All Christians are children of God but not all are friends of God, although God would love that we all were. This message unpacks this theme and encourages everyone to be a friend of God, describes how to be a friend to anyone, how to show love to another and how the members of our fellowship can build better friendships so we can be ready for the harvest of souls God is going to send us. Time to strengthen relationships so we can bear the weight of the additional ministries God is giving us.
Here is a short set of slides showing a team of Americans bringing free medical care to poor Nepalese people of all religions, including lepers. Many of them began to meet Jesus and have their souls healed as well as their bodies. May God bless Nepal, its people, government and economy. May God use the followers of Jesus there to release much joy, peace and love to all they meet. May God visit Nepal to show them how much He loves them!
God chose us to be His children and is preparing us to rule with Jesus eternally. God knows every detail of our lives and loves us completely as unique individuals. In contrast, idols of dead gods cannot see, hear or help their worshippers. True life comes from knowing the true God intimately through prayer, listening to Him, and asking questions to develop a close relationship.
This is a short but powerful set of biblical proofs that Jesus is fully God. This can be downloaded in to two formats, A4 or as a booklet that is already formatted for stapling together. The booklet format is also on this site.
The quickest way into God's Presence, the surest way to access His power and the most dependable way to be safe in the arms of the Lord. God delights to inhabit our praises and when he inhabits us all of heaven's blessings are more readily accessible and readily seen. As we draw near to Him in thanksgiving and praise, God draws near to us.
Some mothers in the Bible can teach us a lot about how to respond to great challenges.
Men and women can benefit from how these women responded to things that would have crushed many people in similar situations.
Adultery in the heart is a serious problem addressed by Jesus. It begins with lustful thoughts that can lead to further sin if not addressed. Three decisions are important: avoiding lust-producing situations, not provoking lust in others, and choosing purity of thought and action in advance through diligently guarding one's heart.
The document is a sermon about adultery that makes several key points:
1) Adultery rates are increasing due to factors like the internet and modern society, and adultery destroys marriages and families.
2) Both the Bible and historical examples like King David and the woman caught in adultery show that God hates the sin of adultery but loves adulterers.
3) The sermon offers ways for the church to restore adulterers by forgiving them, calling them to repentance, and helping them find truth and fall in love with God.
Here is a short set of slides showing a team of Americans bringing free medical care to poor Nepalese people of all religions, including lepers. Many of them began to meet Jesus and have their souls healed as well as their bodies. May God bless Nepal, its people, government and economy. May God use the followers of Jesus there to release much joy, peace and love to all they meet. May God visit Nepal to show them how much He loves them!
God chose us to be His children and is preparing us to rule with Jesus eternally. God knows every detail of our lives and loves us completely as unique individuals. In contrast, idols of dead gods cannot see, hear or help their worshippers. True life comes from knowing the true God intimately through prayer, listening to Him, and asking questions to develop a close relationship.
This is a short but powerful set of biblical proofs that Jesus is fully God. This can be downloaded in to two formats, A4 or as a booklet that is already formatted for stapling together. The booklet format is also on this site.
The quickest way into God's Presence, the surest way to access His power and the most dependable way to be safe in the arms of the Lord. God delights to inhabit our praises and when he inhabits us all of heaven's blessings are more readily accessible and readily seen. As we draw near to Him in thanksgiving and praise, God draws near to us.
Some mothers in the Bible can teach us a lot about how to respond to great challenges.
Men and women can benefit from how these women responded to things that would have crushed many people in similar situations.
Adultery in the heart is a serious problem addressed by Jesus. It begins with lustful thoughts that can lead to further sin if not addressed. Three decisions are important: avoiding lust-producing situations, not provoking lust in others, and choosing purity of thought and action in advance through diligently guarding one's heart.
The document is a sermon about adultery that makes several key points:
1) Adultery rates are increasing due to factors like the internet and modern society, and adultery destroys marriages and families.
2) Both the Bible and historical examples like King David and the woman caught in adultery show that God hates the sin of adultery but loves adulterers.
