CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR MARCH 18, 2022 : TOPIC – WHO IS YOUR FRIEND?
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LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Friday, March 18, 2022
WHO IS YOUR FRIEND?
Read: 1 Samuel 18:1-4
1 Samuel 18:1-4 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
MEMORISE: And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt (1 Samuel 18:4)
EXPOSITION
The matter of friendship is a familiar issue. There are levels of friendship. The Holy Spirit wants us to learn in another dimension, the different kinds of friends there are, and how to carefully choose the right ones in line with His own purpose and will. Prophet Amos rhetorically posited, ‘Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?’ (Amos 3:3) Of course, for two to walk together successfully, we are talking of relationship, and relationship cannot work where the parties involved are not in right agreement with the person in question, and that makes the issue of choosing friends a thing that should be done with extra care.
Let us consider some of the basic operations in mathematics — Addition, and subtraction. First, additive friends. These are friends that add good and valuable things to your life. They add value, knowledge, experience, good and godly materials, money, and above all, Jesus Christ to your life. They won’t be satisfied until they have added quality things to your life. Mark these ones. They are the God-sent. That was what Jonathan was to David, and Ananias to Saul.
Second, the subtractive friends. These are friends who have nothing good to add to you expect that they always take from you. In the primary school, subtraction is nicknamed ‘take away’. Such friends take away your clothes, shoes, books, under wears, money and others. Also, some have taken away their friend’s wives, properties, and even, lives! Such can be Satan-sent to take eternal life away from one.
Dear reader, who have you chosen as your friend? A plus, or minus friend? You have your destiny in your own hands to do the needful, now. May your friends be godly people (Christians) who add the biblical positives to your life, family and career, in Jesus’ name, Amen. Beware of the kind of friends you keep (cf. Prov. 18:24). “Show me your friend, and I will tell you who you are.”
PRAYER POINTS:
1. O Lord, help me to choose the friends You have programmed for me, alone.
2. Lord, deliver me from the disasters that have visited me because of my wrong choices in terms of friends in the past.
3. Pray that God should raise sponsors for missionaries to cushion the effect of their works on the field.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Judges 2 – 4