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Does anyone have any good scriptures on divine appointments or connections? Do we get to choose where we worship, or does God divinely work these things out? Should we always show ourself friendly, or should we wait on God to set up friendships? In the past I've made friends with people only to have them stab me in the back. In the past year I've prayed about this avoiding any close friendships with anyone unless I know God put us together. I'd love to hear from people that have developed life long friendships. All scriptures welcome.
Does anyone have any good scriptures on divine appointments or connections? Do we get to choose where we worship, or does God divinely work these things out? Should we always show ourself friendly, or should we wait on God to set up friendships? In the past I've made friends with people only to have them stab me in the back. In the past year I've prayed about this avoiding any close friendships with anyone unless I know God put us together. I'd love to hear from people that have developed life long friendships. All scriptures welcome.
JESUS said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you". Here our LORD tells us to love fellow Christians with His same love.
In another place of scripture, He tells us to love our enimies.
We are to love everyone! But that does not mean that we should give place in our own lives to the sins of others. You must protect yourself from the clever, but stupid, devices of the devil. So be on your guard. The devil will use any trick possible to trip a Christian.
Never hate anyone. Let's be like JESUS who prayed "FATHER forgive then because they don't know what they are doing".
But never allow another person to drag you or your household down spiritually!!!!! If that means breaking off a "friendship", then so be it. We can still love them in prayer and good deeds when possible. Of course where holy matrimony is involve, one can not break the marriage, but must hold steadfast to that comitment.
How many times do you forgive someone, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven" I think we hang in there with friends, Proverbs 17:17 says, "a friend loves at all times"
I do think there are times when we feel we need to break ties. Proverbs 22:24 also says, "make no friendship with an angry man". I try to spend time with Christians who encourage me to be my best, who hold me accountable and will pray for me. Proverbs 18:24 But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother".
But you need some non-Christian friends who you can witness to by how you lead your life. I think God will bring those into your life since he knows all the details.
Sacrificial love, not only of your enemies, but love even as Christ has loved us is what fulfills God's purpose of reproducing His image and likeness in us. Most think it's so hard to do it's just best to not think about it or it only applies to certain special very religious people. Actually it is what is required of all of us. God's goodness and lovingkindness even to the unthankful and antagonistic is the example He holds up to us as He commands us, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mat 5:48) No need to strap on the guilt generating machine. God is love and you're not God. The manifesting presence of the Holy Spirit is what produces this Divine quality in our lives.
But in the process of bringing it about there are some "dealings" along the way. Judgment, which is "to set things right," that God executes upon us to separate us out from the transient Adam nature into His own Divine life, growth that leaves childish things behind, and rejection from those to whom we've done good. We are not to treat people the way we think they are or we end up condemning the innocent. However we treat people is the way we are. We are to love sincerely without respect of persons to be like our Father in the heavens. Many try to convince you they are behaving a certain way toward you because of how you are. It is so common to hear, "You made me mad." That statement reveals a very immature and self-deceived soul. We are not here for a life of self realization or self gratification. Forget that and trust the faithful Creator to fulfill you. The issue is not how good of a friend we can get for ourself; but, how good of a friend we can be to those who have few to bless them, like widows and the fatherless, those disabled, aged or needy. If we faithfully do our duty to love those God puts in our way I bear witness in my own life to the truth we will be blessed beyond measure. It's ignorance of what transpires in the invisible realms that would go another way.
I've been greatly helped over the years by a statement I memorized from a little pamphlet from Moody Press called "The Way of Love" by Robert Kircher, a single man who raised I think it was 40 orphans. He said, "If I have a glass of water here and a glass of milk there and upset them both, what comes out of them? Why, water out of the water glass and milk out of the milk glass; so, if somebody upsets you, don't blame them for what comes out. It's only what's in you that can come out. It's your fault for having it in you in the first place."
Last edited by JamesMRohde; 07-04-2008 at 10:00 PM..
Thank you all for sharing. A good friend is such a treasure. I have showed myself friendly only to get stabbed in the back. The friendship was good while it lasted. I still pray for the person and talk to them sometimes. Once you've been treated like this it isn't as easy to trust your own judgement. I'm praying for God to bring new friendships into my life not just for my own selfishness, but to bless and pray for them also in times of need. In faith I will try and show myself friendly again. It seems to make since to me to just trust the Lord and rely on him to bring the right people in my life, even if it seems to be taking a little longer than I would like.
Jesus is a friend to us and I am sure he feels that we stab him in the back many, many times, but yet he still loves us. It is good that you still pray for and talk to those who hurt you. You will be blessed for that.
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