3) The sermon offers ways for the church to restore adulterers by forgiving them, calling them to repentance, and helping them find truth and fall in love with God.
Darwin said, "If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.”
Darwin, C. (1872) Origin of Species, 6th ed. (1988), New York University Press, New York, p. 154.
180 years later, his theory has broken down according to his own criteria! There is ABSOLUTELY NOT ONE TRANSITIONAL FOSSIL BETWEEN KINDS OF ANIMALS. DARWIN'S THEORY IS WRONG!
And his ideas have promoted racism and white supremacy more than any other single person worldwide for the past 150 years! Darwin needs to be Dethroned in our scientific and educational systems.
No one has influenced the entire world with "scientific" support for atheism, eugenics, racism and white supremacy more than Charles Darwin! It's time to dethrone him in science and in education.
Besides, his main ideas on evolution have been proven false: Absolutely no fossils to support gradual evolution between kinds of animals and molecular biology and DNA code science conclusively prove that random chance mutations could never have produced the massive complexity of life we now know exists even in one cell. Please challenge his ideas in your scientific and educational commmuities.
Here is a talk I gave on this recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QRM7mxCVFI&t=706s
I can send you the original as a Powerpoint or Keynote if you ask in the comments.
In fact, it seems like a contradiction, doesn’t it? An oxymoron: Our loving God sees the death of His beloved children as a blessing. I hope I can explain this scriptural truth well enough to convince you that God has good reasons to see our deaths as a good and precious thing.
I can tell you from personal experience and from the Bible that God is the most wonderful, tender-hearted, and kind Father anyone could imagine.
Experiencing the love of God as your Father is the birthright of every born-again Christian!
It will change your life as it has changed mine!
“They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.” Neh. 9:2
Why: The Mosaic Covenant!
“But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—… I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.” Leviticus 26: 40-42
This message is a prophetic word the Lord has given me. Test it.
Jerusalem represents the American Church— all the followers of Jesus
The broken walls of Jerusalem represent the broken moral and spiritual foundations of the Church— broken by many sins in the Church
Through those broken walls, forces of darkness have infiltrated and corrupted the people of God
The book of Nehemiah is a metaphor for how God is rebuilding our spiritual walls and cleansing God’s people in America
God restored Jerusalem in preparation for the coming of Jesus about 450 years later
God is restoring us now in preparation for a huge national and international revival
Video of this message starts at 52:43 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEWhJFNP54
More info on Freemasonry at http://www.dear-mr-mason.com/Main.html
3:32 / 13:36 Unforgiveness: One of the most Dangerous Sins a Christiain Can ...Abundant Life Fellowship
The sternest, most dramatic warnings against sin by Jesus are in Matthew 6 & 18. It is the sins of unforgiveness!
Protect yourself and your loved ones from this toxic sin!
Learn about the dangers of unforgiveness now. The world is turning against Christians more and more. Be prepared to be offended. Be ready to forgive and to return good for evil. We must! Jesus demands it. It's for our protection. Unforgiveness is a great danger.
Here's why followers of Jesus can have a confidence that is strong, consistent and holy no matter what happens to them in this life.
Video of the slides and a short video illustration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoxEVilDXfU
A message most Christians will not hear often. Some will never hear this in a church today. But persecution is coming to America—ready or not! Jesus promises us persecution. the Bible is full of examples and teaching on our call to suffer as followers of God.
The document discusses beliefs about heaven, describing it as the final home for Christians. It provides details about heaven from various biblical passages, portraying it as a place of glory, beauty, and joy where believers will be with God and see his face. The document emphasizes that through faith in Jesus, believers have assurance of their heavenly citizenship and will be spared from death through resurrection to eternal life in heaven.
The word "God" is used about 4500 times in the Bible. In 99.9% of the time, God refers to the Father. Read these scriptures where the word 'Father' is substituted for 'God' and get a better appreciation for the loving, gentle, Father Every Christian has through faith in Jesus.
