" Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself."

John 15:4a (NIV)

A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman ©

June 19

Notice Christ's way of dealing with Peter when he cursed and lied the night he should have supported his Friend. After the resurrection Jesus utters not a single word of condemnation to Peter; rather, He encourages him.

God tells us, "I will cover your iniquity ...I will blot out your transgressions...Go, and sin no more" He asks us to forget what is behind, and go on with His love and mercy. We would wonder about the man who drops a glass bottle on the sidewalk, then gets down and so carefully collects all the jagged little pieces and then hugs them to his bosom until he bleeds. This is what we do when we spurn God's forgiveness.

Pat Nordman ©

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions
Spurgeon's Morning for June 19	Spurgeon's Evening for June 19
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:4	"My Beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether." - Song of Solomon 2:16, 17
Enlightened by his pure celestial ray, we are no more darkness but light in the Lord. As fire, he both purges us from dross, and sets our consecrated nature on a blaze.	Beloved, this may be your present state of mind; you do not doubt your salvation; you know that Christ is yours, but you are not feasting with him.

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June 19 Job 41:1 - 42:17

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What noble prophet's sons were notorious for taking bribes?

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Who had an Israelite servant girl who told him about a cure for leprosy?

Naaman 2 Kings 5:21

Today's Devotion

...and by his light I walked through darkness! JOB 29:3 NIV

Qualities of a Friend

by Pat Nordman

"A friend loves at all times ... "

Proverbs 17:17 NKJ

The following is by Dr. Robert Wallace who writes a teen column. This is from the Orlando Sentinel, July 31, 1997:

Ten ways to make certain you keep a close friendship close.

1. Put yourself in your friend's shoes. Ask yourself, "What could she have been thinking when she did this?

2. Unclear as to how to handle a problem? Put some time and distance between you and your friend while you think about it. Clear your head. Then, when you're ready ...

3. Talk things out. Communicating your problems often strengthens and deepens your friendship. If you have trouble with words, write yourself a script and practice what you want to say.

4. Don't talk to other pals about your problem with her. That's unfair. After all, the issue is between the two of you, no one else. So go straight to the source.

5. When you talk, do it in private, not in public, where either of you may feel self-conscious or embarrassed.

6. If you're the type of person who can never bring yourself to say how you feel, then write your friend a letter. The point is to make sure you get things out in the open. It's when you clam up and ignore the problem that resentment grows and ruins a friendship.

7. Listen.

8. Be patient and give your friend time and encouragement to change.

9. Remember, even good people can act not so good sometimes!

10. Make up! It's not worth throwing away years of friendship over one upsetting incident.

We adults would do well to follow this advice, too!

Send a note to © Pat Nordman , the writer of this devotion.

Advice for being a friend.

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