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A FRIEND
BEING A GOOD FRIEND AND HAVING A GOOD FRIEND ARE ESSENTIAL NEEDS IN OUR EARTHLY LIFE. Getting more money is a very poor substitute for friends too.When trying to help others I do always try to speak first from real past personal experiences, I try to put myself in the other persons shoes, but often even years before them, and I try to adequately relate to their needs from my own past similar experiences. I try to to also give them Biblical, and GODLY solutions. From even my own experiences I have wasted much time, effort tying to help other persons by listening, talking to them, counselling them, for it is only when I do add the word of God, that I do rightfully do refer them to God, who has the sole real solutions even to helping them with all of their problems, do I next see immediate, valid results in helping them. Many persons have sins, even unresolved personal needs in their own lives even cause they do personally have also their parental or cultural hang ups, they here are encouraged by the devil and others to do this.They do wrongfully follow their false upbringing, the false cultural traditions and they thus are easily predictable in their subsequent still bad behaviors here too. That even includes the area of "friendship".(2 Cor 3:2 KJV) Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.Let us really Look at what the Bible also says about true and good friendships here with me now. It is important to do so as well now.(James 2:23 KJV) 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.(John 13:35 KJV) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. 37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.(Luke 11:5 KJV) And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 18 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.True love and true friendship are also evident not in mere words but by one's real, daily personal acts.(John 11:11 KJV) These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.(John 15:13 KJV) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends(John 15:15 KJV) 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.(Acts 10:24 KJV) And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.(Luke 15:9 KJV) And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.(Mark 5:19 KJV) Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.(Luke 12:4 KJV) And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill thebody, and after that have no more that they can do.(John 15:14 KJV) Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.(Acts 19:31 KJV) And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.(Mark 3:21 KJV) And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.(Mat 22:12 KJV) And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.(John 19:12 KJV) And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.(Luke 14:10 KJV) But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.(John 3:29 KJV) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.(Acts 27:3 KJV) And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.(Luke 15:29 KJV) And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:(Luke 7:6 KJV) Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:(Luke 23:12 KJV) And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.(Luke 14:12 KJV) Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.(Luke 16:9 KJV) And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.(Mat 20:13 KJV) But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?(3 John 1:14 KJV) But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.There you now do have it, almost every New Testament verse on friendships.. but what does it really all mean now to us?"It is always nice to talk to you and to also hear from you as well". Many persons do not understand that when we do love someone we openly talk to them. People often do say that the greatest need on earth is the need for more communication, more open talking to each other. In reality the greatest need is first for each one of us to have forgiveness and love, and to practise more love for God, more love for ourselves and real love for the others firstly. When we really do love someone we tend to talk more to them, and we tend not to talk to those whom we do not love. The more silent persons tend now not to be the loving kind (Prov 27:5 KJV) Open rebuke is better than secret love. (Prov 27:6 KJV) Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.I can tell if someone loves me, for they do also now want to talk to me. I can also tell when they stop loving me.. and they do also treat Jesus the same way.. they also do not talk next to Him cause they no longer love Him too. (Rev 2:4 KJV) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
(Prov 27:8 KJV) As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
"You notice I do talk to you often, and in full love, and I love you at where you are".. because that is how God loves me. He God also has the time to talk to me, to love me as well. Because God He loves me, I do thus love you, others and I am also try to be yours and their good friend as well. So do I also now love others also because I do love to love others. So should we all now too.
