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II.
How are we to be God's friend?
How great is the love the Father has
lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we
are! 1Jn 3:1 So how are we to be God's friend?
Being God's friend can be simplified into using good manners - Accept His
gifts graciously, say thank you, allow Him to go through the door first, then
you will be following Him, and ask Him, "What would you like for me to do
for you today?"
God never leaves us in the dark about Who He is or how He wants us to relate
with Himself. God has a list of things from His Bible which lays out a blueprint
of how He knows if we are His friend.
- Believe
and trust in the Lord Jesus
Christ, God's only begotten Son. For 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. John 3:14-18
- Accept
His magnificent act of love to lay
down His life for your sins.
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to
bring you to God. 1Peter 3:18 ; Heb 9:15
Obey God out
of gratitude and love. This is love for God: to obey his commands. 1John 5:3,4
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command. Whoever has my
commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.
Bear Fruit for God. I chose you and
appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. This is to my
Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my
disciples." John 15 -There are two types of fruit. Fruit of the salvation
of souls for Christ. - Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the
fire and save them. And
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Gal 5:22-25
Confess your
sins to God for His forgiveness. For my sin is always before me. Against you
only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, Create in me a pure
heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Ps 51:2-4,10 If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. 1Jn 1:9
"and will remember their sins no more." Jer 31:34, Heb 8:12
Seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness. Matt 6:33
Be controlled by the Holy Spirit - Live in
accordance with the Spirit, have your mind set on what the Spirit desires.
Romans 8:5,6,13 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Ephesians 4:30
Listen to the Lord Jesus Christ. "This
is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Matt
17:5 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. Jn 10:27
God tells us to -
Read God's Word daily - Blessed is the man
whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and meditates on it day and night. He
is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and
whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1 If any of you
lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding
fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 Since God is such an important
friend, but more truly, He is God, we are wise to learn from Him how we can
please and delight Him. We can only do this if we accept His Word as truth and
without error, which is what it is, and take it into our heart and act upon it.
God tells us :
Be joyful always;
pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for
you in Christ Jesus. 1Thess 5:16-18 ; Lk 17:15-19
Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth
with all your heart: for consider how great things He has done for you. 1 Samuel
12:24
What does the LORD require of you? To act
justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Communication and obedience is vital to being God's Friend. Enoch, Abraham
and Moses are people who did this. If you listen and obey, confess and repent,
rejoice and praise, petition needs and serve, you shall be blessed!! Every day,
spend time with the Personal Lord God, read His Word, the Bible, for your own
heart and life personally, be intimate with God and share your feelings and
thoughts, and laugh with God. This is how to be God's Friend. How great is the
love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are! 1Jn 3:1
You and I are to submit or bend to God's Will with
every part of our life. We are to humble our selves (humble means
knowing God knows more and better than we do and living according to His way. Isaiah
55:9) This video demonstrates the relationship of God with His child. A portion
of God's loving teaching, disciplining, and relating with us is shown through
this video. God'
Chisel by The Skit Guys
III. How are we to be friends
to other people?
Here is the fun, practical part. This is the part where we get to bring
heaven to earth!! The touch of our emotions to the physical world. It is
wonderful to walk by faith and not by sight, and exhilarating to see how God's
Word changes our own life and others' lives too!!
How did Jesus make friends? How did He deal with His enemies? God's Word
tells us -
 | Jesus ate with sinners
- who needed the physician. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked,
"Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" Jesus answered,
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick: 'I desire mercy,
not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Matt 9:10-13 |
Well, we can do that!