Jesus was sent by the Father to bring us back to Him. God wants a close, "Abba" daddy relationship with us like He had with Adam and Eve in the garden. They walked together int he cool of the day—as a close family of a Father and His children.
God wants all of His children to have that kind of relationship with Him. That's why He sent Jesus!
God communicates to the author about mothers and their importance. God expresses having both a father's and mother's love for humanity. Mothers reflect God's character through their ability to love sacrificially, suffer for their children, and deeply identify with their children. Honoring one's mother honors God, as mothers were assigned by God. Failing to honor one's mother risks losing blessings. Practical ways to honor mothers include communicating often with expressions of gratitude and anticipating their needs.
We were created to become children of God, joint-heirs of Jesus who will rule and reign with Him in heaven. Salvation through Jesus is all of that! Get to know Jesus! Glory God no with your lives and prepare yourselves to rule with Jesus forever in heaven!! Don't waste your life just living for earthly things. Prepare for eternity by loving, enjoying and obeying Jesus NOW!
Video of this message slides here: https://youtu.be/UBfoya4FR44
This is a message of comfort. God has BIG plans for all Christians when they get to heaven. He will glorify us in ways we cannot imagine. Look at the biblical proof that God has always planned to do this for all His adopted children who come to Him through faith in Jesus!
Go here to see my comments about how this teaching differs from Mormon false teachings about God and heaven. https://www.alf.church/called-to-be-glorified/
So why do I feel that this message about being adopted by God is so foundational to the normal Christian life?
Because Jesus came to bring us back to the Father. Jesus came to show us the Father. If you’re a Christian and you don’t know the Father, you’re missing one of the main reasons that Jesus came to earth. His death on the cross was just the means to enable us to know the Father and be the adopted as his children.
Video of this message at https://tinyurl.com/yar3t5j4
The Bible and experience confirms that our personalities, values, identity and conscience are largely formed by the family that raised us. We get "spiritual DNA" from our parents and ancestors that can be good and bad. Sin patterns, dysfunctional relationship patterns and coping mechanisms run in families. This is an intro to a huge and important topic that probably should be a series. This is a topic that can open up thinking and family discussions that could help heal and protect your family. This is not a topic most churches talk about but one they need to address due to the increases of sin and dysfunction in American families today.
This is just a short message on the necessity of hearing God's voice for every Christian. God speaks to His children for the same reasons we parents speak to our children: to know who we are, Whose we are and how to live well.
A Free eBook ~ Valuable LIFE Lessons to Learn ( 5 Sets of Presentations)...OH TEIK BIN
A free eBook comprising 5 sets of PowerPoint presentations of meaningful stories /Inspirational pieces that teach important Dhamma/Life lessons. For reflection and practice to develop the mind to grow in love, compassion and wisdom. The texts are in English and Chinese.
My other free eBooks can be obtained from the following Links:
https://www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/presentations
https://www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/documents
Darwin said, "If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.”
Darwin, C. (1872) Origin of Species, 6th ed. (1988), New York University Press, New York, p. 154.
180 years later, his theory has broken down according to his own criteria! There is ABSOLUTELY NOT ONE TRANSITIONAL FOSSIL BETWEEN KINDS OF ANIMALS. DARWIN'S THEORY IS WRONG!
And his ideas have promoted racism and white supremacy more than any other single person worldwide for the past 150 years! Darwin needs to be Dethroned in our scientific and educational systems.
No one has influenced the entire world with "scientific" support for atheism, eugenics, racism and white supremacy more than Charles Darwin! It's time to dethrone him in science and in education.
Besides, his main ideas on evolution have been proven false: Absolutely no fossils to support gradual evolution between kinds of animals and molecular biology and DNA code science conclusively prove that random chance mutations could never have produced the massive complexity of life we now know exists even in one cell. Please challenge his ideas in your scientific and educational commmuities.
Here is a talk I gave on this recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QRM7mxCVFI&t=706s
I can send you the original as a Powerpoint or Keynote if you ask in the comments.
