ARE YOU A FRIEND OF GOD
Are you a friend of God
Before you answer
Let me tell you what James, the Apostle,
And half-brother of
Jesus once wrote,
“You adulterous people
Don’t you know that friendship
Towards the world
Is hatred towards God
Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world
Becomes an enemy of God” James 4:4
So
What does it mean to be a friend of the world
As opposed to God
I believe
It is simply
Putting the love of money and materialism
Over the love of God
And the love of your neighbor
Or putting our own selfish
desires
Of the flesh
At the expense of God and family
Or calling ALL
miracles----“medical” or scientific miracles
Or putting our own selfish
addictions
Over the love of God and family
Let’s be clear
Being a friend to God
Isn’t the absence of money
The absence of our sexuality
Or the absence of medical miracles
In our lives
To be a friend to God
Just means to keep our priorities
In their proper place
ALWAYS keeping God and family
ABOVE everything else
Proverbs 17: 17 tells us,
“A friend loves at all times
And a brother is born in adversity”
So we know
That God LOVES US at all times
Even when we have turned our back on him
He is just waiting for you
Waiting for me
To ask for another chance
We KNOW
That we will get another chance
If we just SINCERELY ask
Matthew 7:7-8 says,
“Ask
And it will be given
to you
Seek and you will find
Knock and the door will be opened to you
For everyone who asks---receives
He who seeks---finds
And to him who knocks
The door will be opened”
And when we get our second
chance
We are to follow the commandments
And LIVE by God’s own spirit
“The fruit of the spirit is love,
Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gentleness, and self-control
Against such things---there is no law” Galatians 5:22-23
My friends
God is our BEST FRIEND
We just have to:
Keep our priorities straight
Follow his commandments
And do our best to live
With the qualities of GOD’S OWN SPIRIT
God is
NOT looking for perfection
Just our best effort
IF we give it
Count yourself
AS A FRIEND OF GOD
Robert P. Wallman
3-22-12
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