Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born from adversity."
The Bible has much to say about friends. Abraham was a friend of God in James 2:23 "And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." We need to be more like Abraham and be a friend to God. Jesus was criticized as being a friend of sinners...but not a friend of sin. There are friends who will lead you astray like Jonadab did in II Samuel 13:3 "But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man." These are not real friends...but devils in disguise. Jesus called His disciples friends...if they would obey His commands in John 15:15 "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." He said He revealed the Father to His friends. I want a close fellowship with Jesus and my Heavenly Father.
There are those few friends that love at all times. Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." They are friends that will not forsake you. Proverbs 27:10 "Thine own friend, and they father's friend, forsake not;..." And there is the friend that is closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."
I have had many friends to forsake me...but never the Lord Jesus Christ. I have also had the blessing of those special friends that God sent by at my darkest hours. Thank God for those friends. I want to be that kind of friend. Some of you might say..."Well...I don't have friends like that". A man that has friends must show himself friendly. The thing to do is to strive to be a friend. We must desire to be a friend of Jesus and to those in need...and also a friend to sinners. We are not to hang out and fellowship with sinners...but we are to be a friend to them. Be there for them when they need you. We must tell them about and show them the love of Christ. What kind of friend are you?
13 comments:
Sis. Julie glad to see you have posted something I was getting worried about you cause I know you post something everyday....I love you sis. Julie I am so thankful to have a friend like you..you are so very special to me I thank God for sending you my way if you have no other friends in this world you can know that I am your friend forever. I love and appreciate you.
your friend and sis in christ
Marsheila
sis. marsheila...thank you!! You are so sweet!! I have had a rough time of it this month (if you know what I mean). I'm doing some better now. Still having pain but it is lessening now. Thank you for your sweet words. I know I haven't always been the friend to others that I should be...I just pray this post encourages everyone (as it did me) to know that God wants us to be friends to others...including and especially God.
This conjured up some past feelings of hurts and some delightful feelings of faithful, loyal friends! Great question, which I need to dwell on a bit. What kind of friend am I?
Thanks Sis.
sis. pam....this had me dwelling on some things as well.
Great Post!! I know I'm not always as good of a friend as I could be to Kris. I wish that we could spend more time together. I hate that I stay so busy that I don't have time to spend with my friends. :(
jessica...friends are very important to have. And being a friend is just as important. I know Kristina understands that you are so busy...believe me...she hates it as much as you do. The only time she can talk with you is at church but Ronnie wants to be able to talk to you too...so she has to wait around till he leaves or wait till the next service so she can maybe talk to you.
sis. Julie I just want to say I have my blog up and running again I just took some time off
love you,
marsheila
You've gathered together a group of very powerful verses... as usual! I often meditate on John 15:15. It's one of my all-time favorites... that God, the God of the Universe, would call us friends. Wow! Hallelujah.
I like this too: A man that has friends must show himself friendly. The thing to do is to strive to be a friend. How true that is for us, in every sense, and with all people.
Have a blessed weekend Sis Julie, and keep up your prayin' :~) {{{Hugs}}}
Julie,
we never know when we are needed in a special way by one of our friends, so we should always be open to the feelings of others...
that way when their problems are great, we will be ready to give them the encouragement they may need I have a dear friend right now who is going through a very difficult time in her life... and she needs my prayers and friendship so much that I have to ask God's guidance for myself as I try to minister to her.. thank you for your post
e-mom....I'm very thankful that God would call me a friend of His. It blows my mind to know that since I fail Him so many times. So if we can fail Him as much as we do and He still calls us friend...how much more should we still be a friend to those that fail us.
sis. mimi...you bring up a good point that we need to be seeking God for guidance in how to help our friends who need our encouragement. So many times we will want to help...and know that God wants us to help but fail to seek God for the words to say. When we don't we often times tend to hurt the situation and the person rather than be a help to them. Stay sensitive to that friend...you may be the only one who is taking time to help them...and sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leading as you minister to her.
Ok I am now getting a little frustrated with blogger. It will not let me get anything through. So I will keep it short this time. I thank God for your friendship and Preacher's friendship. I hope we were the kind of fan that you were talking about. I hope the Lord will continue to let us have that sort of friendship. Whether over the phone or over the computer and of course when we get to see you all. Know that everything you are going through with family, and with the church we are doing the best thing we can and that is praying. I hope God blesses the socks off the church tomorrow.
Bro Tim
bro. tim...I know how blogger can be....it has been giving me fits lately too. Thank you for your prayers and for your friendship. We definitely need the prayers and a listening ear. There really is no one here we (or I) can talk to so I will be confiding in you and Sis. Crystal. All we can ask is that y'all be there for us...and we know you are. Thank you for loving us and caring for us and being there for us.
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