“– He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!” Song of Songs 5:16

Jesus manifests His love–as the Friend of His people. He . . .
  fills every relation to them,
  performs every kind office for them, and
  comforts them with divine consolations.

He invites them to pour their griefs into His bosom–and tell out all their troubles before Him. He holds communion with them–and indulges them to converse with Him as a man with his friend. He encourages them by assurances of His love–and fortifies them by promises of His presence. “Fear not,” He says, “for I am with you! Be not dismayed, I am your God! I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!”

His power, His riches, His wisdom, and His Spirit–are devoted to their best interests, and employed for their present and everlasting welfare. He watches over them in tender love–and listens to them with compassionate concern.

He is a friend who loves at all times–a brother born for adversity. His love, in its immutability, fullness, and perfection–is the great bulwark of their safety; and His friendship–is the joy of their hearts. He sticks closer than a brother, and never will fail or forsake the soul that trusts in Him.

He performs all the kind offices of friendship . . .
  in sickness and health;
  in plenty and poverty;
  in life and death.
He has Heaven and earth at His command–as the friend of the defenseless soul.
He has all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge–as the companion of the ignorant and fearful.

He calls His people, friends–and presents Himself to them as their friend for their comfort, confidence, and joy.

O how the love of Jesus shines in His friendship! As our friend, He . . .
  lived in our world,
  suffered in our place,
  died in our stead,
  rose as our representative, and
  ascended to Heaven, where He continually makes intercession for us!

He acknowledges that I am an undeserving vile worm–yet calls me His friend! He knows the worst parts of my character–and yet He says, “You are mine! I have chosen you–and will not cast you away!” –James Smith

“But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen”   (Hosea 1:7)
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All Christians face enemies–the world, the flesh,and the devil– and each is ill-equipped to win unless he receives divine help. A victorious life is possible only by the Spirit of God working in the heart of the child of God. None of us have the wisdom and power to live as we should, therefore we must live in dependance upon God. That’s why this reminder from Charles Spurgeon is so important:

“Precious Word. Jehovah Himself will deliver His people in the greatness of His mercy, but He will not do it by the ordinary means, Men are slow to render to God the glory due unto His name. If they go to battle with sword and bow and win the victory, they ought to praise their God; yet they do not, but begin to magnify their own right arm and glory in their horses and horsemen. For this reason our Jehovah often determines to save His people without second means, that all the honor may be to Himself alone. Look, then, my heart, to the LORD alone and not to man. Expect to see God all the more clearly when there is no one else to look to. If I have no friend, no adviser, no one at my back, let me be none the less confident if I can feel that the LORD Himself is on my side; yea, let me be glad if He gives victory without battle, as the text seems to imply. Why do I ask for horses and horsemen if Jehovah Himself has mercy upon me and lifts up His arm for my defense! Why need I bow or sword if God will save? Let me trust and not be afraid from this day forth and for evermore. Amen.”

Strive to be the best employee where you work and to bring honor to Christ by your example of diligence.–Paul Chappell

Only by pride cometh contention – Proverbs 13:10

This powerful proverb brings arguments to a sweet conclusion, lost tempers to a cool self-examination, and finger pointing to a swift end.

Only by pride is there contention, or conflict. Arguments and strife do not come because one person is right and another is wrong. They only come by way of pride.

No matter how loudly we may declare our innocence, no matter how cleverly we may defend our cause, no matter how furiously we may justify our position — only by pride comes contention. Do you pretend that you are free of pride? Can you honestly argue that the problems in your family are all because of other people’s pride?

As C.S. Lewis observed, “[Pride] is one vice of which no man in the world is free.” For this reason, every conflict in every home requires strenuous and honest self-examination, from husbands, wives, parents, and children alike.

What have you done to contribute to the current tension in the home? What could you have said differently to avoid giving offense? How have you allowed your pride to escalate what could have been a productive discussion or honest disagreement? How have you disobeyed God’s role for you in the home?

If each member of the family spends concerted time and sincere energy in searching his or her own heart and motive and conduct, the confession of pride will be universal within the home. No one is guiltless; everyone has pride.

With this confession, with this realization, however, comes great hope. There is a solution! As each one in the home humbles themselves before God, the strife in the home will slowly but surely dissipate. When pride is gone, the tension will be gone.

Let it then begin with you.–“A Good Thing”

Jesus is infinitely wise and immutably holy–therefore His love is a wise and holy love. He wisely manifests His love, so as to . . .discountenance sin,encourage holiness, and further His people in their heavenly way and work. He visits in trials, reproves for folly, smites for sin, and withholds the light of His countenance, to testify His disapprobation of our ways–and yet, all this is in love!

He will not caress the believer–when he is indulging in pride, worldliness, and backsliding from Him. Those whom He loves–He wisely corrects! He never spares the rod–to the spoiling of the child–but says, “I will correct you in measure–but will not leave you wholly unpunished.”

His wisdom and holiness shine in every part of His works–but in none more than in His dealings with His people. Was He less wise, we might have more comfort–but it would injure us. Was He less holy, we might have fewer trials–but we would assuredly be losers. Divine love, wisdom, and holiness combined–drew the plan of the Christian’s lot; and the same divine love, wisdom, and holiness–executes that plan.

All the wisdom of Deity, under the guidance of Almighty love–shines in our path, our portion, and our circumstances; and when we enjoy the clear light of eternity–we shall see that this was the case. O if we really believed this now–how different would be our feelings and our practices often! How quietly would we submit to every painful dispensation of divine providence; how cheerfully would we acquiesce in every intimation of our Father’s will; and how readily would we take the cup which He has prepared for us, and drink it saying, “The cup which my heavenly Father gives me–shall I not drink it?”

There is divine wisdom in every trial–and divine love in every cross.Holiness and wisdom in Jesus, demand that our way should at times be hedged up with thorns. The infinite love of Jesus, shines in every painful discipline. He is no indulgent parent, no foolish friend, no unholy companion; He will not tempt us to evil, nor with evil–neither will He indulge us to our injury. He would rather close His ears to our cries–than His heart to our best interests; and the day is coming when we shall see that all our trials were needful–and not a trial could have been omitted, consistently with the wisdom and holiness of His love. May His love shed abroad in my heart–lead me to love, seek, and pant for holiness!–James Smith