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Becoming a Friend of God! Js 2:21-23 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God.

How many of us here this morning value friendship?One might be surprised just how much attention is given to the subject of friendship in the Bible!Our friends are a big part of our lives and we have been created for companionship!Gen.2:18 it is not good for man to be aloneFrom the beginning man was created to be a social being, we need friends & family!

The importance of friends!Pr 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.Pr 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.Pr 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.Pr 22:24-25 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

As there is no fiercer enemy than God, there is also no better friend than God!God is in fact the best friend!From the very beginning God has desired that man would be the friend of God!God has desired that we would walk with Him and be in fellowship with Him!Gods plan for man in principle has always been the same! Faith + Obedience = Salvation!This is how we become Gods friend!

I. God Desires that we Find Him! Is. 55:6-7 Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.God has always desired a relationship with His creation! From the beginning God is intimately involved with man!Created in image/likeness of God (Gen.1:26) Given life by hands & mouth of God (2:7)Communication & command by God (16,18)

God didnt move, it was man!(Gen. 3:1-13)It was Adam & Eve that hid from God and not God hiding from them!God can be found, God can be known!Ps 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!Rom. 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse!

God has given mankind an invitation to come unto Him!Rev. 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.God desire that we search for Him and find Him!Mt 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.3 things to do, 3 results that follow!

II. God Desires that we Be- Friend Him!To be our friend is one thing, to be Gods friend is everything!God desires that all of mankind become His friend! Jesus came to be-friend us!1Tim. 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.Jn. 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Frindship works both ways! Give some, get some!As we are to seek God, God has also come to seek us! Lk. 19:0 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."Faith is essential in becoming Gods friend!Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.See also (Eph. 2:4-8) Grace through faith!

III. God Desires that we Follow Him!Becoming a friend of God is not the end, it is simply the beginning or an amazing journey with Him! A life of excitement!Mt 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Mt 28:20 "Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.Teaching from di-das-ko which means it is always in the present, there is no past tense (have taught or have learned) This idea is seen many times in the Bible!Rom. 6:4 even so we also should walk in newness of life.Lk. 9:23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Are we willing to truly follow in the foot steps of Jesus?Mt. 16:24Then Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.1 Jn. 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.1 Pet. 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

IV. God Desires that we Fellowship Him!This is to always be the desired result, to live hand and hand with Jesus!1 Jn 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.Gen 6:9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

2 Cor 6:14-18 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."

Conclusion:Are we truly the friend of God this morning? Have we come to know God not only as Master & Creator, but as Father & friend!If any of you here today are not yet a Christian, then know this, God wants to be your friend! For us that are Christians, lets understand how good it is to have God as Father & friend and walk hand and hand with Jesus!