2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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YE ARE MY FRIENDS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
John 15:9-17
John 15:14
“Ye are my friends if ye do
whatsoever I command you.”
YE ARE MY FRIENDS
Would you like to be Jesus’ friend?
(a) Faithful Obedience and Submission: Jesus says, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (v 14). The verb “do” here means “keep on doing,” not just spasmodic obedience. “Whatsoever” and “command” are the same terms Jesus used in Matthew 28:20. So if we want to be Jesus’ friends, we are to keep on doing whatsoever He commands us to do (Acts 20:27). Even though we are called His friends (vv 14-15), we are to be His disciples (v 8) and His servants first (vv 15, 20). When we are fully submissive to our Lord as a bond-slave, then He will lift us up and call us His friends. We are to follow the example of our Divine Friend, the Son of God – “he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:8). Abraham was called the friend of God (James 2:23, Isa 41:8), as he believed in God, feared God and obeyed God, not sparing even his only son Isaac (Gen 22). Our Lord says that he who loves Him keeps His commandments and His words (John 14:21, 23). Then, shall we not keep on obeying our loving, faithful, caring, wise, and mighty God-Friend so that we may enjoy a blessed friendship with Him for ever?
(b) Separated from Sins and Worldliness: The Bible says, “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). A friend of the world means to love the world, be conformed to the world, accepting and following worldly values, mindset, pride of life, lusts and pleasures. Our Divine Friend is not of the world, and neither are we. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). If we want to maintain our friendship with our holy Divine Friend, we are to separate ourselves from sin and worldliness and walk with Him in His light.
THOUGHT: We must be submissive to Jesus, our Divine Friend.
PRAYER: Father, help me obey Thee and walk with Thee in Thy light.