Taking it to Him Tuesday's: Philos.

We all know God calls us to pray without ceasing for ourselves, our enemies, our family, and our friends. Today, I would like to focus on that last part; friends, specifically Christian friends. I guess because it seems most fitting; see, all week God has been speaking to me about friendship and what TRUE friendship requires. First, as I mentioned in another post I am currently doing the Beth Moore study: "Living Beyond Yourself." This week is all about LOVE. Though the majority of the week is about agape love, day two which covered philos love really spoke to me (I think because I have a few friends who are dealing with a lot of drama right now and need TRUE friendship). Second, Sunday's sermon was on friendship (specifically that of Jonathan and David). Finally, I have a friend who is having brain surgery today and really needs prayer. So, you can see that God is definitely drawing my attention to friendship.

Now, I would like to share a few things that he has been showing me about friendship.

1. We are called to love our friends as brothers and sisters (1 Peter 3:8). The root word of philos literally means: "brotherly love." It is where we get the word Philadelphia which means "city of brotherly love." So you see we are called to love our friends as if we were blood related. If you think about it as children of God washed in the blood of Christ we are exactly that.

2. Friends have similar hearts. As Christians we are drawn together by a heart for God.

3. Friendship requires sacrificial love. After all in John Jesus says "greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend" and that is exactly what he did for us.

4. Friends are ALWAYS there. In the good times and the bad. Galatians 6:2 requires us to carry each others burdens and Luke 15:8-9 calls us to rejoice together.

5. Friendship REQUIRES freedom and safety. Freedom to be yourself and freedom to be honest in a safe environment, KNOWING what you say to your friend will stay between the two of you! That is why true accountability can only happen among friends, because we trust them enough to share our struggles.

6. Friends build each other up and do good to each other!

So today I challenge you to pray for yourself that you would be a TRUE friend and that you would find TRUE friends. Pray that the Christians you know would be TRUE friends to others. Also pray specifically for the needs of your friends. Finally, if you could say a prayer for my friend Jim who is having brain surgery that would be greatly appreciated. He is already in surgery and will remain there until around 7 p.m. Our Sunday school class has arranged for at least two people to be praying for him at all times during his surgery. I have committed to pray for him from 2-3 this afternoon, pray I do not get busy and forget.  I have already said a prayer for him and his wife Michelle but I want to remain faithful to my word.

Just some thoughts,
MEL