FRIENDS FOR LIFE

Week 1 Day 1

 

 

Are you guys even there?  Who is reading this?  I just want to hear from you.  Those who text me one thing they learned from today (904-515-8349) I will have a BIG candy bar for you on Sunday.

 

Hurricane Michael is hitting Florida as I type this.  As I watch the news and we have tornado warnings here in Jacksonville, I think about the storms we go through in life.  I bet you have been through some tough storms.  One of my biggest storms was getting fired from a church I worked at 6 years ago.  Don’t worry, it wasn’t for anything unethical or creepy.  Anyway, it was a huge stormy season in my life.  HUGE.  During that time there was a friend named Scott who was big for me.  He was a student pastor as well.  And he could relate to all I was walking through.

 

Friends, we are going to be talking about what a friend is and what to look for in a friend and how to be a great friend.

 

Prayer:  “Father, God, thank you are the best friend I could have.  I love you.  Teach me to pursue godly friendships.

 

Grab Your Bible:  Read Proverbs 13:20.

 

Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.

 

If you have your own Bible, turn to just past halfway.  Right after Psalms you will find Proverbs.  Proverbs was inspired by God but written down by King Solomon, who was the wisest man who has ever lived.  So Proverbs teaches us so much about how to live wisely.  Whether you believe in God or not, what this book teaches is good for life.  Everything is practical.

 

Read Proverbs 13:20 again and with a few other translations of the same verse.

 

Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.

 

Become wise by walking with the wise;
    hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

 

Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

 

He who walks with wise men will be wise,
    but a companion of fools will be destroyed.

 

The first part of the verse stays about the same, but the second part ( the warning part seem to get worse and worse.  Who wants their life to end up in destruction or falling to pieces?  No one!  That is not anyone’s hope or dream.

 

We are going to camp out here and talk about this quite a bit in the coming days.  So ask God to help you evaluate your friendships.

 

Prayer:  God give me wisdom about friendships.  What friends of mine are wise?  Which ones pull me away from  you?  Please talk to me and give me a receptive heart and mind.  I love you today!