Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
(WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS)
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
IN THIS WORLD YOU CAN FIND ALL KINDS OF FRIENDSHIPS
THERE IS A FAKE FRIENDSHIP--
WHERE FOLKS WHO SAY THEY ARE YOUR FRIENDS WILL FAKE YOU OUT WHEN YOU NEED THEM THE MOST
THEN THEIRS A FAIR WEATHER FRIENDSHIP -
IT`S A FRIENDSHIP THAT LAST AS LONG AS THE SUN IS SHINING
AND THEN THERES A GET OVER AND UNDER FRIENDSHIP -
WHERE FOLKS WILL BE YOUR FRIEND AS LONG AS YOU ARE GIVING
AND ALL THE WHILE TRYING TO SWEEP YOUR FEETS RIGHT OUT FROM UNDER YOU
AND ALL OF THESE FRIENDSHIPS I JUST NAME ARE WORDLY FRIENDSHIPS
AND THE LIST COULD GO ON AND ON
BUT IN THE TEXT BEFORE US SOLOMON THE PREACHER TALKS ABOUT GUNUINE FRIENDSHIP
AND HE LOOKS AHEAD THROUGH THE WINDOW OF TIME --AND TELLS US ABOUT A FRIEND WHO WILL STICK CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
AND SOLOMON REVEALS TO US THAT
FRIENDSHIP IS A COVENTAL BINDING TOGETHER OF TWO PEOPLE
BECAUSE TRUE FRIENDSHIP IS 1 SOUL IN 2 BODIES AND IN ORDER TO HAVE A FRIEND WE MUST FRIST BE A FRIEND
IS IT ALRIGHT IF I BORROW A SKINNY MINUTE AND BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU
BECAUSE TRUE FRIENDSHIP IS ALWAYS PRECEDED BY SELFGIVING
YOU SEE THE FRIST FRIEND IN THE BIBLE WAS GOD HIMSELF
AND THE FRIST GIFT OF THE FRIST FRIEND WAS ANOTHER FRIEND
BECAUSE IN THE BOOK OF GENEIS 2ND CHAPTER -VERSE 18
TELL US THAT IT WAS GOD WHO DETERMINED FROM THE BEGINNING THAT IT WAS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE
AND GOD CREATED WOMAN OUT OF MAN--AND MADE HER A FRIEND OF MAN
THAT’S WHY TRUE FRIENDSHIP IS BASE ON AGAPE LOVE
BECAUSE IT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS SHED ABROAD IN ALL BELIEVERS HEART
THAT WHY A TRUE FRIEND IS A SOURCE OF SUNSHINE WHEN YOU ARE UNDER THE WEATHER
A TRUE FRIEND IS ONE THAT BELIEVES IN YOU WHEN YOU FAIL TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
TRUE FRIENDSHIP THRIVES OFF OF SACRIFICES
BECAUSE WE ALL CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVE---
BUT WE CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING
YOU SEE A TRUE FRIEND
REACHES FOR YOUR HAND BUT TOUCHES YOUR HEART
A TRUE FRIEND WILL CRY WITH YOU WHILE OTHERS ARE LAUGHING AT YOU
A TRUE FRIEND WILL SHAKE YOUR HAND IN SUCCESS AND WILL WASH YOUR FEET IN SORROW
EVEN HELLEN KELLER SAID
WALKING IN THE DARK WITH A TRUE FRIEND
IS BETTER THAN WALKING IN THE LIGHT ALONE
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BUT NOT ONLY DOES SOLOMON THE PREACHER TEACHES US ABOUT THE HIGHEST MEASURE OF HUMAN FRIENDSHIP
BUT HE ALSO TEACHES US ABOUT A FRIEND WHO WILL STICK CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
SOLOMON REVEALS TO US THAT FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS IS THE PATH TO REAL JOY
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
A FRIEND CAN CRY WITH YOU --BUT JESUS CAN WIPE ALL OF YOUR TEARS AWAY
A FRIEND CAN SHARE YOUR STORMS WITH YOU ----BUT JESUS CAN CALM YOUR STORMS
A FRIEND MAY BE THERE WITH YOU IN A TIME OF TROUBLE -----
BUT JESUS IS A PRESENT HELP IN A TIME OF TROUBLE
I`M REMINDED OF A BIBICAL ACCOUNT THAT IS FOUND IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN THE 11THCHAPTER
MARY AND MARTHA HAD A BROTHER WHO STOOD BY THEM
YOU SEE MARY WAS A WORSHIPER AND MARTHA WAS A SERVANT AND LAZARUS WAS THERE BROTHER WHOM JESUS LOVED
BUT ONE DAY SICKNESS AND DEATH INVADED THERE HOME AND SEVERED THERE RELATIONSHIP WITH THERE BROTHER
BUT THANK GOD THEY KNEW A FRIEND THAT STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
IT WAS JESUS A TRUE FRIEND THAT BROUGHT LAZARUS BACK TO LIFE
AN AS I GO TO ME SEAT I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE THESE WORDS WITH YOU
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS -
ALL OUR SINS AND GRIEF TO BEAR --
WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO CARRY
EVERYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER
I GOT A FRIEND WHO IS A BURDEN BEARER
A HEAVY LOAD CARRIER
A HEART FIXER
AND A MIND REGULATOR
HE SITS HIGH BUT LOOKS LOW
LOOKS BEYOND OUR FAULTS AND SUPPLY ALL OF OUR NEEDS
DO YOU KNOW ---HAVE YOU MET HIM ---HAVE YOU TRIED HIM
IN OTHER WORDS
DO YOU KNOW HIM AS AWAY OUT OF NO WAY
A LIGHT IN A DARK SITUATION
A BRIDGE THAT LEANS OVER TROUBLED WATER
A WHEEL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WHEEL
THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE
PLACE IN A BORROWED TOMB
BUT EARLY ----- EARLY----- OH I SAY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
HE GOT UP ----HE GOT -----AND IF YOU BELIEVE HE GOT UP YOU OUGHT TO STAND UP AND GIVE GOD SOME PRAISE
BECAUSE HE GOT UP WITH ALL POWER -----ALL POWER
