totallylovedbygod65
Member
- Mar 12, 2024
- 284
- 271
JOHN 15
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
FRIEND OR FOE?
I must confess that I don't have many close friends. I do have some and I thank God for those of you, who either having met me on here or in person. I thank God for all of you. I am so glad that my best friend and precious Saviour is Jesus, and my second is my beautiful wife Helen and daughter Ming.
Jesus in his closing address in the upper room, says these beautiful words to his disciples - his friends. What a wonderful privilege to be called Friends of God like Moses and Abraham were!
These are precious verses to any believer; it is the most amazing privilege to be called a friend of God. Amen.
What kind of friend is Jesus to us? Well, he laid down his life for us, now that is real love? I heard of a story of two friends in World War I, one was wounded and the other went and carried his friend back to the trenches, and he was mortally wounded doing it, but he did for his friend, because he loved his friend. How much more has Jesus loved us, that he laid down his life to redeem us. That is the evidence of His love for us. This truly is a picture of what Christ has done for us, we were wounded and alone, but Jesus saved us.
In the light of that sacrifice, and if we call ourselves the friends of Jesus, we will do what he tells us. His commandments are not grievous, they are there to be obeyed.
Just imagine if you had a friend, you told everyone he was your good friend and then you didn't talk to him/her or listen to them, this is how some Christians are to Jesus.
They say they love him, but they don't obey Him or they pick and choose what commands they obey.
The final privilege of being a friend of Jesus is that he reveals all the deep things of God to us, the Holy Spirit opens up God's word and he opens up God's will to us.
What a privilege we have to be called a friend of God, once we were his enemies. Now we are his friends. His precious blood-bought children.
。
Let us obey Him and give Him our lives. After all he laid his life down for us, let us do the same for him with a thankful heart!
God bless you!
Keith
GUEST DEVOTION
That Almighty Friend, Advocate and Physician
(J. C. Ryle, "Do You Believe?")
Christ is that brazen serpent which God has set up
in the world, for the healing of all sin-bitten souls who
desire to be cured. The believer looks to Him by faith
—and receives life, health, and spiritual strength!
Christ is that true city of refuge, to which the man
fleeing from the avenger of blood runs, and in which
he is safe.
Christ is that altar which provided a sanctuary to him
who laid hold on its horns. Christ is that almighty hand
of mercy, which God holds out from heaven to lost and
drowning sinners. The believer lays hold on this hand
by faith—and is delivered from the pit of hell.
The Lord Jesus says, "My flesh is food indeed. He who
eats of this bread shall live forever" (John 6:55, 58).
Christ is that divine food which God has provided for
starving sinners! He is that divine bread which is at
the same time—life, nourishment and medicine! The
believer feeds on this bread of life by faith. His hunger
is relieved. His soul is delivered from damnation!
The Lord Jesus says, "My blood is drink indeed" (John
6:55). Christ is that fountain of living water which God
has opened for the use of all thirsty and sin-defiled
sinners, proclaiming, "Whoever will, let him take the
water of life freely!" (Rev. 22:17). The believer drinks
of this living water—and his thirst is quenched.
Christ is the appointed keeper and guardian of His
people. It is His office to preserve from sin, death, hell,
and the devil—any who are committed to His charge.
The believer places his soul in the hands of this Almighty
treasure-keeper, and is insured against loss to all eternity.
He trusts himself to Christ—and is safe.
Christ is that Almighty Friend, Advocate and
Physician—to whom all sinners, needing help, are
commanded to apply. The believer comes to Him
by faith—and is relieved.
THE BOTTOM LINE
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/telling-history/page/5
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china/page/41
JOHN KNOX INSTITUTE
https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/lordsprayer
SERMONS
https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/49162337395/a?autoplay=1
https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/619250021889/a?autoplay=1
https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/61525173240346/a?autoplay=1
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
FRIEND OR FOE?
I must confess that I don't have many close friends. I do have some and I thank God for those of you, who either having met me on here or in person. I thank God for all of you. I am so glad that my best friend and precious Saviour is Jesus, and my second is my beautiful wife Helen and daughter Ming.
Jesus in his closing address in the upper room, says these beautiful words to his disciples - his friends. What a wonderful privilege to be called Friends of God like Moses and Abraham were!
These are precious verses to any believer; it is the most amazing privilege to be called a friend of God. Amen.
What kind of friend is Jesus to us? Well, he laid down his life for us, now that is real love? I heard of a story of two friends in World War I, one was wounded and the other went and carried his friend back to the trenches, and he was mortally wounded doing it, but he did for his friend, because he loved his friend. How much more has Jesus loved us, that he laid down his life to redeem us. That is the evidence of His love for us. This truly is a picture of what Christ has done for us, we were wounded and alone, but Jesus saved us.
In the light of that sacrifice, and if we call ourselves the friends of Jesus, we will do what he tells us. His commandments are not grievous, they are there to be obeyed.
Just imagine if you had a friend, you told everyone he was your good friend and then you didn't talk to him/her or listen to them, this is how some Christians are to Jesus.
They say they love him, but they don't obey Him or they pick and choose what commands they obey.
The final privilege of being a friend of Jesus is that he reveals all the deep things of God to us, the Holy Spirit opens up God's word and he opens up God's will to us.
What a privilege we have to be called a friend of God, once we were his enemies. Now we are his friends. His precious blood-bought children.
。
Let us obey Him and give Him our lives. After all he laid his life down for us, let us do the same for him with a thankful heart!
God bless you!
Keith
GUEST DEVOTION
That Almighty Friend, Advocate and Physician
(J. C. Ryle, "Do You Believe?")
Christ is that brazen serpent which God has set up
in the world, for the healing of all sin-bitten souls who
desire to be cured. The believer looks to Him by faith
—and receives life, health, and spiritual strength!
Christ is that true city of refuge, to which the man
fleeing from the avenger of blood runs, and in which
he is safe.
Christ is that altar which provided a sanctuary to him
who laid hold on its horns. Christ is that almighty hand
of mercy, which God holds out from heaven to lost and
drowning sinners. The believer lays hold on this hand
by faith—and is delivered from the pit of hell.
The Lord Jesus says, "My flesh is food indeed. He who
eats of this bread shall live forever" (John 6:55, 58).
Christ is that divine food which God has provided for
starving sinners! He is that divine bread which is at
the same time—life, nourishment and medicine! The
believer feeds on this bread of life by faith. His hunger
is relieved. His soul is delivered from damnation!
The Lord Jesus says, "My blood is drink indeed" (John
6:55). Christ is that fountain of living water which God
has opened for the use of all thirsty and sin-defiled
sinners, proclaiming, "Whoever will, let him take the
water of life freely!" (Rev. 22:17). The believer drinks
of this living water—and his thirst is quenched.
Christ is the appointed keeper and guardian of His
people. It is His office to preserve from sin, death, hell,
and the devil—any who are committed to His charge.
The believer places his soul in the hands of this Almighty
treasure-keeper, and is insured against loss to all eternity.
He trusts himself to Christ—and is safe.
Christ is that Almighty Friend, Advocate and
Physician—to whom all sinners, needing help, are
commanded to apply. The believer comes to Him
by faith—and is relieved.
THE BOTTOM LINE
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/tbl-china-prayer-requests
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/telling-history/page/5
https://www.tblfaithnews.com/category/tbl-china/page/41
JOHN KNOX INSTITUTE
https://johnknoxinstitute.org/modules/lordsprayer
SERMONS
https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/49162337395/a?autoplay=1
https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/619250021889/a?autoplay=1
https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/61525173240346/a?autoplay=1
