Jesus,Our Greatest Friend Jesus loved people. He was a friend - TopicsExpress



          

Jesus,Our Greatest Friend Jesus loved people. He was a friend to the individual. He said at one time to his Apostles " No longer will I call you my servants, but my friend" . How we long for a good friend in this troubled world. We are so busy that we don’t take time to cultivate friendships. It takes time. It also takes time to build our friendship with Jesus. It is our part that is lacking not His. He is waiting and longing to be that forever friend. Jesus gave us good examples of how friendship works. He was never too busy to help those in need. The man who was demon -possessed ( Mark 5 ) became a friend of Jesus. Jesus took pity and showed compassion by casting out the demons and freeing him to be whole , to go about praising God and telling his friends in Decapolis about what Jesus had done for him. " To him that is afflicted kindness should be shown." ( Job 6:14 ) Jesus was not too proud to speak to the woman at the well ( Jn. 4) and to give her water which would cause her never to thirst again, living water. He befriended her. Jesus was a friend to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. ( Jn. 11:11 ) He went there often and stayed in their house. He was a friend who came when Lazarus died. He raised him from the dead. When we have a close friend , how we long to be with them and have quality time to " just talk." Jesus longs for us to come and just pour out our heart to Him. He wants to know how our life is going , what troubles and joys we have. He can help us with our problems . ( Jer. 33:3 ) " Come unto me , all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls" ( Matt.11: 28,29 ) Jesus is our friend today. He knows our weaknesses and the good in us. He is not a friend who would encourage us to remain in our weakness, or to become stunted in our growth . ( Heb . 5:12-14 ) He calls us to a high standard of living that would reach higher each day. " Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend that cometh of hearty counsel." ( Prov.27:9 ) " Faithful are the wounds of a friend. " (Prov. 27:6 ) He gently, yet strongly encourages us to look into His word and see ourselves and make correction . (Jas.1:22-27 ) This is what a true friend will do. He sees the potential in us and wants us to be successful in living the Christian life. He wants to see us not conformed, but transformed. ( Rom. 12:2 ) His power can do that for us through study of His word, the Holy Spirit that He has given us and prayer to God through Him. ( Heb. 4:12 ; Eph.3:16-20; Acts 20:32 ) King David was disappointed in his friends.He could not trust his closest friend. ( Psa. 35:14-16 ) This is not so with our friend Jesus. He is a forever friend, when we are faithful like Abraham. ( Isa 41:8 ) He is a friend that " loveth at all times" . ( Prov. 17:17 He will "stick closer than a brother". ( Prov.18:24 ) A true friend will share what he has. This is so with Jesus. We do not have to be rich to have the friendship of Jesus. He was sent to poor of this world.( Lk. 4:18 ) " Though He was rich , yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich. ( 11Cor. 8:9 ) To be a friend of Jesus we cannot be a friend of the world. " Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." ( Jas.4:4 ) Why would we want to be a friend of the world when we can have Jesus? Jesus said " In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer I have overcome the world." ( Jn. 16:33 ) Jesus was not of this world. Neither was His kingdom of this world. (Jn.17:16; 18:36 ) His gospel was foolishness to men . ( 1 Cor. 11:19 ) Those who lived by it were the "off scouring " of the world. (1 Cor 4:13 ) Jesus came to a sin sick world. All mankind had lost their friendship with God. He came to redeem us, to make us friends again. ( Rom 3:24 ) Jesus showed the ultimate act of friendship. He died for us , while we were still in our sin and His enemy. The blood that He shed in His death has saved us from the wrath of God , and given us life eternal. " We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ , by whom we have now received the reconciliation." (Rom 5:6-11 ) Let us be careful to maintain that friendship with Him . " Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the praise of our lips giving thanks to His name." ( Heb 13:15 ) Let us have the mind of Christ and humble ourselves and obey Him every day of our lives. Let us imitate Him and give our bodies a living sacrifice , holy , acceptable to God. ( Phil 2; Rom 12:1 ) May we be a friend not only to Jesus but to those we meet, and share with them what "our best Friend " did for us. Let us tell them of this wonderful Friend and what he can do for them. Did He not die for them also? (Jn.1:29 )Will you be a friend to Jesus today? I’ll be a friend to Jesus, My life for him I’ll spend; I’ll be a friend to Jesus , Until my years shall end. To all who need a Savior, My Friend I recommend, Because He brought salvation Is why I am His friend.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 05:30:02 +0000

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