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| Are you a True Friend of God, or just a Servant? |
By:
Dianna Hobbs |
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Many of us love the song by Israel Houghton so much. We sing it all the time….”I am a friend of God…He calls me friend!” But before you go singing in the streets and crying tears of joy, take “The Friend Test” first and then forward this test on to some of your friends and see how they rate. Ready? Here we go.
In order to find out whether or not you are indeed a friend of God, you need to first review St. John 15:14-15 (NIV).
v. 14 “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
v. 15 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made know to you.”
Do I really have to do whatever God Says?
Let me begin by saying that, yes, we are required to be obedient to God; but Jesus is targeting something even more specific here. In verses 12 and 13, Jesus is describing the kind of love he wants us to have for each other. He says “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. Then add verse 14, “you are my friends if you do whatever I command you.”
He commands that we love others the way he loves us. This is what is required to be his friend. Wow!
Remember, friendship and son-ship are two very different things. Once we accept Jesus, we are adopted into the family as servants; but it is not until we develop our love walk with him and others, that we can be classified as friends.
You can be in the family and not really be a friend.
In a practical sense, I am sure you can relate to this. Everyone in your family is not your friend!! Can I get a witness? Just because someone is a blood relative, does not mean that you tell them your secrets and let them get close to you. I believe that in a sense, it’s the same way with God. You have to have a certain level of intimacy with him, in order to get close to him and gain revelation from him.
The way to accomplish this is to abide in God and let his word dwell in you richly. Love others the way he has commanded us to love and present your body as a living sacrifice unto God. Then you can confidently know that you are his friend.
Do you desire to get closer to God? Have you been feeling distant lately? Well, check your love walk with him and others. See if you pass the friend test or not.
© 2006 Hobbs Ministries. All rights reserved.
Dianna Hobbs is Vice President of Hobbs Ministries, a Christian Copywriting and PR Firm. She and the team of world class writers at Hobbs Ministries, help faith-based organizations customize exceptional written copy for websites, press releases, email marketing campaigns, sales letters and more! To learn more about Hobbs Ministries, visit www.hobbsministries.com. |
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