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Coping with Crisis (1) (Psalm 142 NKJV)

10/10/2021

How you handle a crisis can determine whether you end up feeling overwhelmed or come out stronger.

Dr. Jeffrey Rossman suggests five ways to do it:
Acknowledge your feelings.

David said, “When my spirit was overwhelmed… You knew my path.”

God already knows how you feel, and stifling your emotions just saps your energy, leaves you tense, depressed, and slows the healing process.
Confide in someone.

That doesn’t mean pouring your heart out to everybody and anybody; it means opening up to those who love and care about you.

The Bible says, “A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17 AMPC).

Numerous studies have confirmed the power of social support to help us through crises and stay healthy.
Start a journal or a blog.

Writing about a traumatic event is a way of letting it out.

It minimizes your changes of becoming sick or depressed; the more you write, the more your negative responses to the memory diminish.
Refuse to play the blame game.

“It’s the other guy’s fault,” or “The doctor botched the procedure,” or “The boss never gave me a chance.”

Blame-shifting makes others responsible for your pain, and more often than not, it results in lingering grudges that prolong your misery.

Let go of toxic bitterness and judgment.

Stop feeling like a doormat; you can forgive while taking steps to make yourself less vulnerable next time.
Forgive yourself.

Surprise - you’re human like everyone else!

Acknowledge you make a mistake, ask God for forgiveness, then forgive yourself and move on.

God’s Word says when He forgives, He doesn’t “keep a list of your sins” (Isaiah 43:25 MSG).

Neither should you.

Now that I have shared this with you, let’s see what the Word of God has to say about dealing with crisis.

142
I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
2
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.
3
When my spirit [b]was overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly set a snare for me.
4
Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.
5
I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
6
[c]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.

Comment: (Psalm 142:6)

Have you ever felt that no one cared what happened to you?

David had a good reason to feel that way, and he wrote “Hear my cry, for I am very low.”

Through prayer we can pull out of our tailspin and be reminded that God cares for us deeply.
7
Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

Comment: (Psalm 142:7)
This psalm was written when David was hiding from Saul in caves like the ones at Adullam (1 Samuel 22) or En-gedl (1 Samuel 24).

These may have seemed like prisons to him because of the confinement.

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The Danger of Rising Too Quickly (1 Timothy 5:1 - 6:2a)

9/27/2021

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Title: The Danger of Rising Too Quickly
Scripture: 1 Timothy 5:1 - 6:2 NLT

Message:

Before David became the king of Israel, he spent years tending a flock of sheep in the wilderness.

That’s not an impressive start.

But that’s where he built his relationship with God and honed his skills as a strategist and warrior.

If you want to succeed, here is an immutable principle you must understand: God will let you practice in a place where your weaknesses can be worked on, your gifts developed, and where your mistakes won’t affect too many others.

One Bible teacher tells of a pilot friend who received word from the control tower saying, “You’re cleared for five thousand feet.”

When he went there, he was told to hold for further instructions.

Then came the words, “You’re cleared for ten thousand feet.”

Gradually the controller took him level by level to thirty-five thousand feet where he was cleared to fly to his destination.

That day, God spoke to him saying, “wish you would trust me like that. Instead you want to go straight to thirty-five thousand feet in one thrust!”

Try to understand this: God sees the end from the beginning, and He has already mapped out your journey.

He knows that if you rise too quickly, there are dangers.

You may be in the cockpit - but God is in the control tower!

And today He is saying to you, “Trust me and I’ll get you safely to your destination.”

God’s plan for your life can’t be rushed.

When you try to rise too quickly,

You make costly and painful mistakes
You adversely affect the lives of those who depend on you
You end up in a tug-of-war with God, which you lose!

Let’s look further into the Word of God and see what else we can learn here:

5 Never speak harshly to an older man,[a] but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:1-2)

You see, those in the ministry can avoid improper attitudes toward the people in their care by treating them as family members.

