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?

Share
Posted in other | Tagged , , | 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?

 

Share
Posted in other | Tagged | 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?

 

Share
Posted in other | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Shelter from Fear

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

 

In Northern California, people are leaving their homes for fear of fire. They find shelter with friends, in schools, in churches.

 

There are two forces of destruction at work. Flames, aided by high winds, consume everything in their path. Fear can be just as damaging, eating away at someone’s thoughts and energy. Fear can cause damage that is harder to fix than scorched land and burnt houses.

Lord, we pray for the people whose homes are at risk. Protect their property, protect those who are fighting the flames. Turn the winds to blow the fire back on itself, or send rain to douse the flames.

 And we pray for the hearts of those who have been forced out of their homes. May they find their true shelter in your everlasting arms and come away from this disaster with a deeper trust in you.

Share
Posted in other | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Prayer Request

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

I hear someone say,
“Prayer, ha! What good is that?” 

Then I sense God saying,
“Here’s someone to pray for.”

 

Share
Posted in other | Tagged | 2 Comments

Keep Up the Good Work

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

You can’t pray too much.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ERV)
Never stop praying.

Share
Posted in other | Tagged , | Comments Off on Keep Up the Good Work

The Power of Prayer (Congress Style)

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

 

“Prayer is something that you just cannot underestimate.”
Steve Scalise, September 28, 2017
On his return to Congress after being shot
while practicing for a charity baseball game.

Share
Posted in other | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Too Little, Too Late?

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

Some say, after disaster, that prayer is too little, too late.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

 

Prayer – better late than never.

Better yet, more and sooner.

 

Share
Posted in other | Tagged , | 4 Comments

A new Bible study begins – Lesson 1

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Simply Pray

 

Share
Posted in other | Comments Off on A new Bible study begins – Lesson 1

In Need of Prayer

Posted on October 8, 2017 by Shirlee Abbott

 

We witnessed senseless evil last week. Innocent people were injured and killed, for no apparent reason. What do you think?

 

  • The truth will come out in the end
  • We may never know
  • There’s more to this story

I was reading about the mystery man behind the mayhem. No criminal record, no red flags, nothing to raise suspicion. And yet, his life struck me as dark and joyless.

I had a sudden, startling thought:

During Stephen Paddock’s 64 years of life, I wonder, did anyone ever pray for him?

Share
Posted in other | Tagged , | 2 Comments