Are You Loyal?

Prayer – Lord, a friend is always loyal…so I pledge my loyalty to You…my Lord, Savior, and closest friend. 

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 17:17

 

Meditate. Consider friendship.

 

Are you a friend of God? I don’t think that God created mankind to be His “friend,” but people along the way have developed that relationship with Him. Consider Abraham, of whom God spoke in Isaiah 41:8, and also in the book of James.

Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God. James 2:21-23

Is it a personal goal for you to become a “friend of God?” Having a close relationship with anyone is what it takes to be a friend, so being close to God, you might just consider Him a friend. There is a great praise song written by Israel Houghton that declares just that. “I am a Friend of God.”  You can Google it for the lyrics.

 

The book of James goes on to tell us what happens to those who are friends of the world, instead of God.

You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. James 4:4

The choice, as always, is for each person to make. Do you want to be a friend of God…or of the world?

Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable? The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them. ... Who can say, "I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin"? Proverbs 20:6-7, 9

Are you a friend of God? Will you be loyal to Him?

 

Will you cross this bridge to visit friends?
Yaquina Bay Bridge, Newport, Oregon

If a friend is coming to visit, you get ready—cleanup your house and prepare some great food. So, are you going to get ready for a visit from the greatest friend ever, Jesus Christ? What will you do to get ready? He told His followers to be ready…they don’t know the hour or the day when He will return. Be ready…and be loyal.

Verse of Salvation ~ For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." Acts 4:11-12

 

End of February

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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