Do you wish friends? Be ready to pay the price!!!

[Leonardo Von]

    Do you wish friends? Be ready to pay the price!!!

    The more precious is the friendship, the greater is the problem to keep it. See the example of Christ. In order to get for Himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5.27), He had to pay a great price:

•    “for you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1Corinthians 6.20).

And you? How much are you willing to pay for a friend? The true friendship cost out time, energy, resources:

•    “Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which when a man has found it, he hides it, and for the joy of it goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.” (Matthew 13.44);
•    “Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13.45-46).

In the parables, we are the treasure hidden and the pearl of great price that Jesus bought with His blood.
Think: what the friendship is for? To help you to answer this, consider what Jesus enjoin us:

•    “But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,” (Matthew 5.44).

And this is fair! Once all human being is a sinner (Romans 3.9-18), the best thing for us is someone that compel us to seek out in Jesus to exercise the piety (see Malachi 2.13-16) and abstain us from doing the evil:

•    “I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary to one another; lest whatever you may will, these things you do.” (Galatians 5.16,17). 

In other words, if a relationship don't bring predicaments about you, don't defy you to be a better person in Christ and to approach of Him increasingly (and vice-versa), you two are behaving as lovers and not like friends in Christ.

In short: if you don’t desire hot potatoes or nuisance in your life, try to become a hermit. Of course, you won’t procure peace (Isaiah 57.19-21), but at least you will see that the true evil that torment you are inside you (Romans 7.13-25).

So, if you long for good days, come into the life of people in whom Jesus prepared room for you (John 14.1,2) through the Door (John 10.9); and open the door of your heart to Jesus and His church (Revelation 3.20) sup *His holy supper* inside you.
 

[Daniel Marsh]

May God Grant you a hot spouse, wisdom, long life, great health, true spirituality and prosperity. 

If you do not want anyone invading your space, simply stop showing.

[Ray12614]

Friendship always has costs to maintain it. I also has some great rewards. As Christians, the best friendships are those with like-minded people who share our common belief and relationship with Jesus. I call it 'sweet fellowship', as there is nothing quite like having a person, or, hopefully persons, who can share with us their lives, and how Jesus makes our lives sooooo much better.

On the cost side: Prayer for them takes effort and time. Helping them out as they need it takes effort time and money. Enduring with them when they are going though troubles takes effort, time, prayer, and getting involved emotionally in their troubles. Family issues, work issues, social issues, spiritual issues (resisting sin etc.) all take time and effort on our part. I have had many friends over my 40ish years as a Christian, and frankly there have been very few who have wanted to stick with me during trying or troubled times. Simply put; many want to share the good times, but, not willing to endure hard times with myself or my family, and when troubles, or death, or adversity comes, they run off not willing to 'endure' with me because it is sometimes painful to do that.

On the benefits side: . . . . OH BUT the individuals who are proven friends for life are so worth it. They encourage, help, pray, exhort with a good 'kick in the pants' when needed (and we all need that from time to time), love us unconditionally, and generally get involved with us for life. Those are the friends that are so much worth the effort it takes to maintain those godly friendships.

I could 'spiritualize' this with many good scriptures proving my above points, but, I will leave this post with my observations and experiences over the years of walking with Jesus. Of course there is that friend that 'Sticks closer than a brother', Jesus our best friend in the whole world. He is there no matter what. Still, he never desires us to walk through this life friendless. Pray and ask him to help you see/find friends that are godly friends, trusted friends, friends who tell you the truth no matter what because they love you and want the best for you.

Grace and Peace . . .  Ray . . . 

[missmuffet]

On 10/14/2021 at 6:53 PM, Leonardo Von said:

    Do you wish friends? Be ready to pay the price!!!

    The more precious is the friendship, the greater is the problem to keep it. See the example of Christ. In order to get for Himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5.27), He had to pay a great price:

•    “for you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1Corinthians 6.20).

And you? How much are you willing to pay for a friend? The true friendship cost out time, energy, resources:

•    “Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which when a man has found it, he hides it, and for the joy of it goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.” (Matthew 13.44);
•    “Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13.45-46).

In the parables, we are the treasure hidden and the pearl of great price that Jesus bought with His blood.
Think: what the friendship is for? To help you to answer this, consider what Jesus enjoin us:

•    “But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,” (Matthew 5.44).

And this is fair! Once all human being is a sinner (Romans 3.9-18), the best thing for us is someone that compel us to seek out in Jesus to exercise the piety (see Malachi 2.13-16) and abstain us from doing the evil:

•    “I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary to one another; lest whatever you may will, these things you do.” (Galatians 5.16,17). 

In other words, if a relationship don't bring predicaments about you, don't defy you to be a better person in Christ and to approach of Him increasingly (and vice-versa), you two are behaving as lovers and not like friends in Christ.

In short: if you don’t desire hot potatoes or nuisance in your life, try to become a hermit. Of course, you won’t procure peace (Isaiah 57.19-21), but at least you will see that the true evil that torment you are inside you (Romans 7.13-25).

So, if you long for good days, come into the life of people in whom Jesus prepared room for you (John 14.1,2) through the Door (John 10.9); and open the door of your heart to Jesus and His church (Revelation 3.20) sup *His holy supper* inside you.
 

It all depends on what kind of friends you are talking about. We have casual friends and we have very close friends. Christians are not to be unevenly yoked in their close friendships. A friend can be a Christian blessing or a Christian nightmare and take you places you should not go. So pick your very close friends carefully.