Friendships That Last Forever

"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. You did not choose me, but I chose you...." (John 15: 14-16a).

Three friends die in a car accident and they go to an orientation in heaven. They are all asked, "When you are in your casket and friends and family are mourning you, what would you like to hear them say about you?" The first guy says, "I would like to hear them say that I was a great doctor of my time, and a great family man." The second guy says, " I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher who made a difference in our children of tomorrow." The last guy replies, " I would like to hear them say...'Look, he's moving!"

We all hope to have friends like the last guy had, good friends will notice the movement. False friends, jealous friends, would probably shut the lid, even if they noticed at all. Joseph while in prison thought he had made friends with the baker and cupbearer who were imprisoned with him and released ahead of him. He asked them to remember him to the Pharaoh. Some friends, all they could think about was there own skin and release and forgot Joseph. It was two years later that Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret, then, after all the magicians couldn't interpret Pharaoh's dream the cupbearer remember Joseph. Some friend! things didn't turn out to well for the baker, he was hanged (Genesis 40:21). So we will give him a break, it is hard to speak when your neck is in a noose. I love to read the Bible it is so real, even mundane everyday things are mentioned, this one I do get a laugh when I read it, "So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh" Genesis 41:14). Why God had that put in the Bible, shaved? Put on a change of clothes? But that is our God given Book, it is real, no other literature matches the Bible.

Good friends are invaluable, cultivate friendships, be ready to assist them when necessary, spend time with them. King David had Jonathan, and even after Jonathan's death, King David brought Jonathan's son who was lame to live the rest of his life in the palace of the king. Jesus said that we would be his friends. There was a condition on his friendship towards us, we must keep his commandments. We need to be cautious who we choose as friends: "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God" (James 4:4).  Jesus chose us for He knows our hearts, we choose our friends after we know who they are: friendships come in three types: (1) acquaintances; (2) friends; (3) intimate friends (those we could tell anything to, who will always be there when we need them; there may only be a couple intimate friends in our lives). The word Jesus used in the above verse is philos in the Greek, meaning "loved", "dear", or "friendly."
We are loved as friends of Jesus. This message is the message we take to our friends and family. God Loves Us!

Daily Prayer:

Thank you Father for your great love towards me. Thank you that you sent your Son Jesus to die for me and for the world. Use me to take this message of love and salvation to those I call friends, and to any acquaintance you bring into my path. I live for you!                                             Amen