Friends of God
Devotional for Men's Fellowship 11/22/05 Friendship with God
Original for SS 2/24/02
Introduction
James 2:23 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.
2 Chronicles 20:7 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?
Isaiah 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Exodus 33:11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Knowing God
Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
What kind of knowledge is God talking about here?
You can tell alot about a person by knowing what they do in their spare time, when nobody else is around. So what does God do when no one else is around??
Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Hundreds of millions, if not billions of life-forms on earth, not to mention the angels, cherubim and seraphim....
We sometimes take for granted the created world around us
Try to imagine not existing
What part of creation do you enjoy the most?
We sometimes take for granted the created world inside us
Try to imagine no happiness, humor, joy, pleasure, fun, LOVE....FRIENDSHIP
Is there anything good in man??
Phil 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
One of the things we know about God is His desire to have Friendship with us.
What are some other words for friendship?
Companionship
Mutual sharing
Group of people with the same interests
Joint participation
A person who supports or champions an activity, institution, etc. A person whom one knows well, likes, and trusts. One who supports and adheres to another
God was there with his first people:
James 2:23 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.
Jesus Himself states plainly that friendship with God is our motivation for service:
John 15: 12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15. 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.
So, how far can this analogy between human friendships and our friendship with God be stretched?
It's NOT an analogy; the two are intimately intertwined.
The human is just a shadow or reflection of the Divine!
Human Friendship
What makes a friendship work?
Are most friendships the result of effort, or of chance?
John 15:16. 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.
We cannot be friends with just anyone:
Proverbs 22: 24. Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25. Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Proverbs 27: 5. Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 9. Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. 17. Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. 19. As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
What about Loyalty?
Proverbs 17:17. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 27:6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Christ is loyal:
II Timothy 4:17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Have you ever hurt, or been hurt by a friend?
Psalms 41:9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Have you ever cared about someone?
Friends with God
We know that our love for God is shown by our service to HIm.
John 15:13-15 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 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.
Genesis 18:17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
But think of all the things that were rolled up into true human friendship!
Is it possible to hurt God the way we sometimes hurt our friends?
Ephesians 4:30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Matthew 23:37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Is it possible to care about God the way we care about our friends? What does it mean to Love God?
Is it possible to be loyal to God?
I John 4: 18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19. We love him, because he first loved us.
Devotional for Men's Fellowship 11/22/05 Friendship with God
Original for SS 2/24/02
Introduction
James 2:23 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.
2 Chronicles 20:7 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?
Isaiah 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Exodus 33:11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Knowing God
Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
What kind of knowledge is God talking about here?
You can tell alot about a person by knowing what they do in their spare time, when nobody else is around. So what does God do when no one else is around??
Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Hundreds of millions, if not billions of life-forms on earth, not to mention the angels, cherubim and seraphim....
We sometimes take for granted the created world around us
Try to imagine not existing
What part of creation do you enjoy the most?
We sometimes take for granted the created world inside us
Try to imagine no happiness, humor, joy, pleasure, fun, LOVE....FRIENDSHIP
Is there anything good in man??
Phil 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
One of the things we know about God is His desire to have Friendship with us.
What are some other words for friendship?
Companionship
Mutual sharing
Group of people with the same interests
Joint participation
A person who supports or champions an activity, institution, etc. A person whom one knows well, likes, and trusts. One who supports and adheres to another
God was there with his first people:
James 2:23 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.
Jesus Himself states plainly that friendship with God is our motivation for service:
John 15: 12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15. 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.
So, how far can this analogy between human friendships and our friendship with God be stretched?
It's NOT an analogy; the two are intimately intertwined.
The human is just a shadow or reflection of the Divine!
Human Friendship
What makes a friendship work?
Are most friendships the result of effort, or of chance?
John 15:16. 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.
We cannot be friends with just anyone:
Proverbs 22: 24. Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25. Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Proverbs 27: 5. Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 9. Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. 17. Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. 19. As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
What about Loyalty?
Proverbs 17:17. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 27:6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Christ is loyal:
II Timothy 4:17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Have you ever hurt, or been hurt by a friend?
Psalms 41:9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Have you ever cared about someone?
Friends with God
We know that our love for God is shown by our service to HIm.
John 15:13-15 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 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.
Genesis 18:17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
But think of all the things that were rolled up into true human friendship!
Is it possible to hurt God the way we sometimes hurt our friends?
Ephesians 4:30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Matthew 23:37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Is it possible to care about God the way we care about our friends? What does it mean to Love God?
Is it possible to be loyal to God?
I John 4: 18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19. We love him, because he first loved us.