Nothing quite gets to the heart of people like a good meal. Invite someone to
your home for dinner, games, singing, and conversation. When you serve others,
they know that you care and have given of your time and resources to show them
love. Hospitality is a gift from God, and He gives His gifts freely to all who
ask. Do not feel shy, do not care about the dust bunnies or stack of papers on
the table, for the people you are inviting have their own dust bunnies and
stacks of papers in their home! But what'll make your home more special is the
unconditional love you'll be sharing with them!! The warmth of acceptance and
service. And you will be even more blessed when they come!! Memories will waft
in your rooms, and joy will fill your heart in the remembrance of sharing. You
can also bring a meal to someone who could use it. Or set up a fun date to go to
the Christian music coffeehouse. Give a restaurant certificate for a struggling
couple. Prepare a home cooked meal for a college person. Buy a candy bar and
wrap it with a ribbon and Scripture verse for a sister in Christ. Share with the
lost, the downtrodden, and siblings in Christ.
| Jesus was moved with compassion
- "com" means "with", "passion" means
"feeling", so Jesus was "feeling with" the people. When
Jesus saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. He
touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. Mt
20:34 Jesus wept. Jn 11:35 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 2Cor 1:3, Mt
14:14 |
A look of empathy, a touch of compassion, a word of comfort is more healing
to the soul than almost anything else. Put an arm around someone, touch their
hand, look into their eyes with His Love. Deeply care for someone God cherishes,
for He wants all to come to Him. God calls us to feel with others, share their
emotions, relieve their burdens. That empathy helps heal them, and we are more
able to pray for them and their specific needs, as well. You can comfort with
eyes of compassion a crying child or sad adult. Reach out and touch someone who
seems lonely. The human body needs 3-5 hugs a day for good health. Smile - it's
amazing how a warm genuine smile can brighten and change an outlook for the
whole day. Pray with your friends.
| Jesus Taught -
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because
they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many
things. Mark 6:34 Share the lessons of God's Word with those who need it.
Gently teach with love and compassion as God corrected you. Speak with others
with the renewed mind in Christ Jesus. Make sure you are lifting them up, and
not bringing anyone down in spirit. Say words of encouragement to friends and
new or frazzled moms. Write a note of encouragement on paper or e-mail,
telling some one what you appreciate about them. Include the all-powerful
Scripture to edify and encourage them! |
| Jesus Supped with His Disciples - Eat and
break bread with your sisters and brothers in Christ. God calls it fellowship,
"Feeo / ship" means sharing a bank account. Thus fellowship means
sharing all you've got of God's eternal treasures with one another. You and I
have eternal siblings with the same Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ flowing
through our souls! Be eager to experience the joy to be able to
"see" our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, when we talk and share
what He is doing in our lives, what we are asking for Him to accomplish, and
when sharing each other's burdens and joys! Take time to listen, and ask God
what you should say to encourage, enable, and help them. Ask the Lord to
enable you to share yourself and your walk with them. Share your need for
prayer and wisdom for your circumstances or situation. There is no pride in
God's family, for we are all on equal footing when our righteousness is only
through the One Savior and God Jesus Christ. Make sure you never pass on any
information about anyone to anyone else, this falls into the trap of gossip or
slander. |
You can ask yourself these questions - Is
what I am saying building up or tearing down the person listening to me? Am I
passing on information about someone else? What is my motive? For what purpose
am I doing this? Have I been asked a question? Is this information confidential?
Will it somehow harm a reputation or cast doubt on someone's character? A good
rule of thumb is to not mention names. If you have a personal question about a
situation, show the reason for your personal need first, and then ask for Godly
counsel. Is what you are saying honoring and pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ?
If not, apologize to Him and the listener, and repent, and do not to do it
again.
| Bring others to Christ
- The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell
him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). Jn 1:41
There is no greater joy than to be forgiven, unconditionally loved, and held
close by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Why would we not want to
share this treasure? Even though it is a command of God's, even though we are
told we will be hated by others for witnessing, His Love compels us to
proclaim that He has come to set them free from sin!! I am not ashamed of the
gospel for it is the power to save!! Remember, we are not called to be
lawyers, but just a witness! |
Does anyone here have a testimony of what Jesus Christ has done for them in
the past week, year, lifetime? I am not surprised!! Jesus says, "Whoever
acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in
heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father
in heaven." So go ahead and introduce Him to everyone!! Include Him in
all of your interactions. Encourage the Lord Jesus Christ to sup with them
too!
