A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
—Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)
Who are your closest friends? Genuine friendships are challenging in a world of superficial acquaintances, shallow relationships, online friends, and chronic busyness. Today's meaning of "friend" is nearly empty of substance. "Hanging with the crowd" can give us a false sense of belonging but often leaves us wounded and alone in times of trouble. Open, honest, supportive, and loving relationships don't happen without investment in time together. Ask the LORD to lead you to close friends in his family. Minister to and serve those around you. Listen to their requests, faithfully upholding them in prayer. Spend time in Christian service with other servant believers. Join a Bible study or support group. As you do, trust that God will give you a stick-through-thick-and-thin-kind-of-friend as you pray to have "a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Companions are easy to find but can be unreliable. The development of genuine Christian friends is an investment of effort and time, but they are friends with whom we will share forever.
Precious God, I thank you for my friends... (Include the names of your friends here.) Please, dear Father, lead me into the life of people this week who need me to be their friend. Bless all those who read Today's Verse with a Christian friend. I pray that they will help each other in their walk with you. Thank you so much, dear Father, for my faithful friend, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
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—Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Who are your closest friends? Genuine friendships are challenging in a world of superficial acquaintances, shallow relationships, online friends, and chronic busyness. Today's meaning of "friend" is nearly empty of substance. "Hanging with the crowd" can give us a false sense of belonging but often leaves us wounded and alone in times of trouble. Open, honest, supportive, and loving relationships don't happen without investment in time together. Ask the LORD to lead you to close friends in his family. Minister to and serve those around you. Listen to their requests, faithfully upholding them in prayer. Spend time in Christian service with other servant believers. Join a Bible study or support group. As you do, trust that God will give you a stick-through-thick-and-thin-kind-of-friend as you pray to have "a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Companions are easy to find but can be unreliable. The development of genuine Christian friends is an investment of effort and time, but they are friends with whom we will share forever.
My Prayer...
Precious God, I thank you for my friends... (Include the names of your friends here.) Please, dear Father, lead me into the life of people this week who need me to be their friend. Bless all those who read Today's Verse with a Christian friend. I pray that they will help each other in their walk with you. Thank you so much, dear Father, for my faithful friend, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Continue reading...
