November 7, 2018 Open Heaven Daily Devotional : Topic - Are you an Unfriendly Friend?
Topic - Are you an Unfriendly Friend?
Memorise: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”– Proverbs 27:6
Read: Psalm 41:7-13 (KJV)
7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 49, Luke 18:1-17
MESSAGE:
In today’s world of social media, the real meaning of friendship is
fast fading away. It is becoming more frightening to claim to have
friends these days because there are so many deceitful friends out
there. The magnitude of this problem increases greatly when people have
something to gain from their association with you. Are you one of such
unfriendly friends? Is your friendship with people built around the
furtherance of your interests? Before you begin to identify those who
claim to be your friends but are not really so, ask yourself if you are
truly friendly. The wisdom of God in Proverbs 18:24 says:
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
One cannot but be amazed by the lamentation of the Psalmist in Psalm 41:9, where he said:
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
These words perfectly describe the typical character of an unfriendly
friend. More often than not, they are very close to their victims. This
makes one wonder if they deliberately got close to their victim in
order to wreak their havoc. If that is the case, should we not avoid
having close friend or any friend at all? I don’t think so; we only need
to be prudent in our choice of close friends. An example of Jesus’
choice of associate should help us here. While there were multitudes of
followers, He had seventy disciples (Luke 10:1). Among the seventy, He
had his core of twelve disciples, and within the twelve, He had three
close friends (Mark 3:14, Mark 9:2). Finally, amongst the three, He had
one beloved (John 19:26). Note that Judas Iscariot was numbered among
Christ’s close friends, so that His destiny as our Redeemer might be
fulfilled according to the pattern indicated by scriptures (John
13:17-21).
We need to have friends, but the challenge is how to identify good
ones. There is one antidote against choosing enemies as friends, which
is prayer. God knows the hearts of men, and only He can shield us from
treacherous friends. Also, the law of harvest applies in friendship. The
Lord said you should do unto others what you would have them do unto
you (Luke 6:31). If you are an unfaithful friend, some other people will
also be unfaithful to you. Friendship always come with a price tag;
therefore, for those you cannot relate with as friends, I recommend that
you relate with them as brethren and co-pilgrims on the way to heaven,
doing only that which is needful to help and assist them as God gives
you strength.
Action Point:
If you have hurt anyone by taking undue advantage of their friendship with you, repent and make appropriate restitution.
Hymn 9: The Old Rugged Cross
1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Chorus:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.
2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
November 7, 2018 Open Heaven Daily Devotional : Topic - Are you an Unfriendly Friend?
Reviewed by Muyiwa Abodunrin (Muyilight)
on
November 07, 2018
Rating:
Reviewed by Muyiwa Abodunrin (Muyilight)
on
November 07, 2018
Rating:
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