If they see everyone as fellow members in God’s family, they will protect them and help them grow spiritually.

3 Take care of[b] any widow who has no one else to care for her.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:3)

What Paul wanted here was that Christian families would be as self-supporting as possible.

He insisted that children and grandchildren would take care of the widows in their family (1 Timothy 5:4); he suggested that younger widows remarry and start new families (1 Timothy 5:14); he ordered the church not to support lazy members who refused to work (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Nevertheless, when necessary, the believers pooled their resources (Acts 2:44-47); they gave generously to help disaster-ridden churches (1 Corinthians 16:1-4); they took care of a large number of widows (Acts 6:1-6).

The church has always had limited resources and has always had to balance financial responsibility with generosity.

It only makes sense for members to work as hard as they can and to be as independent as possible, so they can adequately care for themselves and for less fortunate members.

When church members are both responsible and generous, everyone’s needs will be met.

4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.

5 Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help.

Comments: (1 Timothy 3:-5)

Because there were no pensions, no social security, no life insurance, and few honorable jobs for women, widows were usually unable to support themselves.

The responsibility for caring for the helpless naturally falls first on their families - the people whose lives are most closely linked with theirs.

Paul stresses the importance of each family caring for the church.

The church can then care for those widows who have no families.

A widow who had no children or other family members to support her was doomed to poverty.

From the beginning the church took care of its widows, who in turn gave valuable service to the church.
The church should support those who have no families and should also help the elderly, young, disabled, ill, or poverty-stricken with their emotional and spiritual needs.

Often families who are caring for their own helpless members have heavy burdens.

They may need extra money, a listening ear, a helping hand, or a word of encouragement.

Interestingly, those who are helped often turn around and help others, turning the church into more of a caring community.

Don’t wait for people to ask.

Take the initiative and look for ways to serve them.

6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. 7 Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism.

8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:8)

Healthy homes remain the best possible training environment for children.

When it comes to caring for relatives and honoring parents, children take most of their cues by watching how Mom and Dad honor their grandparents.

If our children see the way we, as parents, care for our parents, they will understand the importance of such honor for us in the future.

Healthy, practical honor becomes a priceless gift that one generation gives to another.

Disrespect and lack of care prove harmful examples that will eventually turn on us.

The warning in the verse is ominous indeed.

9 A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband.[c] 10 She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly?[d] Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?

11 The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. 12 Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. 13 And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t. 14 So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. 15 For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.

Comment: (1 Timothy 5:15)

“Gone astray and now follow Satan” refers to the immoral conduct that identified these women with their pagan neighbors.

16 If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:9-16)

Apparently some older widows had been “put on the list for support,” meaning that they had taken a vow committing themselves to work for the church in exchange for financial support.

Paul lists a few qualifications for these church workers:

These widows should be at least 60 years old
They should have been faithful to their husbands
They should be well known for their kind deeds.
Younger widows should not be included in this group because they might desire to marry again and thus have to break their pledge (1 Timothy 5:11-12).

Three out of five wives today eventually are widowed, so many of the older women in our churches have lost their husbands.

Does your church provide an avenue of service for these women?

Could you help match their gifts and abilities with your church’s needs?

Often their maturity and wisdom can be of great service in the church.

17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well,[e] especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:17)

Preaching and teaching are closely related.

Preaching is proclaiming the Word of God and confronting listeners with the truth of Scripture.
Teaching is explaining the truth in Scripture, helping learners understand difficult passages and apply God’s Word to daily life.

Paul says that these elders are worthy of double honor.

Unfortunately, we often take them for granted by not providing adequately for their needs or by subjecting them to heavy criticism.

Think of how you can honor your leaders who work hard at preaching and teaching.

18 For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”[f]

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:17-18)

Faithful church leaders should be supported and appreciated.

Too often they are targets for criticism because the congregation has unrealistic expectations.
How do you treat your church leaders?

Do you enjoy finding fault, or do you show your appreciation?