In fact, it seems like a contradiction, doesn’t it? An oxymoron: Our loving God sees the death of His beloved children as a blessing. I hope I can explain this scriptural truth well enough to convince you that God has good reasons to see our deaths as a good and precious thing.
I can tell you from personal experience and from the Bible that God is the most wonderful, tender-hearted, and kind Father anyone could imagine.
Experiencing the love of God as your Father is the birthright of every born-again Christian!
It will change your life as it has changed mine!
“They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.” Neh. 9:2
Why: The Mosaic Covenant!
“But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—… I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.” Leviticus 26: 40-42
This message is a prophetic word the Lord has given me. Test it.
Jerusalem represents the American Church— all the followers of Jesus
The broken walls of Jerusalem represent the broken moral and spiritual foundations of the Church— broken by many sins in the Church
Through those broken walls, forces of darkness have infiltrated and corrupted the people of God
The book of Nehemiah is a metaphor for how God is rebuilding our spiritual walls and cleansing God’s people in America
God restored Jerusalem in preparation for the coming of Jesus about 450 years later
God is restoring us now in preparation for a huge national and international revival
Video of this message starts at 52:43 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEWhJFNP54
More info on Freemasonry at http://www.dear-mr-mason.com/Main.html
3:32 / 13:36 Unforgiveness: One of the most Dangerous Sins a Christiain Can ...Abundant Life Fellowship
The sternest, most dramatic warnings against sin by Jesus are in Matthew 6 & 18. It is the sins of unforgiveness!
Protect yourself and your loved ones from this toxic sin!
Learn about the dangers of unforgiveness now. The world is turning against Christians more and more. Be prepared to be offended. Be ready to forgive and to return good for evil. We must! Jesus demands it. It's for our protection. Unforgiveness is a great danger.
Here's why followers of Jesus can have a confidence that is strong, consistent and holy no matter what happens to them in this life.
Video of the slides and a short video illustration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoxEVilDXfU
A message most Christians will not hear often. Some will never hear this in a church today. But persecution is coming to America—ready or not! Jesus promises us persecution. the Bible is full of examples and teaching on our call to suffer as followers of God.
The document discusses beliefs about heaven, describing it as the final home for Christians. It provides details about heaven from various biblical passages, portraying it as a place of glory, beauty, and joy where believers will be with God and see his face. The document emphasizes that through faith in Jesus, believers have assurance of their heavenly citizenship and will be spared from death through resurrection to eternal life in heaven.
The word "God" is used about 4500 times in the Bible. In 99.9% of the time, God refers to the Father. Read these scriptures where the word 'Father' is substituted for 'God' and get a better appreciation for the loving, gentle, Father Every Christian has through faith in Jesus.
Jesus was sent by the Father to bring us back to Him. God wants a close, "Abba" daddy relationship with us like He had with Adam and Eve in the garden. They walked together int he cool of the day—as a close family of a Father and His children.
God wants all of His children to have that kind of relationship with Him. That's why He sent Jesus!
God communicates to the author about mothers and their importance. God expresses having both a father's and mother's love for humanity. Mothers reflect God's character through their ability to love sacrificially, suffer for their children, and deeply identify with their children. Honoring one's mother honors God, as mothers were assigned by God. Failing to honor one's mother risks losing blessings. Practical ways to honor mothers include communicating often with expressions of gratitude and anticipating their needs.
We were created to become children of God, joint-heirs of Jesus who will rule and reign with Him in heaven. Salvation through Jesus is all of that! Get to know Jesus! Glory God no with your lives and prepare yourselves to rule with Jesus forever in heaven!! Don't waste your life just living for earthly things. Prepare for eternity by loving, enjoying and obeying Jesus NOW!
Video of this message slides here: https://youtu.be/UBfoya4FR44
This is a message of comfort. God has BIG plans for all Christians when they get to heaven. He will glorify us in ways we cannot imagine. Look at the biblical proof that God has always planned to do this for all His adopted children who come to Him through faith in Jesus!