(1 John 4:19 KJV) We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
(Ruth 2:13 KJV) Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
(Prov 18:24 KJV) A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Speaking of being a good friend with God too, my past devotional messages are a little blunt, they are simple saying that God wants us all to be mostly in the Word of God itself, and not in the bad books and in the bad literature too, and He God also does not want us following after the rather bad pastors or the world, the flesh, the devil. Sadly there are too many of them even in the evangelical Ministry, Churches today who do not follow God with their whole heart as God demands they do as well now.I myself do have to walk also with God all day to be able to hear and to write his truths to you too. I cannot be worldly, walk in the world and then sit and talk easily to God and write his truths. (Mat 6:24 KJV) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Truly You also cannot love the World and God.(1 Cor 16:22 KJV) If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.(1 John 2:15 KJV) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.The World, the flesh and devil also always do work to distract us from the more important things we should do, should follow, such as being personally kind, loving to others, and our real need to continue to follow solely after God.. He the devil often as well sends to us even non Christians, the bad persons, the so called friends to try to distract us too.. and this has been still my latest prayerful personal concerns for myself as well as you. God has a specific daily will and plan for our life, and the devil will try both to detract us from that will, or try to depress us, so that we will not want to do God's will by means of evil spirit and bad persons too. And God's will also includes under God's leading finding one of God's lost sheep, and helping the lost one by all of the valid means too.Distraction or depression are sinful, and unnecessary big problems in many of our lives... Many prophets have also felt depressed, all alone, ironically even at the peak of their careers, and relationships with God and men, and do also note this much of this was due to the demonic harassment. We thus are distracted not only with God, distracted in our personal reading the Bible in the morning, in praying but also with the other things, such as work, studies etc., and we can supposedly be depressed with God for not being our true friend in all of this as well? Or are we rather the ones not his true and faithful friends in reality?
Heavenly Father I pray in Jesus name that you would now reduce, remove from us and from our loved ones all of those evil and distracting spirits, the birds of the air, that do come along and do steal the good seeds that God hath sent to us.
(Mat 13:3 KJV) And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
(Mat 8:21 KJV) And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
But sometimes our too easily being distracted can also be a symptom of another major need of ours.. a sign of our own loneliness, the root, basic cause of our depression underneath? For when our basic needs are not being met we tend next too easily to divert our tasks and to wander and search rather for their fulfillment, often not knowing even what that need is.. even that we may still may really need a really good friend? I use the term good friend first.. for their really are bad friends too.
There are various types of friends and even various levels of friendships supposedly?
(Mat 7:15 KJV) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Our body is physical and also spiritual.. and we all do need to first to talk to God in heaven, our creator too, but we also do want some human persons to talk to next too.. we want to also be appreciated and loved in Heaven but also now here on earth..
A good friend is like a good brother, like a good sister, where you don't have to talk, they do really know you, and they really do appreciate you.. even like the friendship of David and Jonathan that they had with each other. (1 Sam 18:3 KJV) Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
King David he also had liked and appreciated good personal relationships too. Good friend are closer than a brother or a sister, as good as one.. but do also note that God still even here seems to give and take away as well.. and we accept it as His will too. (2 Sam 21:14 KJV) And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.
It is great when God sends to us a close friend, a good friend. and is often sad, sad when God next also takes them away. I have had many and lost many too, and so did King David.. Even the disciples lost Jesus temporarily as their friend and they next became really depressed rightfully about it too. But no, no friend can ever compare to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Not one.
(John 15:5 KJV) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:16 KJV) Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Jesus always still wants to be our closest friend, and He does wants to be our friend, to talk with us, and for us also to talk with Him firstly as well, and also next to talk in love with the other genuine, good believers.. God wants to fellowship with us, but we still do have to personally allow it, exercise our own free will in this matter as well.
(John 10:27 KJV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.
(Luke 6:33 KJV) And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
(Gal 6:10 KJV) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
(Eph 5:11 KJV) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Sadly some pastors, Christians are also friends wrongfully with the bad persons. This itself is unacceptable to God.
