Coffee With The Lord

We gravitate to those who tell us what we want to hear.

However, the majority opinion is not always right!

In 1 Kings 22:1-28 Ahab, king of Israel, wanted Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to join him in a military incursion against Syria. Jehoshaphat wisely urged Ahab to seek God’s direction before any attack. Prophets, many of them who would tell Ahab what he wanted to hear, prophesied military engagement and victory! Jehoshaphat felt uneasy… He asked if there was any other prophet that could be consulted. Ahab indicated there was – Micaiah. But Ahab disliked him because “He never prophesies good concerning me, but only evil!” In fact, the messenger who went to get Micaiah advised him to prophecy in keeping with what the other prophets were saying.

I love Micaiah’s response, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.” (vs. 14).

The Lord give us more prophets like that – prophets with integrity! And as for me, a spokesman for the Lord, may I only proclaim what He directs me to say… with integrity!

CLOSE COLLEAGUES IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE (“ministry”) are dear to us! We’ve dreamed together, labored together, prayed together, struggled together, been frustrated together, rejoiced together, experienced victories together…

Believe me, I’ve got some – precious colleagues in ministry! Names and faces are flooding my mind as I write this!

My Bible reading this morning included verses from the little “personal” epistle of Philemon… Here’s part of the message that Apostle Paul sent to Philemon…

“To Philemon my beloved fellow worker… I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints! And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you!” (From Philemon 1-7 ESV)

Here are a few of the things Paul highlighted about His friend, Philemon… Memories, thanksgiving, prayer, his qualities (love, faith, joy) shared blessings, and the personal refreshment received from the relationship and service together.

A dear friend and colleague especially comes to mind – Dr. John W. Wyckoff! Many years of faithful Christian service together at SAGU (Now Nelson University)… Now a long and arduous hospitalization with leukemia and related issues. Dear, dear friend with all the qualities Paul mentioned about Philemon – and the feelings I share! Prayer bathed in warm love pours out of my heart “without ceasing” for John… Love you, John!

You got someone like that?

Solomon had it right!  “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm!”  (Proverbs 13:20 ESV)

The people we choose to “hang out with” – our close companions – really matter!  They influence us greatly!  We need to choose them wisely!