A true, godly friendship is based on what the friends have in common--God. In order for the friendship to be strong, the thing that bonds it needs to be stronger, and that is each person's relationship with Jesus. Read these verses about Daniel and his true friends before Daniel interpreted the king's dream:
17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2:17-18
These were true friends! What held them together was their personal relationships with the One who made them all. They never let their friendship with each other get in the way of their relationship with the Lord.
When there was trouble, Daniel went to his friends. He didn't pour out his problems to them, but he told them what was happening and asked them to pray. Do our friends know that they can come to us when they need prayers? Are we intercessors on the behalf's of our sisters and brothers?
When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego) were told to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's idol, they had the courage to refuse because Christ was the driving force in every one of their relationships and decisions. The easily could have bowed down and to save their lives (and keep their friendship), but they chose God first. Look what He did! He saved them anyway!
One last thing... I heard the song "More Than You'll Ever Know" by Watermark the other day. Here's the chorus:
You've been more than a friend to me
You fight off my enemies
'Cause you've spoken truth over my life
And you'll never know what it means to me
Just to know you've been on your knees for me
Oh, you have blessed my life
More than you'll ever know...
Wow! What power we have in the lives of the people around us through prayer!
These were true friends! What held them together was their personal relationships with the One who made them all. They never let their friendship with each other get in the way of their relationship with the Lord.
When there was trouble, Daniel went to his friends. He didn't pour out his problems to them, but he told them what was happening and asked them to pray. Do our friends know that they can come to us when they need prayers? Are we intercessors on the behalf's of our sisters and brothers?
When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego) were told to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's idol, they had the courage to refuse because Christ was the driving force in every one of their relationships and decisions. The easily could have bowed down and to save their lives (and keep their friendship), but they chose God first. Look what He did! He saved them anyway!
One last thing... I heard the song "More Than You'll Ever Know" by Watermark the other day. Here's the chorus:
You've been more than a friend to me
You fight off my enemies
'Cause you've spoken truth over my life
And you'll never know what it means to me
Just to know you've been on your knees for me
Oh, you have blessed my life
More than you'll ever know...
Wow! What power we have in the lives of the people around us through prayer!
2 comments:
Hi Marissa! :D Such a lovely post...it was a great blessing to me today. :) God has been impressing this on my heart as well, to pray for my friends and to be a good godly friend encouraging my sisters in the Lord. :) It IS amazing what God can do when we are faithful to pray, and that is something He has been teaching me a lot this year. :)
Thank you for sharing!
God Bless!
~Rachel~
I will be sharing a link to this post on my blog this Friday in my spiritual section for my "Friday Link-Up". :)
Hugs!
~Rachel~
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