I have also too often been stabbed in the back even by Pastors I had even myself considered as being one of my best friends too. They were unloyal and bad friends rather too. Jesus himself was betrayed by Apostle Judas.(Mat 7:16 KJV) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
(Ruth 2:13 KJV) Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
(Prov 18:24 KJV) A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matt 25:40)
The very first Church that I had joined as an adult, had become a member of, the Pastor there said to me personally that he extended the right hand of fellowship unto me. I assumed rightfully he meant that would be a Christian brother, a Christian friend to me. I next asked him openly what he meant by that expression. He the pastor next said to me that he did not know what it meant. To him in reality I was to his friend only if I helped him to get what he wanted.. and I have had many such bad pastoral friends.. persons that are not a godly friendship nor is this wrong behavior of them acceptable Christianity. Coming back to good Friendships..
It is also great to work for the Lord but it is also great to have good close Christian friends and not to solely have some working friends too.. there clearly is a difference. You should know that sex outside of marriage and real love is not the same thing.. well good and bad friends are not the same thing. Sadly some people still cannot love others, sadly. The church is not a building, it is not a community of people, that has become also now a fundamental foundation of the denomination next. A community of people can be made up of communistic persons or capitalist persons. of non Christ like persons as well.. and that is not enough, nor is it a church. You also do need to meet people who can love you and you can love them..and that is what a good church is, not just another meeting of believers, and not merely a building, the church it is to be such a real place of persons really showing love one to another.. I have had friends like that in my church . They really are loving, generous people. I had good brotherly Christian friends in university.. in IVCF.. If I had said let us go to the chapel cause I need to pray.. they went with me.. no questions were even asked why as well. They were good friends.. friends who loved me. I have had good Christian friends at my secular jobs as well. I have often prayed that the people at my work would also become my best Christian friends and it often happened too. I helped to make the persons into Christians often at work and some became really great Christian friends, at least for for a while till they had moved elsewhere.
When God called me to be a shepherd and I got my first flock I was really really surprised I loved everyone in my church equally, even all persons at the supposed different levels I still could love and relate to them equally, without partiality too, and they also knew it.. I loved them all.. all. it was great for both of us too
Take for example the cross.. it has a horizontal and vertical dimensions.. and it shows to me the different levels of friendships that we seem to have theses days too... The prophets for example can like to be with other prophets, their equals, but also to be with the Pastors their subordinate, and the Apostles their superiors..as well as with many others.. They have earthly Christian fellowship at 4 levels at least to start off with.. but it is still all in love at all levels too. With some people you are at a heavenly level, others at an earthly level, and with others at an equal level.. you do not have the same relationship with everyone and you thus cannot of course. Being friendly and being a friend is not the same thing. I have had often various different people I do not know become instant close friends with me from day one day.. by God's direction.. and we loved to talk together about the Lord too. While other persons sadly could never be counted to be any kind of a friend. God also want us to really now love others, and not just be friendly..
I also do like it when people show love beyond words as well.. such as when a good friend takes me out for a great free dinner. I am blessed by his dinner but also more by his real love. I really really loved to go and eat with my friends, to take them also to my favorite eating palaces too. Jesus ate with his friends. I do myself do buy food for them, or take them to the restaurant or to clean movies, or take them for car rides too.. I also go for a walk with my friends, and visit them at home. Many people are often surprised when I offer to walk with them anywhere.. they do thus realize it is me showing love to them..
(Luke 24:13 KJV) And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?Each one of us do need good personal relationship in our life, not full time but occasionally at least, and I do still will to let God work it all out. Talking openly with someone and them letting you to talk openly is refreshing.. it is love.. We all mostly do not have really good friends for we seem to rather have some familiar persons.
A definition of a good friend is someone you can ask him or her to do something with or for you, and he or she does not even hesitate, nor does she or he ask what is in it for me? they do what was asked of them immediately too, and unselfishly. A good friend loves us at all times too. They talk to us, listen to us, help us at all times.
Jesus himself is such a friend, He will do what we asks if it is in the will of God , and He asks nothing in return cause he did it for us. He expects us to do what he asks as well..
I met a person on the street for the first time, I next talked to him for two hours, and now we even do write to each other. There was an immediate relationship. It was God ordained.. and it went along with my normal activity. God had wanted me to show him love, to also help him with his real business problems too. God firstly has to make that good and true friend come to life.
