This is one of the phrases in the language that is interesting because there are various interpretations of the meaning.
Firstly, is it 'a friend in need is a friend indeed' or 'a friend in need is a friend in deed'. Clearly, that would have a bearing on the meaning. The 'in need' is also open to interpretation - is it 'a friend (when you are) in need' or 'a friend (who is) in need'. If the former, then the phrase means: 'someone who helps you when you are in need is a true friend'. If the latter, it is 'someone who needs your help becomes especially friendly in order to obtain it'. So, that gives us four options:
1. A friend, (when you are) in need, is indeed a true friend. ('indeed')
2. A friend, (when you are) in need, is someone who is prepared to act to show it ('in deed')
3. A friend, (who is) in need, is indeed a true friend. ('indeed')
4. A friend, (who is) in need, is someone who is prepared to act to show it ('in deed') The original meaning can be resolved to some degree by the documentary evidence - see below. Nevertheless, there is no unambiguous right or wrong here and this is a phrase that we probably infer the meaning of from context when we first hear it. Whichever of the above options we initially elect for will cement our understanding of the phrase; probably forever, if the vehemence of the mutually contradictory mails I get on this subject are anything to go by.
A friend is never known till a man have need. Before I had need, my most present foes Seemed my most friends; but thus the world goes So, what does that evidence indicate in terms of original meaning?
Sunday, 10 July 2011
IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE
When you embrace the word of God, your
destiny is established.
These hidden covenants of
blessings you now know about
are the minutest details that
may not appeal to "charismatic yankees", yet they are details
you cannot neglect.
These are all hidden covenant
mysteries that make your seeds
to bring forth in hundredfolds,
now in this life, and in the world to come. They are what
makes "give and it shall be
given unto you" effective.
Thank God for all that you have
given to the Kingdom, thank
God for all your tithes, thank God for all your offerings, but
these are other covenant
responsibilities that make those
ones produce. They are all
hidden issues that make life
bouyant. You know why God is showing
you all these? He is eager to
reward you. He sees your
faithfulness, your commitment,
dedication and zeal, that will
help your rewards to reach you.
You are too dedicated to fail!
Too committed to fail! So these
little, little foxes must be taken
off.
You know how it is that a cocoa plantation offer to be
fumigated, to kill certain insects
that won't let the cocoa trees
stay healthy. They are the
things that want to kill your
cocoa trees and make them unproductive. So, you are killing
them so they don't destroy the
labour of your hands.
Your labour will not be
destroyed any more!
Oh what a blessing to know where to place these things in
the covenant!
It's time to allow for a change
that will reflect in the work you
are doing. You display things in
your shop, and nobody is buying them? Can't you find out what
is happening?
The covenant is power! Discover
it. Make it a lifestyle!
See yourself as a responsible
Christian walking in the covenant, by giving the right
place to every instruction.
Instructions are the ways of
wisdom, telling you how to do
things to get your desired... The best thing are in you...
destiny is established.
These hidden covenants of
blessings you now know about
are the minutest details that
may not appeal to "charismatic yankees", yet they are details
you cannot neglect.
These are all hidden covenant
mysteries that make your seeds
to bring forth in hundredfolds,
now in this life, and in the world to come. They are what
makes "give and it shall be
given unto you" effective.
Thank God for all that you have
given to the Kingdom, thank
God for all your tithes, thank God for all your offerings, but
these are other covenant
responsibilities that make those
ones produce. They are all
hidden issues that make life
bouyant. You know why God is showing
you all these? He is eager to
reward you. He sees your
faithfulness, your commitment,
dedication and zeal, that will
help your rewards to reach you.
You are too dedicated to fail!
Too committed to fail! So these
little, little foxes must be taken
off.
You know how it is that a cocoa plantation offer to be
fumigated, to kill certain insects
that won't let the cocoa trees
stay healthy. They are the
things that want to kill your
cocoa trees and make them unproductive. So, you are killing
them so they don't destroy the
labour of your hands.
Your labour will not be
destroyed any more!
Oh what a blessing to know where to place these things in
the covenant!
It's time to allow for a change
that will reflect in the work you
are doing. You display things in
your shop, and nobody is buying them? Can't you find out what
is happening?
The covenant is power! Discover
it. Make it a lifestyle!
See yourself as a responsible
Christian walking in the covenant, by giving the right
place to every instruction.
Instructions are the ways of
wisdom, telling you how to do
things to get your desired... The best thing are in you...
