Magyar Egyház, 2003 (82. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2003-04-01 / 2. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 5. oldal ceived the Spirit some time ago know that their “body is a temple of the Holy Spirit’’ and their lives also displays the “fruit of the Spirit”. Put yourselves to the test and look for those fruits as proofs of the Spirit’s presence and work in you. If you don’t have the Spirit’s baptism yet, the time is NOW. Why wait another day? Why should you endure the gray clouds of spiritual dimness when you can enjoy the sunshine of God's blessing. Just ask for it. Remember, the Lord promised that your heavenly Father “will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:13) Rev. Frank Varga, Allen Park, MI JESUS IS OUR FRIEND I would like to tell you about a wonderful friend and his friendship. His friendship includes all people living on globe. It embraces all those people who lived before us and the people who will come after us. He is very close to each of us. He is our best friend. He loves you more than anyone you know. He laid down his life for all of us. His friendship can help us to live above our needs and problems. Because he is our friend, God has given us eternal life. Who is a friend? Webster's Dictionary gives the following definition. “A friend is a person whom one knows well and is found of; intimate associate; close acquaintance; a person on the same side in a struggle; a supporter.” My own definition would be something like this: “A friend is the one who wishes me well; stands by me at all times, shares my hurts, sufferings and pains; and above all loves me.” We have a friend who fits into both definitions. His name is Jesus and he calls us his friends. He is our best Friend. He bears our sins and griefs! We can take to him our trials and temptations! We can give to him our troubles and burdens and he will carry us in his arms. He is always loving us and caring for us. Loved ones, relatives and friends may desert us, he will never forsake us. One day Jesus said to his disciples, “You are my friends” (John 15:14). There is a wonderful offer in his words. In the courts of the Roman Emperors and the eastern kings, there was a very selected group of men who were called the friends of the emperor or the friends of the king. At all times they had access to the king; they had even the right to come to his bedchamber at the beginning of the day. He talked to them before he talked to his generals, his rules and other important people of his kingdom. The friends of the king were those who had the closest relationship with him, and who had the right to come to him at any time. Jesus treats us as his friends. We can enter his presence anytime. We don’t have to beg for his gifts, he showers them upon us freely. We can always ask for his blessings because they are available to us when we ask him in faith. Christ is the Friend who does us good and not evil. Is sad but true, that not all friendship are helpful. There are friends who harm us instead of help us. They are like the ivy which stains and decays the wall which it embraces. Samson had the wrong kind of a friend. One day he fell in love with a woman who betrayed his trust in her for money. Because the friendship of this woman, God took away his strength and the ruin of his life was the result. Herod Antipas was stirred up by the preaching of John the Baptist, but unfortunately he had the wrong kind of friends, and “for their sakes”, and for the sake of Herodias, he had John beheaded. There are many people in their graves who have been put there by the evil of their faithless friends. There are many people today who go around with heavy hearts and who look back with sorrow and pain and regret to the hour and place when they have met some of their friends and say about these friends, “If I have never met him! If I have never know her!” But here is the Friend who will do you good and not evil all the days of your life. Christ is the Friend who not only does us good, but who stands by us in good days and bad days. In a battle in Scotland there were two brothers in the same regiment. Their army was beaten and was pulling back. One of the brothers was badly wounded, but the other brother, also wounded, was still able to walk. He was not about to leave his brother behind and flee with the others, but he stooped down and lifted him to his back and thus left the battle field. When he had reached a place of safety, staggered and fell dead beneath him. One brother had given his life for another. Christ is our true and loyal Friend. He laid down his precious life for us that through his sacrifice we may live. His friendship should make us kneel at his cross and admire the love of the Lamb of God who died for us on the cross. We need this Friend. A young man far from home and without money called up his father, “I am in the big city without money or friends. What shall I do? The father said, “I will send you some money and please make some friends at once”. Christ has made us his friends. We have a Friend who helps us to meet the troubles and trials of life with courage and faith. We certainly need this Friend. We need him every moment and every hour and every day of our lives. Have you found this Friend? This precious Friend who loved you, died for you and gives you power to live for him. He wants you to be his friend! The best you can do is to accept him and love him as your best friend. Rev.Barnabás Rőczey, Dean
