The Friend

Understanding Your Worth and Value

God Has  Plan for You - Day Five

The Friend

“Just as lotions and fragrance give delight,

 a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.”

Proverbs 27:9 (The Message)

 

 

“You have a dream to do what? Dream on. It’ll never happen. Someone else

smarter, prettier, classier perhaps… but you…never!”

And you walk away sad. Sad not only because you think your friend is probably right but because one you called friend thought so little of you.

That’s no friend! A true friend sticks closer than a brother—looks out for you. A

good friend dreams along with you.  
This true friend is who you need to hang out with.

Not everyone is going to cheer you on when you share your dream. Don’t spend time with them. Don’t

struggle to get their approval. Move on. Ask God to give you a real friend. And He will!

The devil wants to shoot down God’s plans for your life. How better for him to do this than with someone you call friend. Walk away. It’s not God!

Barnabas – true blue

No one liked Paul or trusted he had really changed. Surely he would agree to the slaughter of more Christians. So they made no effort to meet him and hear of Paul’s wonderful vision of Jesus. They thought, “It’s just a trick to put more of us in prison.”

Barnabas paid them no mind. “I’m going to see for myself.”

And true friendship was born that day. But Barnabas didn’t stop there. He brought Paul to Jerusalem and introduced him to the leaders. Then—they believed.  

Barnabas went with Paul on his first missionary trip

and the two turned the world upside down for Jesus Christ.

Barnabas was nicknamed, “The Son of Encouragement.” He didn’t suck the life out of people. He poured into them.

He was a light and his eyes lit up when he met with others.
God has given you hopes and dreams. Stick with someone like Barnabas. Be

encouraged. One more thing—be—an encourager!

Dear Lord, I need a friend, a real friend. Someone like you. Thank you!

Not Ashamed--Not Bullied!

                        Not Ashamed—Not Bullied
“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.”
                              Romans 1:16 NLT

The giant was a bully. He mocked—he laughed—at the young boy named David. But David held his slingshot at his side and looked into the jeering eyes of the giant. In his coat pocket were five smooth stones. Why five?—the giant had four brothers.

David was ready. God was with him—God was for him and God had already helped him kill a lion and a bear that went after his father’s sheep. Ha! God would do it again. 

Goliath sneered at David. “You’re a joke, you little apple cheeked boy! I’m going to feed your flesh to the buzzards and to all the beasts of the forest. You’re gonna to be toast today!”

David shot back, unafraid and confident, “It's the God of the Armies of Heaven that you spit upon today. He will hand you over to me and I will cut… off…. your…. head! Oh yeah!”

Wow! And that’s exactly what happened. When Goliath’s army saw that their hero was dead they ran like crazy men to escape the fired up Israelites.

Do you have a bully who whispers intimidation?  “Oh, who’s going to listen to you? You can’t talk about God at school. You’ll get in trouble…go to the office…embarrass your parents.”

Goliath was a bully. He tried to stop David by making him feel small. But David knew what God could do... and David spoke the truth.

You’re a David too. You know Jesus is the only help for your friends. Their situation is desperate but you hold the key. Refuse to be bullied, speak the truth--run with the King.

          “I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  What                        can mere mortals do to me?"

                               Psalm 56:11 NLT
   
Dear Lord, I am not ashamed to talk about you. No one bullies You…no one bullies me either.