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Friends

TEXTProv. 27:17

INTRODUCTION:

A.      WE ALL NEED AND DESIRE FRIENDSHIP.

B.      FRIENDS ARE PRECIOUS BLESSINGS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

I.      SELECTING FRIENDS.

A.      SOLOMON'S ADVICE:  "BE CAREFUL"( Prov. 22:24-25 ).

B.      HAS TO DO WITH INFLUENCE( 1 Cor. 15:33 ).

C.      ARE WE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE ENDORSE?( Eph. 5:11 ).

D.      WORLDLY FRIENDS CAN BE DISASTROUS( Jas. 4:4;  2 Cor. 6:14, 17-18 ).

E.      QUALITIES TO BE SOUGHT IN FRIENDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN

          WEALTH, EDUCATION, PRESTIGE, POPULARITY, etc.

F.      WE SHOULD ASK, "WHO IS UPLIFTING TO ME?" & "WHO NEEDS ME?"

II.     MAKING AND HOLDING FRIENDS.

A.      BE FRIENDLY( Prov. 18:24 - KJV ).

          1.       Wesley:  "Sour godliness is the devil's religion."

          2.       Dogs know who to win friends - by being friendly.

          3.       How much do you want friends?  How friendly are you?

B.      BE HELPFUL IN ADVERSITY( Prov. 17:17 ).

          1.       Action is important ... Prove yourself a friend( 1 John 3:18 ).

          2.       There is good in adversity.  Shows who your friends are.  Fair-weather friends

                   and shadows.  Some are good at being a friend until you need one.

C.      POSSESS A HUMILITY THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO MIX WITH ALL

          CLASSES OF PEOPLE.

          1.       Snobbery is resented by everyone( Phil. 2:3;  Rom. 12:3, 16 ).

          2.       Jesus associated with the lowest( Luke 5:30 ).  Why?( vs. 31-32 ).

          3.       Our attitude toward others will determine our success at humility.

                   a.       Compassion( Matt. 9:36 ).

                   b.       Hate the affliction, not the afflicted( Jude 22 ).

                   c.       Remember our own shortcomings( Luke 18:13 ).

          4.       Remember( Prov. 16:18 ).

D.      BE UNSELFISH( Phil. 2:4;  Matt. 20:26-28 ).

          1.       You don't make friends merely to take advantage of them.

          2.       Nor do you make friends in order to bully them.  Control Freaks freak me out.

E.      BE TOLERANT( Col. 3:12-13 ).

          1.       All of our friends are going to have faults.  Nobody's perfect.

          2.       We can afford to forgive.  We can't afford not to( Matt. 7:1 ).

          3.       Give the benefit of the doubt( James 1:19-20 ).  Then forgive anyway.

          4.       Look at yourself( Matt. 7:3 ).  Burn's - "To A Louse."

F.      BE SINCERE AND TRUTHFUL( 1 Pet. 2:1;  3:10-11 ).

          1.       Love should come from within( 1 Pet. 1:22 ).

          2.       Can we come on "too strong?"  Doesn't that arise suspicion?

G.      GOLDEN RULE( Matt. 7:12 ).

H.      BE STABLE - DEPENDABLE - CAN YOU BE COUNTED ON AS A FRIEND?

          1.       Some are too unstable to be trusted - Blow with the wind.

          2.       A question of character( Psa. 1:1-3 ).  Like a tree planted by the water.

          3.       Promise Keeper( Psa. 15:4 ).

          4.       Responsible!!!!!

I.       BE LOYAL.

          1.       Example of Onesiphorus in Paul's troubled times( 2 Tim. 1:16 ).

          2.       Job's friends( Job 19:14, 19 ).

          3.       "Love is not love which alters when alteration finds

                           Or bends with the remover to remove:

                           O, no!  it is an ever fixed mark

                           That looks on tempests and is never shaken."

                                                                            - Shakespeare

          4.       Does not involve taking up for one's wrongs, but loving in spite of them.

J.       SUMMED UP ... BE A FRIEND.

          1.       These things will make me a better friend.

          2.       Manifest in me, they will make my friends better friends.

          3.       Personal Question

                                                          "If I were someone else, would I want me for a friend?"

CONCLUSION:

A.      WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?

B.      HOW DO WE BECOME FRIENDS OF JESUS?( John 15:14 ).