THE FRIEND OF ALL FRIENDS© 2008
By Ronnie Johnson
There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
—Proverb 18:24b (RKJV).
Go oft to the house of thy friend,
for weeds choke the unused path.
——Ralph Waldo Emerson
I am drawn to people who are friends to the end with those who live on this planet. It is so easy to shirk such a responsibility and just walk away; especially if that friend makes a big, stupid mistake in life. A real, true friend sticks closer to us than a brother.
I can not forget Tom Landry taking in Woody Hayes just days after he had clobbered an opposing college football player before a nationally televised game. I attended the Super Bowl that year in Miami. Of all the people I would have never guessed that Woody Hayes would have stepped off that bus with Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett and other famous athletes.
An eerie mood suddenly swept over this crowd; a hint of boos began but seemed to dissipate when Tom Landry approached the gate with his arm around a coach the whole nation at the time wanted to ‘throw under the bus.’
A real, true friend never stops loving us even when we have blown it big time. When everything is going our way it is wonderful to be embraced by people who love us, encourage us, and throw their arm around us with a cackle or two. But this is even more important and life-altering when those same people are there for us when we have made the biggest blunder of our life.
Jim Baker, formerly owner and manager of Praise The Lord TV Ministries, tells the world now that a tall, lanky figure came to him in prison and reached out to him when the whole country and seemingly the world wanted to bury him for his scandalous life as a minister. He had done it all wrong—he had few friends in the end. But that tall, lanky figure was none other than Billy Graham who went to Jim’s cell and ministered to him by reading God’s word and praying with him. Later Mr. Graham even gave him a place to live until he could get back on his feet and able to return to ministry.
The Apostle Paul alludes to people like Demas who deserted him and fell in love with the world. But he also had people like Onesiphorus who attended to him when he was in prison. He also stated on another occasion, “Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11a KJV).Paul had people who did not let him down in the end when he needed a friend.
Our friends, our real true friends define us in this life.
—Jason Lloyd
Jesus promised you and me, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b RKJV).You may feel that he has left you and abandoned you totally—but he hasn’t and never will. Remember he gives to those who ask, the Holy Spirit, his Spirit in his absence who will be with us forever and ever and ever. He is the Friend of all friends on this earth and universe.
Nelson Mandela spent 27 long and lonely years behind bars due to the apartheid that existed in South Africa at the time. But many people do not know that Ahmed Kathrada, his lifelong freedom fighter and friend, was right by his side during all those 27 years. Together they changed history. Together they never gave up on one another. Today in their freedom and friendship they have fused the mind of millions to the belief that all things are possible through an enduring and endearing friendship. At 90 Mandela knows that it was because of the Kathradas in his life that he himself made it to freedom.
Everyone needs someone by their side when the going gets rough and the times get tough. You have the Holy Spirit, the Dove of heaven and the Breath of God with you every single second of this day whether you realize him or not—he is there if you are a Christian, a believer. He can empower your life. He can guide you through your darkest moment. He is your Confidant and Counselor. He can increase your confidence. He can comfort you when you feel the most vulnerable, sad and alone.
He is the Friend of all friends you will ever know or have. It doesn’t matter what you face or who you face in life—the Holy Spirit will be with you all the way through. He is the Christ, the Jesus in you both now and forever. He ain’t go’in nowhere—you might, but he ain’t leaving you no matter what! Remember this:
A friend loves at all times.
—Proverbs 17:17
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
THE KING© 2008
By Ronnie Johnson
Lift up your heads O you gates;
And be you lifted up,
You everlasting doors,
And the King of glory shall come.
Who is The King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
(Psalm 24:7, 8 RKJV).
It seems like yesterday when I was in Great Britain and spoke in London in the Borough of Islington. It seems that I remember most my tour to Westminster Abbey and seeing David Livingston’s black marble tomb. I was also taken by the Castle at Windsor as well.
In these old, historic edifices are very unusual crowns of royalty that are a big part of England’s history as well. The plethora of their crowns is absolutely stunning. They have extraordinary jewels attached to them and are extremely colorful and ornate. They are the crowns that kings and queens have worn at their inauguration and the commencement of those reigning years.
