Friends Forever

FRIENDS FOREVER

(Proverbs 18:24) [A man that hath friends] [must shew himself friendly]: and [there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.] (KJV)

I. CHOOSING FRIENDS

[A man that hath friends]

A. WHAT KIND OF FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?

“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat

of my bread, hath lifted up [his] heel against me.” Psalm 41:9

1. Are they trustworthy?

2. Are they truthful?

B. WHAT KIND OF FRIENDSHIP DO YOU HAVE?

“A friend loveth at all times.” Pro. 17:17

1. Is it a loving friendship?

2. Is it a lasting friendship?

II. CULTIVATING THAT FRIENDSHIP

[Must shew himself friendly]

A. THE ACTION YOU MUST TAKE.

“Must shew himself”

B. THE ATTITUDE YOU MUST SHOW.

“Friendly”

1. We must not quarrel.

2. We must not quibble. (Petty criticism)

III. CHERISHING THAT FREINDSHIP

[There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.]

A. THIS FRIENDSHIP HAS BROUGHT YOU MUCH

PLEASURE.

Pr 27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.

1. There is much sweetness in conversing with a friend.

2. There is much sweetness in consulting with a friend.

B. THIS FRIENDSHIP AND BOND MUST BE

PROTECTED.

Pr 27:10 Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off.

1. Think of the hurt you would feel if you lost that friend.

2. Think of the happiness you would find if you guarded

that friendship.

Robert W. Travis

Mt. Olive Free Will Baptist Church

Plymouth, North Carolina 27962