Go here to see my comments about how this teaching differs from Mormon false teachings about God and heaven. https://www.alf.church/called-to-be-glorified/
So why do I feel that this message about being adopted by God is so foundational to the normal Christian life?
Because Jesus came to bring us back to the Father. Jesus came to show us the Father. If you’re a Christian and you don’t know the Father, you’re missing one of the main reasons that Jesus came to earth. His death on the cross was just the means to enable us to know the Father and be the adopted as his children.
Video of this message at https://tinyurl.com/yar3t5j4
The Bible and experience confirms that our personalities, values, identity and conscience are largely formed by the family that raised us. We get "spiritual DNA" from our parents and ancestors that can be good and bad. Sin patterns, dysfunctional relationship patterns and coping mechanisms run in families. This is an intro to a huge and important topic that probably should be a series. This is a topic that can open up thinking and family discussions that could help heal and protect your family. This is not a topic most churches talk about but one they need to address due to the increases of sin and dysfunction in American families today.
This is just a short message on the necessity of hearing God's voice for every Christian. God speaks to His children for the same reasons we parents speak to our children: to know who we are, Whose we are and how to live well.
A Free eBook ~ Valuable LIFE Lessons to Learn ( 5 Sets of Presentations)...OH TEIK BIN
A free eBook comprising 5 sets of PowerPoint presentations of meaningful stories /Inspirational pieces that teach important Dhamma/Life lessons. For reflection and practice to develop the mind to grow in love, compassion and wisdom. The texts are in English and Chinese.
My other free eBooks can be obtained from the following Links:
https://www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/presentations
https://www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/documents
The Book of Samuel is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books in the Old Testament. The book is part of the Deuteronomistic history, a series of books that constitute a theological history of the Israelites and that aim to explain God's law for Israel under the guidance of the prophets.
The Hope of Salvation - Jude 1:24-25 - MessageCole Hartman
Jude gives us hope at the end of a dark letter. In a dark world like today, we need the light of Christ to shine brighter and brighter. Jude shows us where to fix our focus so we can be filled with God's goodness and glory. Join us to explore this incredible passage.
The Enchantment and Shadows_ Unveiling the Mysteries of Magic and Black Magic...Phoenix O
This manual will guide you through basic skills and tasks to help you get started with various aspects of Magic. Each section is designed to be easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions.
Heartfulness Magazine - June 2024 (Volume 9, Issue 6)heartfulness
Dear readers,
This month we continue with more inspiring talks from the Global Spirituality Mahotsav that was held from March 14 to 17, 2024, at Kanha Shanti Vanam.
We hear from Daaji on lifestyle and yoga in honor of International Day of Yoga, June 21, 2024. We also hear from Professor Bhavani Rao, Dean at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, on spirituality in action, the Venerable BhikkuSanghasena on how to be an ambassador for compassion, Dr. Tony Nader on the Maharishi Effect, Swami Mukundananda on the crossroads of modernization, Tejinder Kaur Basra on the purpose of work, the Venerable GesheDorjiDamdul on the psychology of peace, the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, KC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on how we are all related, and world-renowned violinist KumareshRajagopalan on the uplifting mysteries of music.
Dr. Prasad Veluthanar shares an Ayurvedic perspective on treating autism, Dr. IchakAdizes helps us navigate disagreements at work, Sravan Banda celebrates World Environment Day by sharing some tips on land restoration, and Sara Bubber tells our children another inspiring story and challenges them with some fun facts and riddles.
Happy reading,
The editors
Trusting God's Providence | Verse: Romans 8: 28-31JL de Belen
Trusting God's Providence.
Providence - God’s active preservation and care over His creation. God is both the Creator and the Sustainer of all things Heb. 1:2-3; Col. 1:17
-God keep His promises.
-God’s general providence is toward all creation
- All things were made through Him
God’s special providence is toward His children.
