1. Lesson 4
Proverbs

2. Friends
The definition of friend is someone who is on your side. An example of a friend is an ally in a protest. Friend is defined as a person that you are fond of, with whom you talk or spend time. An example of a friend is the person you have known a long time and trust. Yourdictionary.com
Being on one’s side may not mean agreement but having one’s best interest at heart

3. The Advantage of Having Friends
They will love you at all times.
Pr.17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
They stick closer than a brother.
Pr. 18:24 – “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Pr. 27:10 – “…Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.”
They rejoice the heart.
Pr. 27:9 – “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

4. The Advantage of Having Friends
They will support you in times of trouble.
Ecc. 4:9-12 – “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

5. The Advantage of Having Friends
They sharpen the countenance
Pr. 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
Frances Bacon – “The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.”

6. What a Friend Will Do for You
He will rebuke you.
Pr. 27:5,6 – “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy..”
He will show pity to you.
Job 6:14 – “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend.”
He will support you during adversity.
1 Sam. 19:2-3 – Jonathan intervened on David’s behalf.

7. What a Friend Will Do for You
He will rejoice with you.
Luke 15 – Parable of the lost coin, sheep and son.
He will lay down his life for you.
John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
1 John 3:16-18 – “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

8. How to Get Friends Be Friendly Be Loyal Use Gracious Speech
Pr. 18:24 – “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.”
Be Loyal
Pr. 27:10 – “Do no forsake your own friend or your father’s friend.”
Pr. 25:19 – “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.”
Use Gracious Speech
Pr. 22:11 – “He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.”

9. Things that Destroy Friendship
Money
Pr. 6:1-3 – “My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.”
Pr. 17:18 – “One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.”

10. Things that Destroy Friendship
Whispering and Gossip
Pr. 17:9 – “He who repeats a matter separates friends.”
Disloyalty
Ps. 41:9 – “Even my own familiar friend in who I rusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.”
Negligence
Friendships take time. Going long periods of time without associating with one another causes friendships to wane.