Jesus calls us friends
I woke up today with this thought in my mind. JESUS CALLS US FRIENDS!
Wow, think of that, Jesus calls us friends. I want to be a good friend. Friends are treasures! They can bring all kinds of things in our lives.
Have you discovered that relationships can be tricky? Jesus modeled true friendship for us.
True friendship is a two way deal. It is a give and take situation. If there is an imbalance in our relationships and you are always giving or you are always taking, then it's probably time to have a healthy, peaceful conversation to bring understanding and healing. Or we may have to move on.
Friendships were intended to bring joy into our lives. Learning how to love others the way Jesus loves us is powerful stuff. But we must also have real expectations of that.
John 15:11-15 Message “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
John 15:11-15 The Passion Translation (TPT)
11 My purpose for telling you these things is so that the joy that I experience will fill your hearts with overflowing gladness!
12 “So this is my command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you.[a] 13 For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And this great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life[b] for his friends.
14 “You show that you are my intimate friends when you obey[c] all[d] that I command you. 15 I have never called you ‘servants,’[e] because a master doesn’t confide in his servants, and servants don’t always understand what the master is doing. But I call you my most intimate friends,[f] for I reveal to you everything that I’ve heard from my Father.
In verse twelve, Jesus says,”For the greatest love of all is love that sacrifices all. Now, Jesus gave his life for us, but also this sacrifice is referring to giving of what we presently have to give, our time, a listening ear, a card, phone call, our love, our money at times, It's showing up in people's lives, laughing with them when they laugh, grieving with them when they grieve. It’s whatever we presently have to give away.
In relationships we are never intended on being a doormat. Don't neglect your husband, wife, kids over your friends but balance that out. God is all about family.
But we do need to be there for friends (like my husband always says), when they are having good times, bad times, brilliant times and stupid times. Have you ever had a stupid time?
When we are family, and Family in the Body of Christ we were born to stand with each other in adversity or trouble. Let’s don’t disappear when there is trouble, you were born for it. Be a faithful friend. Be kind and show up in life for people. Let’s be a true friend.
Proverbs 17:17 The Passion Translation (TPT)
17 A dear friend will love you no matter what,
and a family sticks together through all kinds of trouble.
Proverbs 17:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
I want to be a good friend, and be a doer of the word and not a hearer only.
Hope you are encouraged.
God is so for you it is Ridiculous!!
Blessings, Sherri