Sunday Sermons

The Friend of God

Mark Dunagan
03/11/07 - Sunday Morning

The Friend of God

Over the years I have been fascinated by God’s summation of the lives of His servants. Certain individuals were said to have walked with God, men such as Enoch (Genesis 5:22,24), Noah (6:9), and David (1 Kings 9:4). This is not walking after a mysterious leading or feeling, rather it denotes living in close connection and communication with, as in the statement, walked in My ways, doing right in My sight and observing My statutes (1 Kings 11:33). Of course God equally speaks of people who walked in various sins (1 Kings 16:3; 17:8,19,22). Again, walking denotes being very familiar, investing time in, and being on very friendly terms. Other passages speak of individuals who were called the friend of God:

· Abraham: “He was called the friend of God” (James 2:23; Isaiah 41:8).

· Moses: “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11).

Once again, friendship denotes intimacy, familiarity, being well acquainted, knowledgeable of, on the same path, and in agreement. We even see this when someone is called a “friend of the world” (James 4:4). And let us not make the mistake of thinking that only Abraham or Moses were allowed to be God’s friend. James notes, “He jealously desires the Spirit which He had made to dwell in us” (James 4:5). This verse includes a great comforting truth, that is, God really yearns for our devotion. Our devotion, our love really means something to God! Why do we insist on putting all our devotion into things and people that fail to reciprocate and appreciate such love? “It is a great encouragement to know that God is interested in everything we think, everything we do, everything that captures our imaginations, every word that we speak, every thought that comes into our minds” (Draper p. 121). Seeing that “adultery” is the term applied when any Christian is unfaithful, proves that God wants an intimate relationship with each and every person.

Worth Fighting For

“Finally, and pardon the obvious, but you must actually want it. Because unless you really do, you will not be able to fight for the time required to cultivate friendship with God. I mean, something’s gotta give. God doesn’t offer friendship to men who don’t care enough to make room for it. I’m troubled to think how often I have shield away from time with God. I’m not quite sure why. But I have noticed this: there is in men an irritation at having our agendas tampered with. God is the ultimate disruption. A godly man just confessed to me, ‘I don’t want to ask because I don’t want to hear ‘No’. We don’t want our agenda’s messed with” (The Way of the Wild Heart, John Eldredge p. 255). Being labeled as the friend of God is the highest compliment that any man or woman could receive in this life. Nothing trumps that.

What Friendship Involves

· Communication:

“Seven times a day I praise Thee” (Psalm 119:164). Even in a day and age when God is not directly speaking to each one of us, we can still be constantly talking to Him. I believe this is the idea behind, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Not that one is always in a posture of praying, or praying in some monastery 18 hours a day, but rather, those who walk with God remember that God is always right beside them, whether at work, in the car, out in the woods, God never leaves us.

· Meditation:

“When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches” (Psalm 63:6). “My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Thy word” (Psalm 119:148).

· Eagerly Searching for an Answer from Scripture:

“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Thy words” (Psalm 119:147).

“Give me understanding according to Thy word” (Psalm 119:169).

· Loving God’s Communication to Us:

“My soul keeps Thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly” (Psalm 119:167).

“Thy Law is my delight” (Psalm 119:174). “I rejoice at Thy word, as one who finds great spoil” (Psalm 119:162). Thus being God’s friend means consulting His word often, reminding oneself that whatever I face tomorrow, it will not take God by surprise; I will be eagerly facing things together with a good and faithful friend.

Why I need this Friendship

· Human principles are not enough:

“Perhaps the single greatest weakness common to ‘good men’ is that they do not walk with God. They have learned some principles of leadership, they have their market analyses, they have their opinions, and they try to govern by these alone” (Eldredge p. 254). Human leadership principles can only guide us so far and there will be many situations that these principles do not address. This is why I need to be very familiar with God’s truth. I see this in many businesses and in local government in our times. Everyone is drowning in “policies”, but the problem is that these policies are “earthly” (James 3:15), they do not factor in God, nor the eternal destiny of souls. They can equally be “demonic”, that is, rooted the type of short-term thinking and rationalization practiced by the devil himself: more of an “ends justifies the means” or “what will be the best for the bottom line”. The friend of God will not allow a policy to do his thinking for him, rather he will ultimately want to know what God says on the matter.

· I need a close friendship:

One of the most dangerous hazards for any man in the prime of life is loneliness. “Think of the men you know in positions of power. How many of them have close friendships with other men? Isolation is like a plague of office, and it is not good. The man becomes removed from companionship, from counsel, and from accountability. He begins to see himself as the only one who really understands, the only one with the right to rule, the only one whose opinion is valid” (Eldredge p. 248). Such a friendship will provide me with confidence, courage, counsel and strength.

· The Challenges Will Only Get Bigger:

We are often tempted to think as we grow older that we have more wisdom, and we can operate completely on our own resources. This is not true. As we mature we will be faced with newer and bigger challenges, however the stakes will be much higher. When one is a mother or father, “many lives hang in the balance” (p. 250). Yet with God and His word, I can confidently face whatever will happen tomorrow (Matthew 6:34).

Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017