He Saves, He Keeps, He Satisfies...

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
     This wonderful Friend of mine,
     Someday He'll take me through the skies,
     This wonderful Friend of mine.
When I first turned to the Lord Jesus in 1965 I began to go to the Tacoma United Pentecostal Church and this was one of the first choruses I heard. I still love its message. Usually the next chorus would be sung after it without intermission,
     Friendship with Jesus, fellowship divine,
     Oh what blessed sweet communion,
     Jesus is a friend of mine.

The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24, "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." I have always struggled with friendship. Sometimes I have wanted the friendship of others so much that I have tried to put on a show, not truly being myself, to have someone like me. However the Bible says in James 4:4, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." Since my conversion experience, I have desired to be a friend of God. But the Apostle John said in 1st John 2:15-17, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." So if I would have the truth of the above choruses apply in my life,  I must not befriend the things that this world has to offer.

The Apostle John also said in 1st John 3:1-3, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.   Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." Because of my natural inclination to have friends (and we all have it) I would never have hope to make heaven my home someday. But something the Lord Jesus said in John 15:14-15, that gives me great assurance, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.   Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." I am reminded of another old song that I have loved over the years. the first verse goes like this,
     What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
     Leaning on the everlasting arms.
     What blessedness, what a peace is mine,
     Leaning on the everlasting arms.

My friend if you are seeking true friendship, let me point you in the direction of the Lord Jesus. He is truly that "friend that sticketh closer than a brother."