Msg #1434 Being a Friend of God

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

Three Bible characters were called the friend of God. In Genesis 12 Abram walks onto the page of our Bible to be the first. "But thou Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend" (Isa 41:8, cf 2Chron 20:7, James 2:23). Jesus told his disciples "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 to you" (John 15:15). Thirty seven hundred years ago God carefully recorded details of Abram's walk into friendship. It is for our benefit. Abram, who never even got to know God by his "first-name" (Exod 6:3) had a tough row to hoe. He started his journey with great promise, partial obedience, crippled faith, and no trust. God "had said" (past tense) to get out from kindred (11:31), but Abram took them with him. God said "I will give this land," but a famine scared Abram into Egypt. God said "I will make of thee a great nation" (12:2), and Abram said, "The Egyptians will kill me" (12:12). The inspired, inerrant word of God is profitable for correction, to keep us on track, and for reproof to get us off a wrong track. Abram had to come all the way back to an altar he had built to get back on the right track. That altar, the Bible is specific, was east of Bethel and west of Hai. Neither city had been founded yet, but the meaning is east of the "house of God" and west of the "heap of ruin." God was so tender with Abram, and he is with us. A friend's reproofs are necessary, learn from them, Abram did.

An Essay for week #34 08/24/2014

In paperback at www.lulu.com/spotlight/GSBaptistChurch

Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs140824.mp3

"Reformed Theology Is Not A Biblical Theology " found at http://www.gsbaptistchurch.com/seminary/master_thesis/thesis_reformed.pdf