With real good Christian friends no time is to start the friendship is really needed.. for it is a choice of our own will and it it can be an immediate friendships where we merely chose to love them and they chose to love me, or you.. but sadly also they can chose not to love me or you as I can chose not to love them wrongfully too... Many people are friendly.. but they still really do not love you, they do rather treat you as a stranger, and not as a daughter, as a sister.. even in the Church sadly, unacceptably.Very few people do now want to even love you and me, do want to understand you and me..for they are mainly selfish, living in sin.. and also do believe me when I say that loads of people when I got to really know them next I wished I never had met them too. Most people do not want any more friends, they have enough or they have their own agendas first to be carried out.... and we may have to find someone who needs a friend but we also do need to be personally willing to be that friend to them.. and to do the associated work with our friendship too. To next also to be personally in their homes.
(Prov 14:20 KJV) The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. (Prov 19:4 KJV) Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour. (Prov 19:7 KJV) All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
It is immoral and very wrong that many pastors do not make home visits. Jesus loved to be in his friends homes too. (Luke 19:5 KJV) And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
There is a great personal difference in our own life when other people do start to love us, when they do tell us they love us.. even persons starting from ages 1 to 90 or more.. I have had many people unexpectedly love and accept me immediately.. many many times.. and it was not cause I was friendly.. but rather cause they themselves were really loving persons. A really good Christian friend is actually a replacement for a father, mother, brother, sister, it is an immediate and a close relationship.. You and I need a good God given friend in our lives because that is what God wants for you too.. that friend firstly is Jesus.. but do you also do what he asks of you? and I also do like have good friends, good food, good clothes, etc., good and not the bad rather..
Not all people are loving.. they chose not to love sadly as well. I still cannot fully even understand why they all had chose this sad life.. it was their wrong choice to do so.. life is what we choose it to be.. I chose Jesus, Joy, Happiness.. so I now I do have it too. People do make the wrong and bad choices even for selfish reasons. Other people do make the good, right choices. Many of my recent devotions end with the rightful thought, I chose to serve, praise the lord, to follow him.. God respects our free will choice. Make the right choices. Have Jesus as your best friend too.
(Psa 119:61 KJV) The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. 62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments. 63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
and all that is my choice
Some would agree and say "I need to love others more, that's definitely something I need to learn." While some persons still do nor know what he or she really is looking for too.. even to love others and to be loved too..
Some persons would say " Yes, I have lots of friends who have done that for me. I really feel blessed for them, considering I seldom return the favour, I think that area of me needs some work on some more"or rather firstly may God give you the money and the love to do it as well.". It may not be just the gift of generosity that you need but the will to say I will to do it.. to Say Lord I will do it, be a friend to you and your people too and help me to do it.. (Gal 6:7 KJV) : for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. I too have to make an effort to be friendly, to stop working on the computer to answer the door and say hello to a friend. I tell myself when I do it is is worth it for me too -- sometimes I do have to overcome my desire to be by myself, and actually go and meet others
Like I said before I want God to arrange the good friend(s) for you always. I do like it better that God selects and makes the friends I should have for me.. I know that you have your own agenda for life.. but God has his own too.. he God has to work it out
There is a time for everything (Eccl 3:1 KJV) To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
A time to love.. and a time to be loved... and a time of peace.. quietness.. goodness..
All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I really Give... All... all my thoughts, all of my will, all of my goals, inclinations, desires too, was my last devotion too.. but also (Eccl 4:9 KJV) Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. and that speaks to me of a good friend and (Eccl 2:24 KJV) There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
And that includes eating with our good friends, and we can all undo bad habits by being nice in the future, we can learn to do good from our mistakes and should.
