Good Morning Bible Study Peeps! I haven’t forgottens about our study! I’ve been on full time mom duty so this has had to be shelved more than I’d have liked, but the kids are back in school now and my schedule has openedup so hopefully these will be more regular! So here we go…. The last character trait of a godly friend we will discuss is something so important and so rare in the world. It isn’t something most of us would automatically connect with friendship, but in my opinion and from what I gather from scripture it is a function of friendship that is most necessary for true relationship. -A godly friend calls you out and calls you up. Philippians 1:9-11 says: “This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” As Christians, our relationships with eachother mean more than fun, more than having a shoulder to cry on and even more than sharing life’s joys… In the book of 1st Peter it says that the people of God are being built up together as the house of God…as a dwelling place for God in the Spirit. As friends…and as fellow heirs with Christ our aim needs to be deeper than the worlds. We have a responsibility to encourage eachother toward the most excellent things in life. The things that will last…The things that will cause growth and fruitfulness in eachother. Paul had authority as a spiritual father over the churches he established…he had a large sphere of people he encouraged as well as rebuked. Most of us do not have that responsibility an we should be thankful for that because it comes with a good deal of grief and unpopularity at times. But all of us do have a sphere of responsibility to at least 1 person. And to be the best friend you can be, sometimes you need to say the unpopular thing, sometimes you need to tell your friend you think they’re wrong, or that you’re worried about the direction they’re moving in. But there a re a couple things you must do/be first…and I mean MUST. 1. You MUST actually have a relationship, either one of friendship or authority…not just be an acquaintance. You really need to know the person and have a good idea of their motives and have some real steak in the relationship or what you say to them will likely be meaningless and potentially thwart the outcome you desire. Rebuke should be reserved for those in close relationship. 2. You MUST pray first and often for the person and situation. If I haven’t talked to God about it first, I have no business talking about it to my friend. If I haven’t brought the situation before God, then I am acting on my own authority and my own wisdom and it is not enough. There is a possibility that what you think is sin for them might only be sin if it were you…You need the guidance of the Lord. You MUST pray. 3. You MUST correct in Love. The person needs to know that you are on their side…that you really are concerened with their wellbeing and not just knit-picking…Not just the exersize of control. This is undoubtedly the least pleasant part of any relationship, but it is certainly necessary at times. In James it says that if you turn a brother or sister away from sin you are saving them from death. We have responsibility for eachother…This is not the way of world, but the way of the Kingdom Of God. In the Kingdom of God loving others means laying down your life for them, and to call someone out and up is a form of laying down your life because if it’s done right it will produce humility. I think sometimes we fear that the friendship might not withstand a situation where we need to speak a hard truth and there’s no doubt, it is a risk. It is not fool proof. But if the person is open and soft it might be one of the most strengthening things for a friendship. I have had a couple friends tell me hard things that I really needed to hear. Because they were willing to risk they helped me change course oin some really important things. I have a respect for these people that I wouldn’t have been able to have without their boldness and honesty. They gave me the opportunity to grow and change and produce fruit. I’m thankful for those friends…we can be thoise friends! Reflection Questions : -Have you ever tried to confront a situation without the MUST’S? What was the outcome? What did you learn? -Have you ever received a loving rebuke? How did it change your relationship with the person? How did it change you? -Compare and contrast truly excellent things with things that are pretty good. After thinking about that do you feel like the csall for your life is higher than you had previously considered. -What is the context of Jesus words in Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” In light of this, What kinds of things should we be pursuing in life? What kinds of things might need a loving rebuke? -This week’s challenge is to memorize the scriptures mentioned in this week’s study: Philippians 1:9-11, James 5:19, Ephesians 2:22, Matthew 5:48 Bless you guys!
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 18:17:26 +0000
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