Shirlee Abbott

The Right Way

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Posted in other | Tagged Psalm 119:133, shortcuts | Comments Off

No Shortcuts Here

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

The path to love:

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)
Add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

Persevere. There are no shortcuts.

Posted in other | Tagged 2 Peter 1:5-7, perseverance, shortcuts | 2 Comments

No Approved Shortcuts

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

Study God’s Word. Work hard at it, no shortcuts.

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Do You Really Want That Shortcut?

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Someone tells you about a shortcut.
Do you take it?

Always! The faster, the better
No, I stick to tried and true
Who’s suggesting it? Can I trust them?

It is tempting to take the shortest path. Less wear and tear. Less traffic. Sooner done. More time for what you want.

When it comes to your faith journey, the shortcut may just be less time walking with Christ. Is that what you want?

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Safe and Warm

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Open your eyes to the homeless folks among us:

Those who have no money or can’t hang on to the money they have; those with no family or are separated from their families; those who have temporarily fallen on hard times or those for whom desolation is normal; those who just can’t find their place in the world and those who are hiding from the world; those who long to be found and those who never want to be found.

As the nights become colder, Lord, bring the homeless out of their hiding places—under the bridge, in an abandoned building, a tent in the woods. Guide them to a safe shelter, a place with a warm bed. And for the rest of us, dear God, shut down our snap judgments. Open our hearts.

Posted in other | Tagged homeless, Safe Shelter | Comments Off

Giving Friendship

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Have you ever had a friend who always takes and never gives? It wears thin.

The same goes for friendship with God. It isn’t just what God gives us (which is always more than we can give back). We owe God something in return.

John 15:14
You are my friends if you do what I command.

Your best friend gave his life for you. What can you do for him?

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Listening Friend

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Exodus 33:11 (NIV)
The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

Speak, Lord. I’m listening.

Posted in other | Tagged Exodus 33:11, Moses, prayer | 2 Comments

Simply Friends

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

James 2:23 (ESV)
“Abraham believed God . . .”
–and he was called a friend of God.

Can you be called a friend of God?

Posted in other | Tagged Friend of God, James 2:23, K.I.S.S. | 2 Comments

Proverbial Friends

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Long ago, I read an old African proverb:

“There are friends of the road
and friends of the heart.”

You’ll have both kinds of friends. Road friends come and go. Heart friends last.

Are you heart-friends with God?

Posted in other | Tagged friends of the heart | 2 Comments

Knitted Souls

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

What kind of friend are you?

I’m 100% here for my friends
Let’s have fun together
I need a good friend
It depends on who I’m with

We just met up with friends from college. They live in California, we live in Jersey. We hadn’t seen each other in 45 years. But the conversation picked up right where it left off. It’s a David-Jonathon friendship.

1 Samuel 18:1 (ESV)
The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David.

Are you a knitted soul? Who is the Jonathan to your David?

Posted in other | Tagged 1 Samuel 18:1, David and Jonathan, Friends | 2 Comments