Stan spends a lot of time talking with neighbors about their personal faith walk experiences. One morning while he and I were together for breakfast, he mentioned he had been talking to a neighbor who told him something about what it meant to be a friend of Jesus. “A friend of Jesus?” I responded. “What’d you guys talk about?”
“How it’s easy for people to say they’re friends of Jesus,” Stan replied with a smile, “but how it would also be easy for Jesus to say, ‘With friends like that, who needs enemies!”
“Why would Jesus say that?”
“While I can’t be certain Jesus might say that,” Stan replied, “it seems He certainly could as a followup to what He said friends of His are supposed to do.”
“What are they supposed to do?”
“Whatever He says,” Stan said with a laugh. “Jesus said that we are friends of His if we do what He commands. Therefore, if I say I’m one of His friends, but I don’t do what He says, it seems fair that He might say, ‘With friends like that, who need enemies!’”
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Bible verses to consider:
You are My friends, if you do what I command you. John 15:14.
And why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46.
If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John 13:17.
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus and His finished work on the cross as the way to life with you, the life that begins here and will continue forever. Even though I know I will spend eternity in your presence, I confess that too often while I remain on this side of eternity I act more like an enemy rather than a friend of Jesus by not doing what He says. Please forgive the foolishness of trying to live the new life you’ve provided without doing what I know I am to do. Help me follow every step of your lead in being a true friend of Jesus thorough my obedience. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in His precious name. Amen.
Think on this: Are you a friend of Jesus in the sense you have accepted what He accomplished on the cross and have life with God through Him? If no, why do you choose to remain separated from God both now and forever? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with being a friend of Jesus by doing what He says? If you sense the desire for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you truly want? Why or why not?
The need: Since God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), what does He know you need to actually live as a friend of Jesus? Spend time studying God’s word, praying, reflecting, and journaling to see what God knows you need. He will show you!
Forward: Do you know others who would or could benefit from this devotional? If so, why not forward it and open them to be part of the conversation between Stan and S. Tory Teller?