*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*ARE YOU A FRIEND OF JESUS?*
*Scripture Treasure.*
James 4:4 *Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
Are you a friend of Jesus or a friend of the world? Not all friendship is acceptable by God.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Friendship is good. We all need friends .
Paul says, *"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."*, 1 Cor 10:23.
So, as much as we need friends and it is good for us to have them, not all friends are good for us. Most importantly, not all friendship is allowed by God.
There are many concerns about friendship with non Christians. Some ask that if we do not be friends with them, how then do we convert them?
Not all friendship is right before God.
All Christ wished and prayed for was that the Father make us one as He and His Father are. Not by association or by creed, not even by denomination, not by organizational unity but by spiritual unity based on living in Christ through a strong desire to bring salvation to the lost.
When you are bound in friendship by association through, for example, a club, you could be in friendship by creed or laws governing your membership and if you are careless, you could be in a mismatch when you partake in their lawlessness.
You can not be right while you are with them, because right and wrong can not be in the same place. Light and darkness are not equal.
People associate denominationally rather than by fellowshipping through faith in Christ.
If you are friends with them to become as they are, you will be unequally yoked.
If, however, you be friends with them, so *That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:*
You do not be friends with them to become one with them, but you make friends with them so that you *.....may be one;.....* in Christ, (John 17:21).
How do you achieve this?
First, you must set boundaries.
Second, bonding over a shared commitment to a common wordly cause can quickly stir up the ingredients for unequal yoke.
Third, bonding over a shared commitment with a life that discourages you against God is clearly an unequal yoke.
Fourth, any bonding that craves your willingness to be with them rather than with God or that prefers you to occupy their time and interest over God's time is an unequal yoke.
Fifth, any bonding that promotes the pleasure of sin over His presence of fullness of joy and His pleasures forever more is an unequal yoke (ref Ps 16:11).
Sixth, a standard of true friendship endorsed by God is following the example of Jesus. He was accused of being a friend to tax collectors and sinners, yet He did not partake in their sins.
If you are a friend of sinners as Jesus was a friend to tax collectors (like Matthew) and sinners like little Zacchaeus (Luke 7:34) yet do not partake in their sins as Jesus did not but converted them, you are not unequally yoked.
Remember, however, that it is important you set righteous boundaries.
As Jesus set boundaries in His time, so also should you!
Are you a friend of God?
*Remorse corner.*
If you find yourself longing more for association than fellowship with God, you are unequally yoked.
*Call to Word action.*
John 17:21 *That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
If your friendship can quickly stir up the ingredients for an affair, you are unequally yoked.
*Prayer.*
Lord, help me to set righteous boundaries in Jesus name.
Good morning all, and have a blessed day today.
God bless you.