I know I personally want that more than anything else in my life now. I want to be
more than just God's servant. I want to be God's friend. And I am sure many of ...
A Friend of God Oh, to be a friend of God. Doesn’t that just thrill you when you hear the words. Oh, to be God's friend. This was so true of Adam and Eve in the beginning. They were friends of God. They were ready available for those afternoon walks and talks. Can you picture them in the twilight of paradise as they walked along and God's smile was upon them as a father that loved his kids and was so proud of them with great pleasure. He had truly given them everything. But so much as it is today, they still wanted more. They wanted what was bad for them. And through temptation and disobedience they broke this wonderful friendship. The word says in - James 4:4 Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. And in - 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. So we know the first step is to turn away (repent) from loving the world and friendship with the world. Now according to scripture many have found a way to turn this all around and be a friend of God again. And the best part is we still can too! I know I personally want that more than anything else in my life now. I want to be more than just God's servant. I want to be God's friend. And I am sure many of you do too. The best part is that the scriptures tell us how. Moses and Abraham both were considered friends of God. In Exodus 33:11 it says: So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then in Isaiah 41:8 it says that Abraham was also a friend of God. "But you, Israel, are My servant…………..The decendants of Abraham My friend." God calls Israel His servant but Abraham His friend. How did Abraham become God's friend? James, the brother of Jesus, tells us in the James 2:23 "Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness." and he was called the friend of God." But James then goes on to say in the verses before and after this verse that is was the action Abraham took in obedience to God's word that made him a friend of God and proved his faith was real. Listen to this! The word gives us the entire KEY to becoming friends with God. 1.) First of all it it will only be possible through the Son of God, Jesus Christ. There is no other way to the Father, because the word says so. Secondly, look at these next 2 passages found in John. Here is the first - John 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 2.) We must stay obedient to His word. Obedience is the next main ingredient. All servants and to-be friends start here. But look here in the next passage it tells us 3.) if we continue to obey God we soon begin to know what the master is doing. It tells us the difference between a servant and a friend. As a friend we begin to UNDERSTAND and know what the master is doing. Remaining just a servant who does not always follow God's instuctions and seems to do more from duty rather than from love does not know what the master is doing. But according to this verse above if the servant is totally obedient through faith in action then they become God's friend. John 15:15 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 Father I have made known to you. All things-can you imagine it!! See here, obedience leads to being made privy to what God is doing and thus instead of blind loyalty following the Master's will we become side-by-side laborers in the Master's vineyard, understanding and seeing the need though God's eyes. We have rolled up our sleaves and are working along side Him by love, doing the Master's will with joy. We are returning to the original plan of walking and talking with God, side by side, as His loving friend. And now we are looking forward to the day that we will stand in His actual presence - unashamed. Let's become a friend of God. Jude 20-21 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. May your life be blessed today through God's precious holy word. - Pastor Robert Sapp Revival Light Church 300 E. Main St. Suite “A” Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 984-4862
