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Dear Weekly Readers! Love and Friendship in this life is so important! The below article speaks of such! May God Bless your week! John R.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatso- ever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.
John 15:12-17
WHAT IS LOVE? WHAT IS FRIENDSHIP? What does this mean to us? How does it bear fruit? What does it mean that our fruit should “remain”? Think on these things!
It is written: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)
Isn’t it marvelous to know that God—who is love— loves us, His created beings? He loves us, even though we have sinned and come short of His glory. Isn’t it marvelous to know the love of a friend that abides through “thick and thin”? Isn’t it marvelous to know we can rely upon and trust one another?
All of the above exist in fullness because of the love the Father shows us through the gift of His Son, by whom we have forgiveness of sins and are able to forgive one another as we have been forgiven. As He lives in us, we live in Him, and we are motivated to bear one another’s burdens. This is the amazing work of His grace!
The questions asked in the beginning of this article are illustrated in the words of Jesus in the text above and the following Bible passages:• The secret of the LORD is with them that fear (revere) him;
and he will shew them his covenant. (Psalm 25:14)• A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and
there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
(Proverbs 18:24)• Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends
by name. (3 John 1:14)
The following verses show the opposite of true friendship:
- My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischie- vous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. (Psalm 38:11-12)
- A froward (perverse) man soweth strife: and a whisperer (gossip) separateth chief friends. A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good. (Proverbs 16:28-29)
To my dear friends in love! Pastor Rod Johnson
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