Do they receive enough financial support to allow them to live without worry and to provide for their needs of their families?

Jesus and Paul emphasized the importance of supporting those who lead and teach us (see Galatians 6:6; Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:4-10).

Our ministers deserve to know that we are given to them cheerfully, gratefully, and generously.

19 Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.

21 I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:19-21)

Church leaders are not exempt from sin, faults, and mistakes.

But they are often criticized for the wrong reasons - minor imperfections, failure to meet someone’s expectations, personality clashes.

Thus, Paul said that accusations should not even be heard unless two or three witnesses confirm them.
Sometimes church leaders should be confronted about their behavior, and sometimes they should be rebuked.

But all rebuking must be done fairly and lovingly and for the purpose of restoration.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:21)

Church leadership is a heavy responsibility.

As difficult as it might be, Timothy was not to waver on any of Paul’s instructions (and particularly the instructions about rebuking elders).

Any needed discipline or rebuke must be administered without regard to Timothy’s personal inclinations or favoritism.

Likewise, leadership in the church today must be handled with maturity, faithfulness, godliness, and lack of favoritism.

The health of a body of believers is far more important than playing favorites with someone who is not meeting the standards set forth here.

22 Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader.[g] Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

23 Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:23)

It is unclear why Paul gave this advice to Timothy.

Perhaps contaminated water had led to Timothy’s digestion, and so he should stop drinking only water.
Whatever the reason, this statement is not an invitation to overindulgence or alcoholism.

24 Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. 25 In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.

Comments: (1 Timothy 5:22, 24-25)

Paul says that a church should never be in a hurry about choosing it’s leaders, especially the pastor, because major problems or sins might be overlooked.

It is a serious responsibility to choose church leaders.

They must have strong faith and be morally upright, having the qualities described in 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9.

Not everyone who wants to be a church leader is eligible.

Be certain of an applicant’s qualifications before asking that person to take a leadership position.

6 All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. 2 If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers[h] who are well loved.

Comments: (1 Timothy 6:1-2)

In Paul’s culture there was a great social and legal guilt separating masters and slaves.

But as Christians, masters and slaves became spiritual equals, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

Paul did not speak against the institution of slavery, but he gave guidelines for Christian slaves and Christian masters.

Some of his counsel for the master / slave relationship can be applied to the employer / employee relationship today.

Employees should work hard, showing respect for their employers.

In turn, employers should be fair (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-4:15).

Our work should reflect our faithfulness to and love for Christ.

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There Associations misrepresenting themselves as Chaplains International

3/6/2011

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LEGAL NOTICE

There are organizations on the web misrepresenting themselves as Chaplain International or using the web address www.chaplaininternational.com. These organizations do not represent Chaplains International, Inc. We have asked these associations to cease use of the name. We are the original Chaplains International.

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Can I Prove the Existence of God

11/29/2010

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What is the greatest question of all questions upon the earth today, and has been the one question that has not had a definitive answer? Does God exist?

Should evolution be taught as fact then, if there is no definitive answer to the question? Like maths two plus two is four, I believe this is, taught as there is an answer to the formula; but there is no definitive answer to whether evolution is correct or incorrect, so with their being a debate in the world religion against evolution how can one be taught as fact and the other be taught as fact, when there is not a solid answer to the question. Where did this planet and the life on it come from?

I know God exists.

I Know God exists, if I where to know nothing else in life this I do know. I have written a blog on all different reasons. I have come up with many reasons to dismiss evolution as fact, so should it be taught in schools today as fact? I'll give you a couple of reasons that evolution cannot adhere too, The life span of the creature. Darwin wrote a book on the origin of the species, and many people read what he has written. he talks about natural selection,

What I am going to ask you to do is go before natural selection could occur. Something that nobody has given me reasonable argument over, I have had comments on my web site, but comments like how can you believe in an invisible friend, that is no comment.

