True Friends
Written by Brigitta Tedja
#Relationshipseries
Watch sermon here.
Pastor Paul stated that we are focusing on a new series on relationships this February with today’s sermon entitled, “True Friends”. He began with a quote from Dr. Thomas Harrell, a former professor emeritus of applied psychology at Stanford University. He spent much of his career tracking a group of MBAs after graduation and discovered their GPA’s had little connection with their success in the business world. What mattered was their social skills. He found that those who were most successful were “communicative, outgoing, and energetic.”
“The most sought-after skill from CEO on down is the ability to communicate with people (to talk, to relate, to have the right attitude, and have respect towards one another). Those who can do that in business will always be in demand.” (John Callen)
Importance of Relationships:
“Relationships are important to every area of life. They help define who we are and what we can become. Most of us can trace our success to pivotal relationships.” (John Maxwell)
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” (John Maxwell)
“The kingdom of God is built on relationship.” (Doug Stringer)
You can talk to God because you have a relationship with Him
God already knows your heart
The Language of Relationship:
Caring for one another
Helping one another
Service is the action language
Friends You Keep:
1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be fooled [deceived; misled]: Bad friends [companions, associations, communion] will ruin [corrupt and deprave] good manners and morals and character.”
You can be known by the people you hang around with
When God wants to promote you, He uses people. When the devil wants to demote you, he uses people
Be selective with who you choose as friends
Whatever is informing you is forming you
When you focus on becoming a friend, you will find many friends that leads you to success
None of us are as strong as all of us
We need one another
Mark 2:1-12, TPT “Several days later, Jesus returned to Capernaum (Nahum’s house, the house of comfort/consolation), and the news quickly spread (shared, testimonies) that he was back in town. Soon there were so many people crowded inside the house to hear him that there was no more room, even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the word of God, four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man. But when they realized that they couldn’t even get near him because of the crowd, they went up on top of the house and tore away the roof above Jesus’ head. And when they had broken through, they lowered the paralyzed man on a stretcher right down in front of him.” When Jesus saw the extent of their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘My son, your sins are now forgiven.’ This offended some of the religious scholars who were present, and they reasoned among themselves, ‘Who does he think he is to speak this way? This is blasphemy for sure! Only God himself can forgive sins!’ Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts and said to them, ‘Why are you being so skeptical? Which is easier to say to this paralyzed man ‘Your sins are now forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk?’ But to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your stretcher, and walk home.’ Immediately the man sprang to his feet in front of everyone and left for home. When the crowds witnessed this miracle, they were awestruck. They shouted praises to God and said, ‘We’ve never seen anything like this before!’”
From this Passage, Jesus:
Restored his identity (son)
Forgave his sin —no more torment or guilt
God will remember your sin no more (Heb 10:17)
God has a great future for you in your present time
Supernaturally perceived their thoughts
The Holy Spirit knows your thoughts, intervene the negative words inserted in mind
Performed instant healing (immediately)
We will experience never seen before miracles
Four men (of faith) could not get friend in, broke through the roof
Work together as a team during the harvest
FAITH = RISK
Characteristics of a True Friend:
Can share success story without them being jealous
Can share failures and they remain your friend
What Hinders a Good Relationship?
Sin (miss the mark)
Tongue (death & life)
Unresolved offense (quickly extend forgiveness)
Always wanting to express the wrong motivation
John 13:35 MSG “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples, when they see the love you have for each other.” This is genuine love through friendship.
Competition
True Friends:
Faithful in constant relationship
Loyalty is a condition of your heart
Speaks into your life
Stands with you in your greatest time of need
Transparent
David & Jonathan
They are with you
David’s men: distressed, in debt, discontented
David gave them value David’s mighty men of valor
Peacemakers
Psalms 105:1-2 “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, make known his deeds among the people.”
Testify and tell your story!
Psalm 68:11, NKJV “The Lord gave the word; great was the company [people, persons] of those who proclaimed it.”
God gave the word but wanted us to publish it.
Church on every corner but it is turned inwards and telling themselves the story
Romans 10:14 “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone talks about him?”
2 Corinthians 5:17-19, NKJV “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us [made peace] to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation [peace],that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation [peace]. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
YOU ARE NOT BACKED UP BY YOUR OWN ABILITY,
YOU ARE BACKED UP BY THE ABILITY OF THE ONE WHO SENT YOU!
Prayer Points:
Pray to reconcile your relationship with God
Pray that God restores your identity
Pray to no longer be tormented/guilt from past sins
Pray to be healed from the past
Pray to extend forgiveness (no offenses)
Pray to be transformed
Pray for faith and to walk it out in action
Pray to be a friend first
Pray to be used to make Jesus famous
Pray to proclaim and testify about Jesus, make Him known
Pray to experience nothing you have ever experienced before
Pray to be the Ambassador of Christ and represent Christ in your world