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Transcript

Abiding in God’s Friendship · First15 Devotional

• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Today, we will look at what it means to be a friend of God.
• 0:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Friendship with God is a beautiful, sought-after thing, and he has made his friendship fully available to us.
• 0:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: What a gift.
• 0:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: May you fall deeper in love with God today as you learn what it means to abide in God's friendship.
• 0:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to the first 15-potcast.
• 0:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: our Scripture for today comes from John 15 verses 14 and 15.
• 1:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Scripture says, you are my friends.
• 1:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you do what I command you, no longer do I call you servants.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: For the servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends.
• 1:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: For all that I have heard from my father, I have made known to you.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Do you know that God calls you his friend?
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: John 15 verses 14 and 15 says, you are my friends if you do what I command you.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: No longer do I call you servants.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: For the servant does not know what his master is doing.
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I have called you friends for all that I have heard from my father, I have made known to you.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: As a believer, you have gained friendship with a God who exemplifies perfect, unconditional love.
• 2:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: You have gained relationship with your creator, whose greatest desire is simply to spend time with you.
• 2:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Allow the love of your heavenly Father to sink in for a minute.
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Allow the Spirit to reveal to you God's motives today, as we look at what it means for
• 2:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: John 1513 says, greater love has no one than this that someone laid down his life for his friends.
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jesus has committed the greatest act of love this world has ever known in laying down his life.
• 2:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he did so willingly, out of his desire for relationship with us.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: God desired friendship with you to the level that He would send His only son to die in order to restore what sin had destroyed.
• 3:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: The questions before you today are, are you experiencing the fruits of friendship with Jesus?
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Are you receiving the satisfaction that comes from abiding in relationship with God?
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: The Holy Spirit's desire today is to lead you into a greater depth of friendship with your creator.
• 3:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: The one who laid down his own life for your sake.
• 3:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: What he asks of you today is to make time to invest in your friendship with him as you would any other relationship.
• 3:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: He asks that you would value relationship with him to the level that you would commit time and energy to it.
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: just as marriage cannot be fruitful or enjoyable without investment from both parties.
• 3:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: We must invest in our friendship with God to receive all that relationship with Him is designed to bring us.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: John 1514 makes it clear that true friendship with God is following His commands.
• 4:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jesus has revealed the pathway to abundant life.
• 4:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: and he's led us to that path by laying down his own life that we might have the Holy Spirit working within us.
• 4:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: To be friends with Jesus is to choose to lay down our own lives and response to his loving sacrifice.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: To walk in friendship with God is to choose humility over pride and follow the path set before us in Jesus.
• 4:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are no longer servants unaware of the plans and will of our master, but friends who have heard, seen, and experienced the truth.
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Will you choose friendship with God over the world today?
• 5:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Will you choose to follow the will of God who laid down his life for yours?
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Will you walk down the pathway of life today?
• 5:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Or will you choose to go your own way?
• 5:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: True friendship with God is fully available to you today.
• 5:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you will follow the life-giving commandment of Jesus and make space and time to invest in your relationship with Him, nothing will bring you greater satisfaction than living out of the abundance of friendship with Jesus.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Revelation 320 says, behold, I stand at the door and knock.
• 5:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Open the door of your heart to the God of love today, and spend time fellowshiping with him and guided prayer.
• 6:11
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
• 6:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: as we begin, meditate on your status as a friend of God, allow scripture to change your perspective on how God views you, and how you should view God.
• 7:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: John 15 verses 14 and 15 says, you are my friends if you do what I command you.
• 7:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: No longer do I call you servants.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I have called to friends, for all that I have heard from my father, I have made known to you.
• 8:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: and next.
• 8:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Reflect on your own life.
• 8:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: What relationships do you invest in over your relationship with God?
• 8:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Who have you made the highest priority?
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: In what ways are you not following the commands of Jesus?
• 8:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: John 1423 says, If anyone loves me, He will keep my word,
• 8:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And last, repent of any way in which you have valued other relationships over God.
• 9:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Confess any ways in which you have not been following the commands of Jesus and receive the forgiveness of God.
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Spend time investing in your friendship together.
• 9:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Revelation 320 says, behold, I stand at the door and knock.
• 9:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.
• 10:14
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
• 10:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: The only day we are promised is today.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't wait to invest in your relationship with God.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't set it aside while you take care of what seems to be more pressing.
• 10:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Loving God is always first priority.
• 10:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Spending time with Him is always the most important thing.
• 10:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Choose to be a follower of Jesus who values His commands over any other.
• 11:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Choose His way over your own or the worlds.
• 11:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Walk today with a fruit of friendship with God as your source in guide.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you do, you will experience favor and grace on even the most mundane tasks set before you.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: You will experience a foundation of love on which you have the grace to follow God wholeheartedly and love others purely and fully.
• 11:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Value friendship was God above all else and experience the abundant life available to you.
• 12:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for listening to today's devotional.
• 12:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Josh Miller with first 15.
• 12:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: As you go about your day today, try and reflect on where you most need God as a friend.
• 12:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe it's as a listener, maybe a guide, maybe a counselor or source of wisdom, and wherever you notice need, invite God to meet you there.
• 12:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: If today's episode was meaningful for you, let us know by leaving a review or reaching out to us at podcast at first15.org.
• 12:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you see Kim.