YOU THINK HAVING MANY FRIENDS IS HELPFUL?
● Proverbs 18:24 (NLT) There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
● Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
[24]One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
● Proverbs 18:24 (AMP)
[24]The man of many friends [a friend of all the world] will prove himself a bad friend, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
>> DO NOT PUT YOUR TRUST ON FRIENDS
>> DO NOT THINK YOUR SALVATION OR HELP WILL ALWAYS COME FROM FRIENDS
>> FRIENDS CAN NEVER BE YOUR RELIABLE SECURITY, YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED!!
The Bible says in the Scriptures above that;
1. It's not a big number of friends that you really need.
2. Because there are friends who may destroy you
3. There are also friends who may bring you to your ruin
4. There are unreliable friends
5. You should never try to be a friend of everyone!
>> Sinful human beings have been selfish since The Fall of Humans into sin!! Human selfishness makes it impossible for anyone to be totally and wholeheartedly committed to your well-being as the Bible says here;
● 1 Corinthians 10:24
[24]No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
● 1 Corinthians 10:24
[24]Let no one then seek his own good and advantage and profit, but [rather] each one of the other [let him seek the welfare of his neighbor].
● Romans 15:2
[2]Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually].
>> This is how Christ Jesus lived! And we ought to live and walk exactly like him if we are saved and have become citizens of heaven, our eternal home in the New Jerusalem!
● 1 John 2:6 (NLT) Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
So it's clear from the light we have thus far that without being truly born again, filled with the Holy Ghost, living and walking in the Spirit and power of the word of God, you can't be a doer of God’s will in his word! This selfless living is what God’s love is all about! There's no atom of selfishness in his love!! IT'S TOTAL SELFLESSNESS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!
BIBLICAL FRIENDSHIP IS COVENANTAL
When King Saul wanted to kill David whom he hated, Jonathan never let him do so and he therefore told David everything his father was planning against him so that he could escape and run away! In first Samuel it is written;
● 1 Samuel 18:1-4 (NLT) After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.
From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home.
And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.
Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.
● 1 Samuel 20:1-9, 16-23 (NLT) David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?”
“That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!”
Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, “Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, ‘I won’t tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the LORD and by your own soul!”
“Tell me what I can do to help you,” Jonathan exclaimed.
David replied, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. I’ve always eaten with the king on this occasion, but tomorrow I’ll hide in the field and stay there until the evening of the third day.
If your father asks where I am, tell him I asked permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice.
If he says, ‘Fine!’ you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill me.
Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the LORD —or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”
“Never!” Jonathan exclaimed. “You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once.”
So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, “May the LORD destroy all your enemies!”
And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.(love your neighbor as you love yourself)
Then Jonathan said, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. You will be missed when your place at the table is empty.
The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid before, and wait there by the stone pile.
I will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile as though I were shooting at a target.
Then I will send a boy to bring the arrows back. If you hear me tell him, ‘They’re on this side,’ then you will know, as surely as the LORD lives, that all is well, and there is no trouble.
But if I tell him, ‘Go farther—the arrows are still ahead of you,’ then it will mean that you must leave immediately, for the LORD is sending you away.
And may the LORD make us keep our promises to each other, for he has witnessed them.”
>> Go and read for yourself chapters 18 to 20 and you will see how David and Jonathan's friendship was cemented by oath and covenant! Jonathan was ready to die for David! It was more than a normal friendship!!
>> Later when God had judged Saul and he had died in battle together with Jonathan David, in verse 26 of his grieving song, wrote:
● 2 Samuel 1:26 (NLT) How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women!
>> Love that is deeper than the love of women is AGAPE LOVE!!! This is the love that Jesus revealed and that got us (believers) saved from sin, sickness, death, darkness and hell; it also gave us eternal life through Christ Jesus!
>> JONATHAN IS AN EXAMPLE OF A FRIEND WHO STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER AS WE READ IN PROV 18:24
>> IS YOUR LEVEL OF FRIENDSHIP THE SAME AS JONATHAN'S? IF NOT, THEN YOU'RE STILL NOT A REAL AND RELIABLE FRIEND IN BIBLICAL STANDARDS!! WHAT YOU NEED IS TO GO THROUGH THESE SCRIPTURES:
● Acts 2:37-38 (NLT) Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
>> AND THEN,
● Galatians 5:16, (NLT) So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
● 1 Peter 1:22
[22]Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
>> A LIFE OF SANCTIFICATION OR SELF-PURIFICATION AS YOU'RE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CHRIST JESUS WILL CAUSE YOU TO BE CONTINUALLY ABOUNDING IN GOD'S LOVE!!