been with me through good times and bad. They have laughed and cried with me, lifted
my spirits when I'm down, delighted in my successes and sympathized with my losses. I
have always known that I can count on their listening ears and comforting shoulders. If
you have such a person, or persons in your life, thank the Lord, for real friends are scarce.
James 2:23 "And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of
God."
The first thing that I would like to point out to you from this passage is that this was not
Abrahams take on his relationship with God, this was Gods assessment of His relationship
with Abraham. God called Abraham His friend. That is quite a statement! Did you know
that you can be a Christian but not be referred to as a friend of God? You can receive
the free gift of salvation, but if you leave the relationship there, make no commitment to
knowing Christ more intimately, a deeper bond will not develop between you and the Lord.
You will have a Savior, but not a Lord, a God, but not a friend.
We read in Amos 3:3, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" God will
not refer to you as His friend if you are constantly resisting His direction and constantly
questioning His working in your life. If you have a best friend, then you know that the
relationship will dissolve if there is no unity in the bond. Back in James 2:23, it states
that Abraham believed God. That means that regardless of whether or not Abraham
understood Gods direction, or could see the fulfillment of Gods promises to him, (some
took years to fruition) he believed. Do we have that kind of faith in God? We need to
agree in our hearts, with God, that He knows what's best for us, then live out that belief
with faith in our daily lives.
Secondly we cannot be a friend of God and a friend of the world at the same time. Satan
hates God, and he is wrecking havoc with the world right now. How can we be friends
with world, which hates God, and at the same time, be friends with God? It cannot be
done. Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the
one, and love the other: or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye
cannot serve God and mammon." Don't kid yourself, you cannot have divided loyalties,
God cannot and will not share the friendship He has with you with anyone else.
Abraham was not perfect. He was human, with human failures and a sinful nature just
as we are. Yet God called him His friend because Abraham believed what God said. When
he sinned, he repented and coveted that close relationship with God again. Their friendship
was tested many times, but each time, Abraham believed God...what a testimony!
How is your friendship with God today? Friendship goes both ways. Jesus died for us
while we were still His enemies! Romans 5:6, 8, 10 "For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth His love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. For if, when we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
What have you done for Him? Are you a fickle friend of God, who believes Him when the
going is good, but falls away in bewilderment and frustration when trials and tribulations
make an appearance in your life? Or can God truly call you His friend?
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