We may suffer now, but joy can and will come
God can see what we cannot see
A375 Example Taste the taste of the Lord, the taste of the Lord The taste of...franktsao4
It seems that current missionary work requires spending a lot of money, preparing a lot of materials, and traveling to far away places, so that it feels like missionary work. But what was the result they brought back? It's just a lot of photos of activities, fun eating, drinking and some playing games. And then we have to do the same thing next year, never ending. The church once mentioned that a certain missionary would go to the field where she used to work before the end of his life. It seemed that if she had not gone, no one would be willing to go. The reason why these missionary work is so difficult is that no one obeys God’s words, and the Bible is not the main content during missionary work, because in the eyes of those who do not obey God’s words, the Bible is just words and cannot be connected with life, so Reading out God's words is boring because it doesn't have any life experience, so it cannot be connected with human life. I will give a few examples in the hope that this situation can be changed. A375
The Vulnerabilities of Individuals Born Under Swati Nakshatra.pdfAstroAnuradha
Individuals born under Swati Nakshatra often exhibit a strong sense of independence and adaptability, yet they may also face vulnerabilities such as indecisiveness and a tendency to be easily swayed by external influences. Their quest for balance and harmony can sometimes lead to inner conflict and a lack of assertiveness. To know more visit: astroanuradha.com
Protector & Destroyer: Agni Dev (The Hindu God of Fire)Exotic India
So let us turn the pages of ancient Indian literature and get to know more about Agni, the mighty purifier of all things, worshipped in Indian culture as a God since the Vedic time.
2nd issue of Volume 15. A magazine in urdu language mainly based on spiritual treatment and learning. Many topics on ISLAM, SUFISM, SOCIAL PROBLEMS, SELF HELP, PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH, SPIRITUAL TREATMENT, Ruqya etc.A very useful magazine for everyone.
Sanatan Vastu | Experience Great Living | Vastu ExpertSanatan Vastu
Santan Vastu Provides Vedic astrology courses & Vastu remedies, If you are searching Vastu for home, Vastu for kitchen, Vastu for house, Vastu for Office & Factory. Best Vastu in Bahadurgarh. Best Vastu in Delhi NCR
Chandra Dev: Unveiling the Mystery of the Moon GodExotic India
Shining brightly in the sky, some days more than others, the Moon in popular culture is a symbol of love, romance, and beauty. The ancient Hindu texts, however, mention the Moon as an intriguing and powerful being, worshiped by sages as Chandra.
1. God Loves Friendship
What is the most important question in the universe?
Who?
Who is the most relational Being in the universe?
God
What is God’s most intense attribute?
Love
What are the three main commandments of God?
Love God, love your neighbor, love one another.
How important to God is loving God?
A 10
How important to God is loving people?
A 10
1 John 4:20 NIV: If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a
liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot
love God, whom he has not seen.
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your
neighbor as yourself." ( Gal 5:14)
What is life on earth and in heaven all about:
Loving relationships
( God, saints, angels, 24 Elders)
What is one major way God has designed us to show fervent love to others
outside of our families?
As Friends
2. He loves to see people love one another as friends. The scriptures
shout this theme over and over. Friend or friends used over 100x in
Bible. It is a relationship that has deep meaning and value for God.
Proverbs 18:24: There is a friend who sticks closer than a
brother.
Proverbs 27:5-6: Wounds from a friend can be trusted
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their
work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man
who falls and has no one to help him up!
Proverbs 17:17: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born
for adversity.
Acts 27:3: “The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness
to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for
his needs.
Matt. 11:19 “The Son of Man came...a friend of tax
collectors and sinners.’
GOD ALWAYS HAD CLOSE FRIENDS
James 2:23: “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND
ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend [philos] of God.”
EX. 33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one
speaks to a friend.”
Doesn’t God love everyone? Yes--but he allows some to get closer
to Him than others. God has friends who are part of His inner
circle of confidants.
3. How so you become a friend of God’s?
Ps. 25:14: “Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear
him.”
Acts 13:22: “God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David
son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do
everything I want him to do
Jesus
had
many
disciples
who
followed
him,
but
Jesus
also
had
friends:
The
12-‐-‐even
Judas
until
Judas
betrayed
Him.
