Sunday, October 24, 2010
Good friends....
are friendly! (Prov. 18:24) Sounds like a "given" right? There are many people who want friends, yet they will not make others feel welcome. They do not show others hospitality. (Titus 1:7-9, I Pet. 4:9) If you want friends, you must get over yourself and how YOU feel and be friendly! love! (Prov. 17:17) If you do not love others more than yourself, you will not be a good friend. It is like a parent with their child or a wife/husband with their spouse, you put others first. That is true love. are loyal! (Prov. 27:10) Can your friends count on you to stand up for them? There are many people that say they are your friend, yet they talk about you behind your back. Do you do that to others? Do you gossip? You are not being loyal if you do. You are not being a good friend. tell you the truth! (Prov. 27:6, 17) Someone who does not love you will not tell you the truth. If you truly care about someone, you will tell them the truth even if it hurts their feelings. I'm not talking about being mean and critical. I'm talking about sparing someone from harm or spoil by warning them of danger. Be a friend and tell the truth!
The Greatest Friend that ever walked this Earth was the Lord Jesus Christ!We are told in the Word that He was a "friend of sinners" (Mt. 11:19, Luke 7:34). He proved His friendship to us by dying on the Cross! The Bible says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15:13). Talk about love! Not only does He speak the TRUTH, but He IS the TRUTH! (Jn. 14:6) He's your Best Friend! Oh, I hope and pray that you know Him!
If you do belong to Him, are you being a good friend to others? We are supposed to be like Him? He is a Faithful Friend. Are you faithful? Can your friends count on you? Are you friendly? Do you make others feel welcome and wanted? Are you loving? Are you loyal? Do you listen to gossip about your friends? Are you the one spreading the gossip? Don't be a bad friend! There are many examples of bad friends in God's Word for us to learn from. Here are just a few...
Amnon's friend Jonadab (2 Sam. 13:3-) *Jonadab was subtil like the serpent in Gen. 3*Fairweather Friend (Prov. 19:6) *Are you a friend to someone who can do something for you?*World's friend (James 4:4) *Being this friend makes you God's enemy!*Caesar's friend (Jn. 19:12) *You do the government's bidding instead of working for God* I challenge you today to examine yourself. Are you a good friend? If not, ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be one!