Holy Boldness

Chapter 22 T he L ord ’ s T rue F riends

Jesus was not afraid to stand alone. He was uniquely related to God as no other man ever was. Nevertheless, Jesus sought out, chose, and cultivated true companions who could and would become not merely fellow workers but His friends. What does it mean to be the friend of Jesus? To be the friend of Jesus, one must be committed to knowing the desires of the Lord and be committed to seeing those desires fulfilled. The fear of the Lord is the pursuit of knowing God intimately. Friendship with God demands a commitment to the truth. The journey to friendship will necessarily involve a change in the way we think. “As Isaiah reminded us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are My ways your ways.” (Isaiah 55:8) We must all have our minds renewed. To think like God is counterintuitive. The journey to friendship passes straight through the darkness of our own hearts, false beliefs as well as our secret ambitions. The apostle Paul had an encounter with Christ that changed His entire value system. “What things were gain to me these I have considered loss for the sake of Christ.” ( Philippians 3:7) Paul forsook a lifetime of learning in the ways of religion in order to know God in truth. When God calls you to be his friend He invites you into a journey that will expose beliefs and practices which are incompatible with who He is. Jesus made some amazing statements to His disciples that no one else heard. He revealed an opportunity for intimacy with himself that was reserved for a special few, nevertheless, it was recorded and published for all to read. It must, therefore, in some sense, remain an open invita tion. You are my friends if you do what I command you. 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. (John 15:14-15)

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