The life span of the creature. If when any species of life occurred on the planet. (I say life because evolution is saying that the life on this planet occurred of its own accord). every form of life on this planet has a life span. It is born then dies. dinosaurs had a life span, all life on this planet has a life span. How could something form over millions of years if it only lives eighty years? If something only lives for eighty years, when does it start getting older? The body starts decomposing very quickly as you get older, so all tissue on the body decomposes over a short time, if the body decomposes at such a rate then how did it evolve over millions of years.

It is impossible for any forms of life on the planet to have evolved, because it would have died before it formed. There are many reasons that depict that evolution, is not true.

Design of the skeleton.

Have you ever wondered how the skeleton formed so perfectly, ever joint placed into every joint enabling movement, and actually being shaped, The bones of the body are perfectly shaped. How did evolution do this? It seems that the bones are the only natural perfect none made design.

Flight.

How did evolution learn to fly? even man cannot fly like a bird, it took drawings, designs and many failures before man could fly, yet somehow evolution managed to design birds, that are able to fly. no drawings nothing, but birds manage to fly. How then did evolution, enable birds to fly?

I have thought of many things that state that evolution wrong. Evolution is so remote that it could not have happened completely by chance. As for life existing, that's another story. But it does, The thing is does a kettle know it is a kettle.

I have spent the last five years trying to tell people about the existence or the none existence of God because I know of his existence. What I have done is write a book, but I have blogged my book also, though not the same writings completely. I cannot write everything here, as you can imagine five years is a lot of time so, If interested; in at least debating what I have written head over to my web site.

www.god-does-exist.com

What I have done is take snippets from my blog. It would be impossible to transfer everything over, so if you would like to read more then please go to my web site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christian_B_Smith

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Reading And Considering This Leader's Open And Honest Words Can Give Us Reassuring Confidence!

11/29/2010

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How would you like your prayers to be written down and revealed for all to read? Hearing a man at prayer and hearing what he is saying in prayer is most significant and revealing.

In Psalm 17, we read of this powerful leader, David, praying these words, "Hear O Lord my righteous plea".

David was a man who prayed and prayed.

From the earliest knowledge we have about him, we know he was a man who praised and prayed and sang and wrote songs for praise and worship.

He knew His God. David prayed that God would give ear to his prayer and listen to his cry. He assumed his prayer was right and righteous, and that should give us confidence when we come to pray. His prayer did not come from deceitful lips, but from lips that were sincere. There is no guile in his mouth. He speaks as if under oath. It is like the scene in a courtroom, as he pleads and prays for justice. This is a personal cry for justice and we all require justice, but coupled with mercy.

As we read through the Psalms and as we consider aspects of the life of David, we see that a man of God can get into a lot of trouble, and that in the world he does not have it easy. But we also see that the man of God can bring all his trouble to the Lord God Almighty in prayer.

Sometimes we are told the details and on other occasions we do not need to know.

David, in his need, comes to God in prayer. He does not go complaining to all his friends about his problems, and he does not go telling everyone what a hard time he was having. He tells God, and God tells us through these Psalms.

We learn of the hardships in the life of these early disciples of Jesus because the Holy Spirit had someone write it all down, to inform and illumine and teach us what is involved in being a real disciple of Jesus Christ, and we have here something of the reality of it all.

David cries out as he pleads, and on occasion he weeps. The king weeps! He is not afraid nor ashamed nor embarrassed to reveal all this. There is such openness and such reality in the prayers recorded in the Psalms. This is spiritual life as it really is!

Real prayer is not just talk but can be tears, because it is the work of concerned hearts.

David was not ashamed to weep openly and lay bare his pained heart, and God does not hide that from us.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

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The Honesty And Integrity Necessary For Leadership Is Reflected In The Life Of This Courageous King

11/29/2010

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This leader, who is about to become king, or who has already been installed as king, prays in a most positive and significant way, and he is so specific and direct.

Save me from those who would persecute me. Keep me safe. Hide me, and thereby protect me.

