True Friendship “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) 1/14/2019

A TRUE FRIEND: “THE FIRST PERSON WHO COMES IN WHEN THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS GONE OUT” 1/14/2019

VALUE CHERISH A FRIEND WHO, FOR YOU, FINDS TIME ON HIS CALENDAR A FRIEND WHO, FOR YOU, DOES NOT EVEN CONSULT HIS CALENDAR! 1/14/2019

True Friendship when found is a blessing and should be cherished is genuine care and concern not fake, not fraudulent, not betrayal is maintained in trust 1/14/2019

GENUINE FRIENDSHIP not based on one’s prosperity Pr 14:20, “The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends.” “A FALSE FRIEND IS LIKE YOUR SHADOW. AS LONG AS THERE IS SUNSHINE, HE STICKS CLOSE BY. BUT THE MINUTE YOU STEP INTO THE SHADE, HE DISAPPEARS.” 1/14/2019

False Friendship Pr 19:4,6, 7 “Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend. . .Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.” 1/14/2019

False Friendship (parasitic) ignores “inner characteristics” consumed with “external qualities” seeks to befriend wealth seeks to befriend power seeks to befriend popularity when the wealth, power, gift is gone or not useful. . .the friendship fades 1/14/2019

Job My relatives have failed, And my close friends have forgotten me. Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants, Count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight. I call my servant, but he gives no answer; I beg him with my mouth. My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am repulsive to the children of my own body. Even young children despise me; I arise, and they speak against me. All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me. My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. (19:14-20) 1/14/2019

Three “C’s” of True Friendship FEW FRIENDSHIPS SAIL ON THESE THREE! 1/14/2019

ONSTANCY true friendship is constant. . .enduring. . .loyal. . .determinate Psalm 15:3, He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend Pr 17:17, A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. 1/14/2019

Examples ONSTANCY Elisha (2 KINGS 2:2) Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel. 1/14/2019

ONSTANCY Examples RUTH (1:15-17) 15 And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me." 1/14/2019

ONSTANCY PROVERBS 27:10, “Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend. . .” 1/14/2019

ONFIDENTIALITY some things simply need to remain confidential a friend doesn’t rush “news” that was privately confided to him into the “press” gossip and backbiters are not good friends 1/14/2019

ONFIDENTIALITY Proverbs 16:28, “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.” Proverbs 17:9, “He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.” 1/14/2019

a lot of friendships seek not this “C” ONSTRUCTIVE RITICISM a lot of friendships seek not this “C” “friends don’t judge friends” BUT: true friendship can handle “constructive criticism” true friendship respects “constructive criticism” 1/14/2019

“destructive” criticism has the purpose of “destroying” its target ONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM “destructive” criticism has the purpose of “destroying” its target some enjoy this 1/14/2019

ONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM PROVERBS 27 5 Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 1/14/2019

ONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM PROVERBS 27 9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel. CONSTRUCTIVE! 1/14/2019

ONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM PROVERBS 27 17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. 1/14/2019

MAKING FRIENDS CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS CAREFULLY Pr 12:26, The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. IF YOU ARE “RIGHTEOUS” YOU WILL BE SELECTIVE! 1/14/2019

MAKING FRIENDS BECOME A COMPANION OF GOD-FEARING PEOPLE Ps 119:63, I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts. SPEND TIME WITH CHRISTIANS! 1/14/2019

MAKING FRIENDS REFUSE THE WICKED, (Prov. 24) 1 Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them; 2 For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking. (cf. 4:14-19) 1/14/2019

Evil Company: shames a father (Prov. 28:7) corrupts good habits (1 Cor. 15:33) “good morals” (ASV) “good manners” (KJV) “Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul” (Prov. 22:24, 25) 1/14/2019

where you spend your time walking is what you can become! Psalm 1 where you spend your time walking is what you can become! 1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 1/14/2019

The Value of Having a True Friend 9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Eccl. 4:9-12) 1/14/2019

Friendship with the King of kings? comes through obedience (Jn. 15) 13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 1/14/2019

Friendship with the King of kings? denied when we are friends with the world “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4) 1/14/2019

The World Says: go for the gusto don’t fool with “church,” especially when you are young fill your life with “things” be tolerant of deviant practices, religions, etc. eat, drink and be merry baptism is foolish survival of the fittest (strongest) look out for “number one” secular education more important than Bible study 1/14/2019

whose voice do you obey? who is your friend? 1/14/2019

JESUS SAYS: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:26) “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:27) “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:33) 1/14/2019

JESUS SAYS: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mk. 16:16) “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10) 1/14/2019