I was amazed actually at these incredible crowns that have such meaning to the people of Great Britain. They are trophies to them; they are like a super bowl ring or gold medal making history come alive and memorable.
I sat down recently at a department store while our son and Jean shopped for a while. A very nice lady came over and just began talking to me. She mentioned the Lord in her conversation so I just asked her, “You must be a Christian?”
“Oh, yes,” the lady replied. “I am a Christian. In fact,” she continued, “I have just found a new church to attend and the people make me feel so at home.” She had that glint of a smile and soothing face to look at—she was vivacious and had such an unmistakable kind spirit about her.
For a moment I felt like this lady was a familiar neighbor or family member at our house just making herself at home. She seemed so relaxed and actually joyful in her heart.
About this time a customer had arrived at her station. Before she turned her head and saw the man coming toward the shoe department where she was working I blurted out to her and pointed upward toward heaven with one finger, “There’s no one like Him, is there?”
And about that time she caught this man coming into her vision who was looking at the shoes. But almost in a quiet, soft, whisper she made sure I got my question answered; and in one rising motion as she left her chair she replied with a smile, “He….He is The King.”
I saw no apparent jeweled crown near by. I saw no obvious robe of royalty. There was no visible gold-covered throne or any sign that would give way to a King or a King’s dynasty. But that is not where He reveals Himself, is it?
The King. It has resounded in my ear since that lady spoke those simple but powerful and factual words—He is indeed The King. No wonder there are spiraling steeples, gothic cathedrals, endless literature, singing choirs, devoted pastors, students at seminaries, mighty mission projects through this earth. Why? It is the same reason we bow our heads, our hearts and even our knees daily to the One and only, The King of all kings.
What an answer when you step back and think about it. Remember what the people who crucified him wrote on the superscription (in Greek, Latin and Hebrew) above his cross of horror, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Her voice resonates within my heart repeatedly because His kingship. And if He is truly The King, and He is—you and I have nothing to worry about. He reigns. He rules. He governs the earth and all mankind. It seems unimaginable that an invisible King is just that, but he is. He is your President, your Leader, your God, your Master, your Shepherd, your Lord, your Prime Minister and Emperor of your own life. And most of all He is your Father, your own caring, comforting and everlasting Dad.
The King.
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
THE SIMPLE KISS OF SYMPATHY©2008
By Ronnie Johnson
The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
(Psalm 34:17 RKJV).
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
—Thomas Moore
Only Oswald Chambers could write about such an occurrence. The lady had lost her husband and child. The rebel Chinese people killed them in the village where they were serving the Lord. The little widow traveled back to Great Britain to be with her other children and other family members.
Many familiar mourners came to her side following this traumatic and eventful horror. People attempted to comfort her with every kind of scripture verse. Others extended to her powerful principles on sorrow. Family and friends attempted to inspire her to keep going in the face of tragedy. Church members showered her with traditional thoughts of support and expressions of kindness we so often hear at such a sad moment like this. Words upon words poured in upon her. Everyone it seemed had an answer for her.
But as they urged her never to give up and attempted to comfort her nothing seemed to work…. to touch her heart. How do you still trust and love a God who would allow your own to be brutally killed? How do you keep going when your own husband and child are tortured and then beheaded when they are caring missionaries and committed followers of Christ in a foreign land? Where can you find any comfort or peace within?
But finally an old minister went to see this grieving widow one quiet day. He had been like a mentor to her deceased husband. She, of course, remembered him. She knew the great work they done together for the Lord in previous years. He politely and nonchalantly walked into her living room where she was lying upon her sofa in tears.
The old minister strangely enough never uttered a single word. After sitting by her side in total silence for a while, he went over to her. Then he leaned down methodically and gave her a loving and tender kiss upon her forehead. Then he walked away prayerfully, deliberately so as to not intrude anymore.
Somehow this little lady in the worst grief of her life said it was then that her healing began. Those words of comfort and assurance that came before this experience—-all those theological answers people attempted to give her, and sympathetic words of wisdom fell short. But this soft, loving and tender kiss upon her forehead somehow God used to bring healing to her broken heart.
No words. Just a kiss. The simple kiss of sympathy.
Down the road ...
Ronnie Johnson
