THE LOYAL FRIEND
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverb18:24
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel. Proverb26:9
Introduction
It’s an amazing feeling when we have faith in a true friend. For most people it’s an everyday occurrence thankfully. Yet when we really get stuck a friend holds out for us, fills the gap and offers advice that sometimes we need to hear even though we don’t want too. Life isn’t all roses for most of us and there are times when we slip and fall by the way side and are blinded by the events. Friends are a marvellous invention of God and for most people they are likely to be a partner or close friend, others of us seem to have those that flit in and out at the right time in life. Whatever the reason they become the corner stone for our “moment” in life. During those long dark days they stand by you, hold your hand and most importantly they become intercessor for you. They carry the load when you are unable too. Once again God has made provision for us in a physical sense.
John 15 :9-17
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command love each other.
Love the Greatest Gift.
It’s a wonderful feeling being totally absurd by someone to love or indeed to be loved, in the physical sense but we know that we have many forms of it. Too love a partner or a child should not be confused with the love of certain things like Chocolate or cars.
The love of a friend to could be totally different from the above.
Yes I acknowledge that love and friendship go hand in hand and if you are fortunate to have such a relationship then cherish it and handle it with care and respect.
We must understand that God places us in relationships in the main. (I accept that this might not be the case for everyone.) We are not meant to be on our own though and don’t function at our best without the support of someone to share all our thoughts and cares with. In most cases this is the norm and works. It’s not much fun being on your own. Love is a wonderful gift and should be as it is meant to be. Not to be taken for granted, not to misuse or hurt however we do fall down and as the saying goes; hurt the ones we love. Human nature often is portrayed rather than God’s nature. It’s the latter we need to bring more into relationship.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord
Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh with them
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord
Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged Colossians 3:18-21
The Importance of a Friend
Not everyone though is in families, or indeed can have children due to medical reasons but for all those people, God still makes provision to have some kind of fellowship. Friends are there to carry us through those dark and dismal days. They constantly lift us before the Lord in faithful prayer, watching out for us because when you are a lost soul you tend to wander off that narrow path way to glory. They keep you in the loop whilst you like stray sheep are caught up in the brambles of the world. One such friend has been my lamp helping me on the way again. Its friends like these that the writer in proverbs says; “but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverb18:24.”
The verse suggested that these friends are rated on a higher plain than families in such cases. May my ray of light, continue to Glow for me too.
Jesus says that he is our friend and the bible tells us that he forever sits on the right hand of God interceding for us to. It is such a comforting fact to know that whilst I had gone wild the Lord remained faithful in his promise to me.
Faith commands us to remember those less fortunate than ourselves, the lonely and the lost. Often this seems to be a group forgotten in our communities, such as the widows and loners. Yet God wants us to take care of them to. We have to be constantly on the watch for these people offering help were we can and interceding always.
One danger Proverb 16:28 explains it well
A perverse man stirs up dissension and a gossip separates close friends.
What could be wrong with just talking, as long as you don’t lie? Proverbs sees plenty of danger. Words are dynamite; they can destroy people. They should be carefully weighed before they are spoken.(Quote Living bible)
You are privy to the information to know what to pray before the Lord.
Keep it for the closet prayer and leave it at the Lords feet.
Drop thy still dews of quietness
Till all our striving cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.
Passing on the Truth.
Jesus tells in our passage of scripture that he has not kept anything from us and indeed passes on everything that his Father as told him to us. We are called to be like him in his actions so we must pass on the truth and not keep it to ourselves. After all the knowledge we hold could be the differences in life and death. Yes that serious.
If you were a soldier you would not hold on to vital information that could win the battle.
If you are a Doctor you would not with hold vital treatment to prevent cure.
So why as a Christian would you not pass on the good news of Jesus and his saving grace to the needy?
It’s because of our friend Jesus, that we now have hope in a dying world. He has been faithful even to death so that we might live and live we should. Sharing and caring as we go on our journey. The Lord asks us to listen to what he says and be obedient to his commands. Every day we must take up our cross and go forth, take that step of faith which allows us to seek out a rock in a mist and knowing it’s there waiting to steady our foot fall.
Go tell it to the Mountains. Jesus is the Lord and no-one can come to the Father unless through the Son. It’s a narrow way.
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for him. Hebrews 7:25
The Loyal Friend
The Loyal Friend I have has been a source of life to me and for that I thank the Lord to have had such a person in my life. The importance of that one act of provision could of been life saving. Those troubled days, now since gone, needed the intercession of those people faithful in pray. Life seems a whole lot better having lightened the load a little, knowing that it would be nailed to the cross of Christ.
Today I am able to pray, read and praise once again. So I thank my Saviour for my daily friend but most of all I thank him for knowing me and putting into place a safety net. I look forward to my walk with him and a good talk with him too.
Life has many twists and turns but one thing is for sure. I have a lamp to show me the way; Jesus, my friend in Heaven, guiding me and leading me onwards and upwards.
Then I have my Friend on earth, to gently nudge me, prod me, reminding me that together we can indeed make it. All I have to do is to keep my eyes up and not around me. Focusing On him at all times.
Grant O Lord that none may love thee less this day because of me, that never word or act of mine may one soul from thee, and daring, yet one other grace would I implore, that many souls this day, because of me, may love thee more.
