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Being a friend of God is the wonderful life.
The word friend is a very heartwarming word. When someone calls you a friend it gives you a good feeling inside. But just imagine what it would be like to be called a friend of God, a friend of the one who created the whole universe and everything in it, created us, and knows the number of hairs on our head. But that is exactly what God called Abraham in the bible. James 2:23: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the Friend of God.
So here we see that Abraham was God's friend because he believed God. He didn't just believe about God, he actually believed God, believed whatever he said. That is the reason he left his country to obey what God told him to do and went where God told him to go. Genesis 12:1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram; Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee. (Abram was Abraham's name before God changed his name to Abraham.) Believing God is the same thing as having faith in God. Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God wants us to believe him and to not doubt him. Doubting is the opposite of faith. Mark 11:22: And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23: For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
In John chapter 15 Jesus talks about us being his friend if we keep his commandments, and Jesus is God. John 15:13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus laid down his life for us, his friends. He wants to be our friend. He is our master, saviour, and lord, but he is also our friend. John 15:14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. You have to believe Jesus' commandments before you can do them. Also, notice that having a friend means you know them, and Jesus said all things he has heard of his father he has made known to us. 15: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. To know God better we have to stay in his word and apply it to our life. That is the only way to be close to God.
But not only are we Jesus' friend, but also we are like a close relative to him. Luke 8:20: And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21: And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
One thing we definitely do not want to be called is the enemy of God, but that is exactly what God calls people who love the world. James 4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Adulterers and adulteresses are people who are unfaithful to their spouse (husband or wife), and that is the way God feels about us when we love the world instead of him. I John 2:15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The world is everything that a godless unsaved society is doing, like fame, pride, riches, worldly pleasures, etc. I John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Lust means a strong desire to have things that are wrong and sinful. I John 5:19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Also, when you believe God, he will do great things with your life and use you for his glory. John 14:12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The most wonderful life we can live on this earth is to believe God, do the same works that Jesus did, and to be God's friend forever. We only have one short life to live down here before we go off to heaven, so we should make our life count for God. If we do, we will have eternal rewards that will last forever and we will have great joy in heaven.
And, to you who are unsaved and have never trusted in Christ as your personal savior, the first thing you must do if you ever want to be God's friend is to admit you are a sinner and trust Jesus to save your soul. Please click on the link below to learn how to be saved.
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