … ”What a friend we have in Jesus!!”
And the essence of friendship was illustrated by by the King/Priest, Melchizedek, to Abraham in his benediction for his friend [see highlight passage], … as were the actions of Job’s friends when he lost everything and was in pain (see the Job 2 passage). And as was the Apostle Paul to so many of his fellow Christians, expressed by his willingness to risk death to bring them the Savior and to pray for them daily (see 2Thess. 2 benediction above). And finally, as is Jesus, who everyday, knocks on the door of our hears and wants to come in and be our friend (see Rev. 3:20).
The “FAITHBOOK” question, from the photo, play on the modern-day social media example, is ... will we confirm Jesus’ friendship and let Him into our hearts today?
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … Let me be a friend to someone today like You, dear Lord, are a Friend to/for me. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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