Your Best Friend

Your Best Friend.
A friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Our faithlessness in God Almighty can be seen in the way we go about asking others concerning the situational pressures and other issues of life that we and others face without initially seeking redress from our God, our Creator and Redeemer, King and Father, The Almighty One.

When we have an ailment or other issues beyond our control, our first inclination is to seek a remedy from a friend we trust may have the right council concerning the matter or an expert in the particular area of concern.

While most of us are guilty of such ignorance or lack of concern, this all too common occurrence must be decisively curtailed and killed outrightly so that it does not rob God of the glory due Him, and us of God's timely intervention. 

In Proverbs 18: 24, we are reminded of this timeless truth, 
"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Reliable friends can fail us talk less of unreliable ones because their reliability is based on some factors that are beyond their power to control. Funny enough even unreliable friends can prove to be our saving grace if God deems it so.

While on earth, before the advent of the promised Holy Spirit who would be with us forever, Jesus Christ was a friend that stuck closer than a brother to his disciples.

Jesus left all to fulfill God's heavenly purpose for him on earth and his faithful friendship caused his disciples to forsake their own friends, family and even their livelihood for him and what he stood for.

The Holy Spirit is indeed the only "friend who sticks closer than a brother" that should be our first point of call for all matters pertaining to life and godliness. 

The first commandment God gave mankind still stands and as in Exodus 20: 2 to 3, still is this:

2. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3. “You shall have no other gods before me."
A god is a spiritual being that one believes to be perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present, and that can effect change on His creation at His whim.

If God is truly all these things then why do we look to others before Him?

We earnestly need to pray about and cultivate a relationship with Jesus as a friend that sticks closer than a brother by practising the presence of God and by so doing find out "what a friend we have in Jesus."

We need to consciously remind ourselves that the Spirit of Jesus (although unseen) resides in us and is therefore everly present to guide and guard us through every moment, situation and decision in life.

In John 14:26, you are encouraged thus: "the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

The Holy Spirit is the best friend God has made available for you and all mankind. Don't deny his unrivaled ability to stick with you through thick and thin like no other family member or friend ever could.

I encourage you today to resolve to give the Holy Spirit of Jesus a chance to prove the Almighty power of God to save, before the next time you face one challenge or anything else that is beyond your power to correct and by so doing, test and see that the Lord is good.

Shalom.