Phrase after phrase was so necessary because he was a target of the enemy.

David is in danger, but his faith is in God. When you are in danger, put your faith in Almighty God, through Jesus Christ His Son. These thoughts come from Psalm 17 and they are so relevant and so very practical.

Most leaders face criticism and opposition and sometimes even persecution from those who are jealous and envious.

David was strong, but he knew where his strength came from, and his strength came from the living God.

In verses 9 to 12, David speaks about his persecutors. He refers to their cunning wickedness, and the way they speak so proudly, and how they are like hungry lions ready to pounce at the first opportunity. These lines are quite graphic, as they speak about the emotional pain the man of God can be in at times.

Why is all this not taught in the various leadership courses and seminars being offered today? Might it be because there is an ethical and moral and spiritual dimension involved and tragically so many choose to steer clear of that?

Peter tells us how the devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking to pounce upon someone, and devour those who belong to Jesus Christ.

The Bible clearly warns us about the power of evil.

In verse 13, we read of David praying again. Come Lord and conquer those people who try to blow out the light. Defend and deliver Your Servants. What a change in the way David is praying now!

David prays for the defeat of the false accusers, and for his own deliverance.

How often do you pray for the defeat of those who are attacking you with no just cause and for your own safe deliverance out of their wicked hands?

What a different world we might have if these basics were taught in all the business courses and seminars.

In verse 15 of Psalm 17, we have the words of a man who has made up his mind that in the Lord God there is everything he needs.

He has been weeping, but now he is worshipping.

He has been praying, but now he is praising, and his faith is overflowing.

David knew what it was to be down or depressed or even worse. Now he is delighted and seeing the face of God inspires him. Here is real manly leadership!

The Lord who hears his prayers, and loves him, and He, the living God, comes to rescue him and deliver him from all his enemies and foes and persecutors. This is indeed the Lord God Almighty, Who is worthy of praise and worship.

David is going to be satisfied. When it is all over and when he wakes up, he sees his God. Is he referring to death? Or can it also mean that this is like a bad dream and like some of the nightmare scenarios we experience in life, and we wish they would pass and that we would wake up only to find it was only a bad dream. It is a bit of a mixture, but the truth shines through no matter what we experience.

When these sore and painful situations are all over we will see the Hand of God and how He has led us through the valleys and over the dangerous rocks. That will be a day of great and magnificent rejoicing!

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

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Techniques Used to Improve Your Communication Skills

11/29/2010

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If you are asked to speak to a particular audience, you are usually given enough time to prepare for your speech. Make sure you use that time to know your audience well in order to come out with a great material that would be suitable for the said audience. Ideally, you would need to become very familiar and well-informed about the subject of your speech so that you will be able to deliver it with confidence. In other words, you should go beyond delivering based only on your limited knowledge. On the other hand, if you are asked to deliver an impromptu speech on a subject that you are already most familiar with, you can use the basic formula for delivering a great speech. This means that you should be able to come up with a wonderful introduction, a well delivered body of your speech, and an excellent closing with such smooth transition.

Would you like to improve your public speaking skills? Here are the techniques you can use to improve your communication skills:

1. Work on that voice. If you want to become effectively listened to, you should have a good voice that would somehow give justice to the material of your speech. Powerful communicators often possess a powerful voice that commands the audience's respect and attention.

2. Work on your gestures. When you deliver a speech, you are not just going to stand there and speak, are you? Somehow, you need to use gestures to accentuate your speech. However, you should be careful not to exaggerate on your gestures to the point that they would already become distractions instead of adding value to your speech.

3. Master by rehearsing your speech. Try to master and practice your speech. You can use an audio-video recorder to record your voice as well as your gestures. You can use the recorded video to find out how you can improve your gestures as well as the delivery of your speech. Make sure you let someone else objectively critique on your speech and ask for their opinion and ideas on how you can better improve it.

