Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

June 18
Wednesday


AN INVITATION
TO FRIENDSHIP

READ:
JOHN 15:9-17
_____________________________________

No longer do I call you
servants, for a servant
does not know what his
master is doing; but I
have called you friends.
__John 15:15
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I grew up in a home with lots of wall plaques. One had a quotation by poet Claude Mermet that stands out in my mind: "Friends are like melons; let me tell you why: To find a good one, you must one hundred try!"

Most of us can identify with that. It's hard to find good friends.

I wonder if God ever feels that way about us? Out of all the people in the Old Testament, only one was ever called His friend. In Isaiah 41:8, God says that He chose Jacob, who was an offspring of "Abraham My friend." Pretty exclusive club! So you can imagine how shocking it was for the disciples to hear Jesus say, "No longer do I call you servants.... but I have called you friends" (John 15:15).

Better yet, He is saying that to us as well. So, what does friendship with Jesus look like? It starts with commitment. As He said, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you" (v.14). Then He added the dynamic of communication. He promised to tell us all that the Father has told Him (v.15). Are you listening? And as His friends we begin to bear fruit (v.16), sharing a commonality with Him by reflecting His glory in our attitudes and actions (2 Cor. 3:18).

Jesus welcomes you to the privilege of friendship with Him! Are you His friend? __Joe Stowell
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`````````````````````What a Friend we have in Jesus,`````````````
``````````````````````All our sins and griefs to bear!``````````````
````````````````````````What a privilege to carry````````````````
```````````````````Everything to God in prayer! __Scriven``````````
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Welcome to the privilege of friendship with God.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ John 15:9-17**************

9 As the Father loved Me, I
also have loved you;
abide in My love, just
as I have kept My Father's
commandments and abide
in His love. 11 These things
I have spoken to you, that
My joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be
full. 12 This is My
commandment, that you
love one another as I have
loved you. 13 Greater love
has no one than this, than to
lay down one's life for his
friends. 14 You are My
friends if you do whatever I
command you. 15 No longer
do I call you servants, for a
servant does not know what
his master is doing; but I
have called you friends, for
all things that I heard from
My Fahter I have made
known to you. 16 You did
not choose Me, but I chose
you and appointed you that
you should go and bear
fruit, and that your fruit
should remain, that
whatever you ask the Father
in My name He may give
you. 17 These things I
command you, that you
love one another.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Jesus told His followers: "You are My friends if you do whatever I
command you" (John 15:14). Obedience to the Word places us in
harmony with the Person and plan of a holy and loving God. But
we are also warned, "Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of
the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4). A friendly
response to the sinful ways of the world is hostile to the ways of
God. These two friendships are incompatible. __Dennis Fisher