Jesus warns us, "Anyone who loves his father or mother, son or
daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:32-39 But God planned for
us ahead of time - "Make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you
will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your
adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." Lk 21:13-15 Do not be
shy in telling about your best friend, Jesus Christ. Be real, genuine and
sincere. His love and the power of the Holy Spirit will testify to the truth
you speak.
| Jesus blessed people - Jesus said to
them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for
the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. And He took the children in his
arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mk 10:14-16 We are called to
bless others with His gentle love, kindness and peaceful presence, allowing
the fruit of the Holy Spirit to permeate the atmosphere. |
Jesus traveled everywhere, even to places the legalistic people considered
"forbidden" or "unclean". Jesus was right with them in all
their circumstances. God asks you and me to visit some one in the hospital,
jail, nursing home, or resting sick in their bed,… We, the children of God,
have been given an extra-ordinary gift, the Holy Spirit, Who teaches us all
truth and gives us all the wisdom we need. Some ideas for blessing others in
their need is to: Make a coupon for a friend with children for a free
babysitting at your home so she and her spouse can have a time at home alone.
Make a coupon for a friend to spend a night at your home for a sweet getaway
weekend. Call someone just to say "hi!" and "I love you!"
Offer to watch the children to give a busy pregnant mother some time to nap.
Pray for someone you know who needs it. Pray for strangers driving by in a
car, truck, ambulance, police car, or fire truck, pray for their salvation,
healing, and peace in Jesus Christ.
| Jesus was tempted in all ways but did not sin.
- Be aware of your thought life. Do everything without complaining or
arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without
fault in a crooked and depraved generation. Phil 2:14-16 If you are grumbling
or complaining, if you are thinking ill of any one, ask the Lord to search
your heart for your motives. Have you been hurt? Ask Jesus to reveal why and
to heal you with His Word and Presence. Are you jealous? Are you feeling
inferior? Are you envious? God's Word is clear on envy and jealousy and other
sins. You may want to look in your Bible's concordance for God's guidance on
these subjects. Are you bored and want an emotional experience? Stop going in
that direction and instead count your blessings. God says do not complain but
in all things rejoice. How will you hear Him clearly when you are busy
shutting Him out with sin?? After you repent, here is the answer : Whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think
about such things. Phil 4:8 Rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice! Phil 4:4 |
| After he had dismissed them, he went up on a
mountainside by himself to pray. Jesus often withdrew to lonely
places and prayed. Lk 5:16 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he
prayed. Mk 1:35 |
If the Son of God needs to pray alone with His Father often, how much more
do you and I need it? Pray for your self, to hear the Lord more clearly. Pray
for you to understand God's perspective on the events of the day and your
situation. Ask God for His Wisdom on how to think and act, and how you can
glorify Him more. As the Holy Spirit convicts you of habits and thought
patterns which are not pleasing to Him, allow yourself to grieve and mourn,
and rejoice in the changes His Will and Word is accomplishing. Praise the Lord
God in all of your circumstances, for the enemy cannot abide in the presence
of the Lord and the Lord inhabits the praise of His people.
Another way to be a good friend is to:
| Forgive others as God has forgiven you.
Even when the person who has hurt you has never apologized, just like Christ
on the cross, ask the Lord God to forgive him or her, and enable you to
forgive them as well. This is the way our burdens are removed as well. Holding
onto hurts and pains of the past thwart God's ability to heal our hearts and
memories. God promises that He will make up for what the locusts have eaten,
but it is dependent upon us giving Him the control of our thought life and our
heart's condition. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these
virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Col
3:12-14 |
| But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father
in heaven. Matt 5:44,45 Ask the Lord God to reveal Himself to your enemies
so they may be set free from their bondage to sin, just as you were, and may
still be snared in some areas. Ask the Lord how He sees them, and to have
you see them as He does. Ask Jesus if you should minister to them, or just
leave them alone. God always answers His children in His time. And ask God
for His peace and the assurance that you need. |
Two wonderful examples of friendship between two people are
Jonathan with David & Naomi with Ruth, found in the Bible.
Bring me to> How will God carry
you and I through? or
How is God your
friend?
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