August 11th

Becoming  a Real Friend of God

A briefing of the message brought by brother Flávio

John 15:12-17

¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit —fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

When we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are declaring our belief, 

our admiration, our love, and our friendship for Him.

• Remember:  obeying God’s word is the # 1 way to prove our  friendship for Him.
• We will come into situations in which God will test or prove our friendship like he did to Abraham.

Obey = to follow a commandment

A real friend of God DOES NOT just:

• Go to church every Sunday;
• Follow the doctrines of a church;
• Act as a good person;

A real friend of God:

• Acts with faith;
• Asks for guidance;
• Obeys His word (Bible).

Matthew 22:37-39

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Loving God and loving my neighbor as myself means: PRODUCING FRUITS.

Galatians  5:22-23

 ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

    The word of God in Colossians 3:12 further instructs us to act with:

•       Compassion;

•       Kindness;

•       Humility;

•       Gentleness;

•       Patience.

    All of those five qualities can also establish great relationships and demonstrate the love of God towards other people.

Conclusion:

•       God has called us to be His friends;

•       A friendship with God requires obedience;

•       A true Christian demonstrates God’s love towards others.