Scriptural references for:
A letter from a dear friend
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Picture is in Florida Botanical Gardens, Largo, Flordia
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©05/07/2001 Jim Welch
Scriptural references for:
A letter from a dear friend

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A letter from a dear friend is opened with joyful anticipation while a letter from a stranger is opened with suspicion.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
John 10:3  To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

A message from the Lord is received with joy by those who see the Lord as a Dear and Precious Friend.
¶For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Psalms 95:7

The same message is eyed with suspicion by those who are strangers to the Lord.
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. Matthew 13:13

The voice of a dear friend brings joy to the heart of the hearer while the voice of a stranger puts the hearer on guard.
The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. Psalms 29:4
Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. Psalms 55:3

Jesus said, "My sheep will hear my voice and they will come."
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 10:27

The children of a loving father run to meet him when he comes home, while the children of a hateful father seek to hide.
Luke 15:17  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19  And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him

Likewise, those who see God as loving Father delight in His inspired words and look forward to His coming.
Psalms 1:1  ¶Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

All others do not.
Romans 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.