It is best that we let God do it all . Do let God lead you there.. Do first Pray he will arrange for you to have good Christian friends and it often comes from unexpected places and in God's timing too. Friendship is more about work than emotions, or feeling good as well. When we really do love someone and really show it, manifest it with good works we will next feel good about ourselves and about the the other person as well.
(James 1:23 KJV) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
(Prov 17:17 KJV) A friend loveth at all times, (Prov 18:24 KJV) A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.(Prov 27:6 KJV) Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Heavenly Father I pray first that You become our close friend and that you will talk to us in love.. let us also know how much we are loved by you, even by others, appreciated by you first,.. let us also rejoice in all of this.. and nothing, nothing makes us more happy than being happy with you, in talking with you. Nothing.
I pray also that great things will happen today, now , this week, this month, this year for you as well, for you too and I would like you also to have a good, even a new, new real Christian caring friendship group where your faith can grow more too, where your faith can thus even grow some more too.I want you to love others, and to beloved by others too.. you and I do deserve it.
In my lifetime I have heard many many lazy persons complain that they had no good friends, because real friendships means doing also some real hard work.. something they immorally did not want to do still.. Friendship with God involves work and personal sacrifices as well now. Jesus used to visit the people's homes for this reason. and I also did as a pastor.. Jesus loved Mary, Martha, Lazarus, but he also loved to be in their home too.. I often went to the person's homes just to love people in their homes even without preaching anything too.. even just to be a father, a brother for them.
You really, really still cannot be a friend with an Unchrist like person.
(James 4:4 KJV) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.(Mat 26:47 KJV) And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.(Luke 21:16 KJV) And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
I hate being Luke warm or cold rather I like being committed and committed fellow sheep. I do not like to chat with unbelievers... not at all.. I do not talk to Christians who do not want also to talk about God, their walk, about others, brothers and sisters in the lord too. if I cannot have true Christian fellowship then I stop talking to the person.. I have lost 1/12 of persons of of my devotional list for that reason.. it was a one sided relationship and to me this is not normal, unacceptable, just another Judas. If we don't chat with unbelievers... how do they come to Christ if we don't talk to them? Well you and I cannot bring one person to Christ.. not one. When God wants you to chat to them about the lord.. then he will send them to you or send you to them.. and guess what they tend to have great computer problems and need a computer expert like me or are really depressed and need a good depression counselor like me.. then I talk to them also about the Lord
For me general chatting also with unbelievers to me is a waste of time.. I hear God's voice and he tells me with whom I can talk to and with whom I am not to talk to as well.
(Psa 1:1 KJV) 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.
I rightfully do not even want to talk to my own twin brother if he does not want to also talk about the Lord.. My friendship with God is my best and highest need and priority.I have also already converted some unbelievers with chats, human logics, my better arguments.. and they became intellectual Christians who went the road of hell next.. God did not touch their hearts.. so I have learned my sad lesson.. if the heart is not ready to repent.. if the soil is bad.. I am no longer there. I go elsewhere to the better ground.. I also do now it's better to live a godly life than any words that I can manage
You all that I write to do already have a shepherd's gift.. you too are looking for the lost sheep to help them... let God make it easier for you.. ask him to lead you to the lost right sheep and do always ask God to lead you in all things still.. me too Yep, it all boils down to that, really... my devotions have made it pretty clear. God knows who will come to Him and He uses us as His ambassadors. God made that clear to us, he makes things simple for us.. we are not trying to reach the whole world.. but his one lost sheep that he God cares about to send us too.
(Rev 21:4 KJV) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
(Isa 54:1 KJV) Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
(Isa 62:4 KJV) Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
I agree. I'm glad I'm in Christ, there's nothing better than Him. Nothing at all on the whole earth that is better than Him.. talking to Him... nothing at all.
I pray Heavenly Father in Jesus name that you will lead us in the right way, help us to make all the right choices, to do thy will, and help us to find all of your love daily as well...
Spending money on good friends is worth it, spending money on bad friends is a waste of resources.
(Luke 15:6 KJV) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
