It was Dr. Mike Murdock that said you will be at the same spot you are 5yrs from now save for the people you meet and the books you read. I believe that, because I know that when God wants to change your position, He introduces you to a person. Your location determines your allocation. Where you are determines who sees you. Who sees you determines the level of favour that comes to you. Your company determines what accompanies you. You can't flock with chickens and soar like an eagle.
Corrie Ten Boom said every person God brings into your life is in preparation for the future only known to Him. Remember Joseph in jail and Pharaoh’s butler. That’s why if you have to walk out of a relationship, close the door gently in case you have a cause to open it again someday. Some only use people to get to where they are going and dump them, because they don’t realize they may meet those same people on their way back. Usually they think they may never pass through that way again. FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
So, who do you relate with? Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. When people send me an IV to be in their group, I like to check their other friends. Who is your friend? Birds of a feather flock together. Iron sharpens iron (iron never sharpens wood).
That's why you can't be the world's friend and be God's friend at the same time.
"You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies—the evil pleasures of this world—makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God." (James 4:4, TLB).
God told me once that in any direction you set out for, there are enough people to help you get there. If you want to fall, Samson, there are enough Delilahs to help you down. But if desire to go up, God has positioned enough people to help you up. Even if you are handicapped, there are friends to carry you up – Mk. 2:1-12. So before you think you are alone, there are at least 4 faithful men that will always stand by you. You will not be stranded in your course in Jesus name.
A good friend
A good friend is one that will seek ways of taking you up and rejoice with your elevation – Mk. 2:1-12
A good friend will tell you the truth even if it hurts – Prov. 27:6. They will not flatter you or tell you only what you love to hear (Job 32:21,22).
A good friend is consistent (Prov. 17:17) and loyal (2Sam. 15:37; 16:17) always standing by you even when others forsake you (Prov. 18:24) and also gives you hearty counsel (Prov. 27:9). Don't forsake your friends because your level has changed (Prov. 27:10).
A good friend is a friend in need (Luke 13:5-8).
A bad friend
Anyone that draws you away from God is not a friend - Deut.13:1-11.
A bad friend is one that is there for only what he can get. He is a parasite, whose mission is to suck you dry. It doesn’t matter if you have more money than him. He may not give you money, but he still adds value to your life, one way or another. Everybody has something to offer.
A bad friend will give you an ungodly counsel, like Amnon’s friend, who advised him to rape Tamar (2Sam. 13:1-20).
They influence you negatively (1Cor.15:33, NIV; Gal. 4:16-18; Prov. 22:24,25)
Job’s wife advised him to curse God and die (Job 2:9,10).
Job’s 3 friends condemned him in his trouble (Job 32:3)
I remember a girl I once confronted because she wasn't married but was advicing her married friend to deal with her husband. She felt the man wasn’t treating her friend well. The friend too started ‘showing’ the man. The man kicked his wife out of his house. Ironically, the girl later got married, while the friend, (with her child), was thrown out of her matrimonial home.
Be careful who you take counsel from. When people give you wrong counsel and it backfires, they never take responsibility for your woes.
How do you choose a friend?
Be friendly to have friends - Prov. 18:24
Two cannot walk together unless they agree - Amos 3:3
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? (2Cor. 6:14-17)
Prov. 27:9 says a friend gives hearty counsel. Contrast with Psa.1:1
Prov.27:17 says iron sharpens iron. Choose a friend that adds value to your life, not one that constantly drains you.
Prov. 13:20 says he that walks with wise men will be wise. How do you know a wise man? By the exploits in his life. Mk. 6:2 says, “What wisdom is this, that such mighty works are wrought by His hands?”
Let’s Pray:
1. Deliver me Lord from strange and deceptive pple – Psa. 144:11
2. Bring me in contact wt pple that will facilitate my destiny – Isa. 46:11 - destiny helpers, Lord! Also 1Chron. 12:1-2,21-22.
3. Anyone that would draw me away from the path of life, Lord, cut them off today (Gal. 5:12).
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