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Friends
September 7, 2013

Friends are an important part of anyone's life and the Bible has much to say about friends. It may be hard to believe but a person could be a friend of God and Jesus. In the Old Testament, God spoke to Moses face to face as a friend and Abraham was considered a friend of God by the children of Israel.

2 Chronicles 20:5-7
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

The idea of being a friend of God is not unique to these historical persons. In the modern time, a person can be the friend of God and Jesus. Jesus shared with us what we need to do to be a friend.

John 15:9-17
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 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. 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. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

We are the friends of God if we do whatever Jesus commands us to do. Furthermore, the love of God is shown by keeping the commandments.

1 John 5:2-3
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

The benefit of having God and Jesus for friends is simple and one that we can all relate to. Sometimes in life it's not what you know, but who you know, and the same holds true for God and Jesus, and with God and Jesus we find powerful friends.

1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

While many know about God and Jesus, few strive to be friends. The more we strive to be friends of God and Jesus, the more we strive for obedience, the more we will be able to celebrate what is good, embrace what is good, and do what is good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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