4. Watch and listen to videos of great speakers. Your purpose for watching videos of great speakers should not be to copy their piece or to imitate their styles but to get inspired to learn good ideas on the qualities that have made them effective and powerful communicators.

5. Get proper coaching from professional speakers. If you really want to hone your craft as an effective speaker and a powerful communicator, you can get proper coaching from professional speakers who are willing to share their public speaking secrets for a reasonable fee. You should be able to learn from the best and possibly even do better than them in the future for as long as you are willing to fine tune your communication skills and work your way to become a powerful communicator.

Find out how Jeff Vankooten's communication workshops and public speaking seminars can help you improve your communication skills. Visit http://www.jeffreyspeaks.com today to receive a FREE special report on the 7 Essentials Every Speaker Needs To Know.

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The Process of Creating a Lasting Friendship

11/29/2010

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A friend, as defined from the Merriam and Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary is someone that is not hostile, someone that favors or promotes something, someone to whom one is attached by affection or esteem and someone that is of the same nation, party or group. It originated from two languages namely, English and German. One is, from the word freon meaning to love and freo meaning free, both of the Old English language. It is also traced back from the word friunt which also means friend in the Old German language.

Friendship can be considered older than history. Even the oldest book known to man, the Old Testament, described friendship in several of its passages. What constitutes a person enough to call him or her a friend is a highly subjective matter. Basing from the above mentioned definition, we all have different ideas of this relationship drawing from a substantial amount of learning experiences from various interpersonal relationships.

Anyone, whatever gender and age would want to have a friend that would last him a lifetime. Human beings are naturally social that an interaction initiated by one person can form the budding seeds of this highly desirable relationship. How does one create a lasting one?

As mentioned earlier, a friend is someone to whom you become attached affectionately. Many of you would have difficulty in turning down a friend's request because you give high regard to his or her feelings. By putting his feelings in such state, you avoid as much as possible any situation that would eventually hurt him. This affection develops through time.

In order to create a lasting friendship, friends should have something in common, like same dreams, same aspirations, same likes or dislikes. There are people who become friends but cannot begin to understand how closely knit they are amidst the many differences they have. Take note that there are no two people that are exactly alike – even the identical twins! Some people find it easier to bond with same traits they have while some find it better with personalities contrast to theirs.

Like marriage, friendship is tested through time. Trust being the most important foundation of any relationship, is also a requirement for friendship to last. The old folks would say that unlike money, trust is more difficult to gain once it is lost. Quite true. In fact, some friendships that have counted years break in just one occasion of betrayal.

Friends that are just starting out usually develops deeper as they share same activities. Even people who claim to be long-time friends despite many differences have some activities that they share. These can be anything like having an ice cream despite the cold weather, playing an all weather corn toss game, or liking a basketball game even if the other does not know how to dribble a ball. Though your friend likes hot drinks during a rainy day, he or she would not stop you from having an ice cream. A friend may not know how to play basketball, but this fact alone makes him the suitable friend for someone who doesn't know how.

Friendship is a long and time-enduring process that thrives and bear fruit in one basic human attribute – Trust.

Published At: Isnare.com Free Articles Directory - http://www.isnare.com/

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Chaplains College Making History

11/9/2010

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In April 2009 Chaplains College of Pastoral Ministry implemented the first on site school of ministry program at the Taft Federal Correctional Institution located in Taft California. In July of 2010 12 men received their Associate Degree in Pastoral Ministry and 3 men earned their Advance Diploma in Pastoral Ministry. Students were sponsored by Chaplains College and Chaplains International at no cost to the correctional facility or the United States Government.

Chaplains College is the foremost leader of scholarly pursuit through online education. Consistent with our lofty standards, we are proud to offer our students a rich and rewarding route toward obtaining a Diploma or an Associate Degree in Pastoral Ministry. Are you ready?

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First Post!

11/8/2010

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Start blogging by creating a new post. You can edit or delete me by clicking under the comments. You can also customize your sidebar by dragging in elements from the top bar.

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