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
TRUE LOVE
Everyone in the world is
searching for love. We say
we love to eat. We love our
pets. We love to make
money. But that kind of
love doesn't last for very long. The good news is that
there is another kind of
love -- love that comes
from God. God’s love lasts
forever. God’s love asks
for nothing in return. He loves you just the way you
are.
1. God Loves You! The Bible says, "God so loved
the world that He gave His
one and only Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall
not perish, but have eternal
life" The problem is that... 2. All of us have done, said or
thought things that are
wrong. This is called sin, and
our sins have separated us
from God. The Bible says "All have sinned
and fall short of the glory of
God." God is perfect and holy,
and our sins separate us
from God forever. The Bible
says "The wages of sin is death." The good news is that, about
2,000 years ago,
3. God sent His only Son Jesus
Christ to die for our sins. Jesus is the Son of God. He
lived a sinless life and then
died on the cross to pay the
penalty for our sins. "God
demonstrates His own love
for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for
us." Jesus rose from the dead and
now He lives in heaven with
God His Father. He offers us
the gift of eternal life -- of
living forever with Him in
heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus
said "I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to
the Father except by Me." God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His
child. "As many as received
Him, to them He gave the
right to become children of
God, even to those who believe on His name." You can
choose to ask Jesus Christ to
forgive your sins and come in
to your life as your Lord and
Savior.
4. If you want to accept
Christ as your Savior and
turn from your sins, you can
ask Him to be your Savior
and Lord by praying a prayer
like this: "Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always." Did you pray this prayer? YES NO.
searching for love. We say
we love to eat. We love our
pets. We love to make
money. But that kind of
love doesn't last for very long. The good news is that
there is another kind of
love -- love that comes
from God. God’s love lasts
forever. God’s love asks
for nothing in return. He loves you just the way you
are.
1. God Loves You! The Bible says, "God so loved
the world that He gave His
one and only Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall
not perish, but have eternal
life" The problem is that... 2. All of us have done, said or
thought things that are
wrong. This is called sin, and
our sins have separated us
from God. The Bible says "All have sinned
and fall short of the glory of
God." God is perfect and holy,
and our sins separate us
from God forever. The Bible
says "The wages of sin is death." The good news is that, about
2,000 years ago,
3. God sent His only Son Jesus
Christ to die for our sins. Jesus is the Son of God. He
lived a sinless life and then
died on the cross to pay the
penalty for our sins. "God
demonstrates His own love
for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for
us." Jesus rose from the dead and
now He lives in heaven with
God His Father. He offers us
the gift of eternal life -- of
living forever with Him in
heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus
said "I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to
the Father except by Me." God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His
child. "As many as received
Him, to them He gave the
right to become children of
God, even to those who believe on His name." You can
choose to ask Jesus Christ to
forgive your sins and come in
to your life as your Lord and
Savior.
4. If you want to accept
Christ as your Savior and
turn from your sins, you can
ask Him to be your Savior
and Lord by praying a prayer
like this: "Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always." Did you pray this prayer? YES NO.
WHAT YOU KNOW YOU MUST
It doesn’t really matter what
other people say or think about
you. Go ahead and do what you
know is best. The disappointments of the past
are no big deal, and your fears
of the future exist only in your
imagination. Step forward and
do what you know you must do. The excuses are so tired and
worn out that they’ve become
meaningless. Let them go, and
let yourself take effective,
productive, meaningful action. Your dreams are calling you
forward. Your highest vision of
what life can be is yours
precisely because you are the
person who can bring it about. When there’s a rich and shining
dream on the inside, and
you’re making your way
toward it, life feels great. Even
the pains and disappointments
cannot bring you down, because you know they’re mere
waypoints on the journey to
the fulfillment you seek. This moment right now is your
opportunity to do what you
know you must. This moment
right now is the next step on
the path to your most
treasured dream.
other people say or think about
you. Go ahead and do what you
know is best. The disappointments of the past
are no big deal, and your fears
of the future exist only in your
imagination. Step forward and
do what you know you must do. The excuses are so tired and
worn out that they’ve become
meaningless. Let them go, and
let yourself take effective,
productive, meaningful action. Your dreams are calling you
forward. Your highest vision of
what life can be is yours
precisely because you are the
person who can bring it about. When there’s a rich and shining
dream on the inside, and
you’re making your way
toward it, life feels great. Even
the pains and disappointments
cannot bring you down, because you know they’re mere
waypoints on the journey to
the fulfillment you seek. This moment right now is your
opportunity to do what you
know you must. This moment
right now is the next step on
the path to your most
treasured dream.
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