John 15:12-15 : “My command is this: Love each other as I
have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay
down one’s life for one’s 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.”
Jesus had three close friends in His inner circle: Peter,
James & John.
•These three did things with Jesus the other 9 did not:
Raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead,
•Were with Jesus on mountain when Jesus disclosed His
heavenly glory & talked to Elijah and Moses
•Jesus asked just those three to be close to Him as He
suffered in the Garden before His death.
Jesus had a BFF--Best Friend Forever!
4. John refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" five times in the
book of John. John is the only disciple not to die a martyr’s death. Jesus
seems to have spared him that as a reward for his close friendship.
Benefits of Being God’s Friend
God reveals things to them and not to others ( john 15).
Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets, Peter, James and
John.
Friends became a synonym for Christian brethren: 3 John 1:
“Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by
name.”
God
Wants
Friendship
From
His
Children
Every Christian can be a friend of God, but it is not
automatic.
Sonship is automatic at conversion: John 1: 12: “ Yet to all
who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God.”
Every Christian is a child of God. But every Christian is not a
friend of God. Friendship comes from deliberately drawing close to
God consistently--like any human friendship. It takes lots of time,
energy and lots of love. Like Jesus said to His own 12: “You are my
friends if you do what I command.” Apathetic, self-
centered or rebellious believers cannot be friends of God
even though they are children of God.
Like every parent, God loves all His children immensely, but
He is closer to some more than to others because that child
makes a greater effort to love and enjoy God.
5. I cannot prove this conclusively because the Bible does not state this
principle definitively but there are clues that this is so.
How to be Friends
1. Be a friend of God. God’s friendship with you will enable you to be
a better friend to others. He will love them through you.
2. Ask God to guide you as you make friends. He will prepare
some people for that. Not everyone is ready to be your friend at the
same time.
3. Pray for your friends. Bless them daily in prayer. Ask God to speak
to you about your friends so you can have His heart for them.
4. Honor & serve your friends whenever you can. Look for
opportunities to brag on them to others. Always try to honor them
more than you honor yourself. Look for ways to give to them.
5. Listen well.
6. Keep your promises. Be dependable
7. Apologize when you have made a mistake
8. Be honest
9. Don’t use people
10.Keep confidences
11.Allow them to be different from you. Respect their differences.
12.Forgive quickly. Return good for evil always. Blessings for pain.
How to Really Show Love to Someone--including God)
I. Eye contact: Look them in the eyes and tell them: (Intimate love
language )
A. you love them
B. You admire them
C. They have a great future
D. You are proud to be their friend
II. Touch: Touch them with appropriate affection (worship)
III. Quality time: Focused attention. Do things that please them, things
they asked you to do. (obedience)
6. How To Grow Friends in ALF
1. Hospitality
2. Small groups: bi-weekly ( Thompson’s, need more)
3. Prayer together as spouses, friends: in person, on phone, Skype,
Google chat, Thursday Prayer
4. Be a friend to have friends. you take the initiative!
God Wants Us to Be Friends with One Another
Every other Christian in the world is our brother and sister but we in
this fellowship are called to be friends--to share a deeper, closer,
more committed relationship. That’s what God told me to tell you
today.
God has given us a high calling to be a people who help bring
abundant life to others by preaching the Good News to them, healing
the sick of body, soul and spirit and by delivering others from demonic
forces of evil. This is what Jesus did. This is our calling, as Is. 61:1-3
describes.
God has friends. Jesus has friends. He is calling us to be friends.
Let’s pray: Help Lord.
• Thank you for the friends we have and have had.
• Free us from fears of having friends.
• Heals us from hurts from former friends.
• Guide us to new friends.
• Set us free from things that hurt our friendships.
• We forgive former friends now.
• Help us to be a good friend to others
• Most importantly, help us to be Your good friend.
Tell me if you want to be in a small group, host or lead a small group.
We can help you start one, get trained to lead one or host one.
Pray for Youth Group soon.