I’d like to invite you on a trip, a trip “back in time.”  Let’s begin this trip in grade school, also try to remember your very best friend you had at the time.

 

     Do you remember who he or she was?  Can you see their face in your minds eye?  Do you remember the endless hours of play you enjoyed?

 

     What about the endless conversations you had and how you talked about everything and nothing and you loved every minute of it!

 

     Let’s move forward now to your middle school years and ask yourself the same questions as before.  If you can, try to remember what your best friend voice sounded like?  Continue to move forward into high school, and now college, of course to the present day.  How many best friends have you had the privilege of having?  Do you think about your friends?  Do you miss them?  Would you like to hear from them?

    

    Well, I’d like to tell you about my special and dear friend.  A friend whom I cherish and respect deeply, a friend that has been a true blessing in my life! 

 

     You see, I used to work in a call center that represented a major internet service.  My job was to retain customers that wanted to cancel their accounts.  You might be able to imagine the “normal” stress levels of that type of work.  Now try to imagine the “normal” stress and multiple it by 100%.  That actually happened during the “blaster- worm virus” attack on the internet, those of you that have Windows XP on your computer are very aware of the frustration that little virus caused.

 

     As peoples’ computers began to be infected with the virus, their computers would disconnect from the internet and then shutdown continuously.  Of course, the people were blaming the internet provider (us) for the problem. You can imagine the frustration and anger that people were experiencing, especially as the call volume increased and people were on hold for more than hour.

 

     Anyhow, about a month after the overwhelming call volume started; I had been bombarded by angry customers, supervisors pushing us for more accounts to be saved, our quality control monitors were pressing hard for us to lower our call time; the stress level for everyone was at critical.  That morning during my break, I called my friend and told her how bad the situation was!

 

    I desperately needed to hear a friendly voice, the voice of someone who cared and not an angry voice.  Oh how I yearned for the comfort of my friend's voice to encourage me and to help me during that time.  My friend began to read the bible to me, she read out of the book of Psalms.  First one chapter then another, brethren I can’t begin to explain how comforting and soothing those words were that she read to me.  That was an experience I’ll never forget!  I can’t thank her enough for all the kind words she said and read to me that day.

 

     Brethren, are you going through some severe trial today? Is the pressure of living in this world causing you great distress? Are you at your wits end with all the confusion and turmoil that you are bombarded with every day?  Especially now, as we prepare to attend God's annual High Sabbaths, the fall Holy Days (Feast of Trumpets, Feast of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles and The Last Great Day).

 

     Then hear the words of God the Father and of our savior Jesus Christ.

 

II Samuel 22:3 - The God of my rock; in him will I trust he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge,  my savior; thou savest  me from violence.

Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 

    When it comes to our “relationship” with God the Father and with our Savior Jesus the Christ, is God's voice (His written Word, the Bible) a sweet, soothing, and comforting experience to us?   Does the reading of God's Word cause us to be encouraged and uplifted?  Does God's Holy Word convict us in our heart and mind that God is sovereign and yet God wants to be our friend? 

 

Proverbs 22:11 – He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

 

    Let’s read about a couple of Gods friends:

 

James 2:23 - And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.

Exodus 33:11 – And to Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.

 

     But why would the Almighty sovereign creator of both heaven and earth call anybody His friend? Let's read about it.

 

Genesis 26:5 – Because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandment, my statutes, and my laws.

 

Exodus 15:26 – And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

 

Exodus 19:5 – Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

 

     When we consider how many enemies we have, and also an adversary that “walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  When we consider how much pressure is put on us to conform to the ideas of men and organizations in this world.  Isn’t it wonderful to have Jesus Christ “the solid rock” on which we can stand?

 

Psalm 5:11 –But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

 

Psalm 31:19 – Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou has wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

 

     Brethren I know many of us are going through some type of trial, we may be feeling depressed and lonely, maybe it’s our health, our finances, difficulties with our transportation.  Hopefully the following will encourage you!

 

Psalms 4:5 – Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.   

Proverbs 30:5 – Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

 

II Samuel 22:31- As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

 

     I can’t change the things that are going on in your life, only God has the power to do so.  All we can do is to let God fill us with His Holy Words, so that we can be encouraged and of good cheer in the face of all adversity.

 

John 16:33 – These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

     God the Father and our savior Jesus Christ wants to be your best friend, will you be God's friend?  Will you believe?  Will you trust?  Will you obey?

 

 

-Joel Maldonado