Friends in Our Lives Part 1
This past Sunday I had a wonderful time not only celebrating our risen Savior, but also celebrating my friends and church family. It means a lot to me to have friends and celebrate important events in their lives: job promotions, new homes, marriage, and the list goes on. But, even better, is when my friends celebrate Jesus with me.
It is so important to have friends who are walking in the same direction you are as Christ followers because you have much more in common. Having worldly friends can be a distraction in your relationship with the Lord because the center of your life, Jesus, is not the center of theirs. They have their own lifestyle and may not want any intrusion, or may even try to pull you in their direction. On the other hand, celebrating Jesus around them may help you pull them into your direction which means a Christ follower.
Friendship is not limited to only earthly associates. The Old Testament gives several examples of friendship between God and people. God and Moses had a close relationship. “He (Lord) would speak to Moses’ face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex 33:11 NIV). Also, Abraham was called a friend of God because they talked face-to-face. (2 Chron, 20:7 and Isa. 41:8)
So, when I say I enjoyed ‘Resurrection Sunday’ with family I am describing the relations between church members, family, and friends. Scripture is clear: “DO NOT sharply censure or rebuke an older man but entreat and plead with him as [you would with] a father. Treat younger men like brothers; [Treat] older women like mothers [and] younger women like sisters, in all purity. [Always] treat with great consideration and give aid to those who are truly widowed (solitary and without support)” (1 Tim 5:1-3 AMP).
Jesus reminds us: “I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.] You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you” (John 15:15-16 AMP).
So often, it is inconceivable to us that God wants to be friends with us, but He does. He wants to build genuine relationship - that kind of relationship that does not exist in the world - because God ordains it. So, God is really closer to you than you think. “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24 NIV).
It is so important to have friends who are walking in the same direction you are as Christ followers because you have much more in common. Having worldly friends can be a distraction in your relationship with the Lord because the center of your life, Jesus, is not the center of theirs. They have their own lifestyle and may not want any intrusion, or may even try to pull you in their direction. On the other hand, celebrating Jesus around them may help you pull them into your direction which means a Christ follower.
Friendship is not limited to only earthly associates. The Old Testament gives several examples of friendship between God and people. God and Moses had a close relationship. “He (Lord) would speak to Moses’ face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex 33:11 NIV). Also, Abraham was called a friend of God because they talked face-to-face. (2 Chron, 20:7 and Isa. 41:8)
So, when I say I enjoyed ‘Resurrection Sunday’ with family I am describing the relations between church members, family, and friends. Scripture is clear: “DO NOT sharply censure or rebuke an older man but entreat and plead with him as [you would with] a father. Treat younger men like brothers; [Treat] older women like mothers [and] younger women like sisters, in all purity. [Always] treat with great consideration and give aid to those who are truly widowed (solitary and without support)” (1 Tim 5:1-3 AMP).
Jesus reminds us: “I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.] You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you” (John 15:15-16 AMP).
So often, it is inconceivable to us that God wants to be friends with us, but He does. He wants to build genuine relationship - that kind of relationship that does not exist in the world - because God ordains it. So, God is really closer to you than you think. “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24 NIV).