THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP

Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.


IN THIS VERSE LAYS THE SECRET TO RELATIONSHIP IN MY OPINION.

ABRAHAM WAS INSTRUCTED BY GOD TO TAKE HIS ONLY SON ISSAC TO THE MOUNT AND OFFER HIM AS A BURNT OFFERING.

ABRAHAM UNDERSTOOD THAT ALL OFFERINGS HAD TO BE SLAIN, AND THEN BURNT, THIS LEAVES NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT ABRAHAM KNEW THIS MEANT ISSAC WOULD BE DEAD.

IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT HE WAS HIS ONLY SON, BUT HE WAS ALSO THE SON OF THE PROMISE THAT AS OF YET HAD NOT COME TO PASS.

THIS IS WHERE ABRAHAM HAD TO KNOW WHAT HE KNEW ABOUT GOD, AND HE COULDN'T ALLOW ANYTHING INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY TO ALTER WHAT HE KNEW THROUGH EXPERIENCE, THROUGH RELATIONSHIP.


2Chronicles 20:7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever?


Isaiah 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.


James 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.


WE MUST REALIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH ABRAHAM WASN'T CERTAIN OF WHAT GOD WOULD DO, HE KNEW GOD WAS HIS FRIEND, AND HE COULD COUNT ON HIS FRIEND BASED ON HIS KNOWLEDGE OF GODS CHARACTER, HIS LOVE, HIS PROMISE KEEPING, AND MOST OF ALL HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, HIS FRIEND.

TAKE NOTE THAT IT WASN'T ABRAHAM THAT CALLED GOD HIS FRIEND, BUT IT WAS GOD CALLING ABRAHAM HIS FRIEND.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, BECAUSE HUMANS BY NATURE WILL ALWAYS ATTEMPT TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH THOSE DEEMED IMPORTANT.

WE DO SO THINKING IT WILL MAKE US LOOK IMPORTANT, BUT WHEN THE POWERFUL, AND INFLUENTIAL CALL US THEIR FRIEND THAT ALWAYS BEARS MUCH MORE WEIGHT, AND SIGNIFICANCE.

GOD SAYS ABRAHAM WAS HIS FRIEND, THAT PLACES THE PRESSURE ON GOD TO SHOW HIMSELF FRIENDLY AND ABRAHAM KNEW, AND COUNTED ON THAT.

IT IS TRUE THAT ABRAHAM DISPLAYED GREAT FAITH, BUT HIS FAITH WAS FRIENDSHIP BASED, WHICH STRENGTHENED IT, AND MADE IT EASIER TO BELIEVE IN.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN A DRUG USER OR ALCOHOL DRINKER IN MY LIFE, THEREFORE IF MY WIFE WERE TO BE TOLD THAT I WAS KILLED WHILE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, CHANCES ARE SHE WOULD NEVER BELIEVE THAT.

NOT BECAUSE SHE WAS THERE, BUT DUE TO HER KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH ME, SHE SHOULD KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T DO THAT.

SHE UNDERSTANDS MY CHARACTER.

THIS IS WHY GOD SO DESIRES TO HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS CHILDREN, SO THAT WHEN WE ARE IN POSITIONS THAT RAISE DOUBTS, AND UNCERTAINTIES WE WILL BE ABLE TO WALK IN FAITH.

WE SHOULD KNOW HIS CHARACTER THROUGH RELATIONSHIP, NOT SIMPLY WORDS, OR ACQUAINTANCE.



2DAYS PROPHETIC ADMONITION: EVEN IF WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT GOD IS DOING IN OUR LIVE'S, OR WHY HE HAS US DOING CERTAIN THINGS IN OUR LIVE'S WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST HIM DUE TO OUR RELATONSHIP WITH HIM.

WE MUST SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH GOD IN PRAYER, AND STUDY OF HIS WORD TO EVER TRULY KNOW HIM.

KNOWING THAT GOD WAS GOOD TO ABRAHAM, NOAH, MOSES, AND OTHERS IS GOOD, BUT WE MUST KNOW, AND TRUST HIM FOR OURSELVES AS OUR FRIEND.

THAT IS WHEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO WALK UP OUR MOUNTAINS ALONE, WITH OUR MOST PRIZED PROMISES AND SAY"WE'LL BE BACK", TRUSTING THAT OUR FRIEND WILL KEEP HIS WORD PERTAINING TO HIS ORIGINAL WORD, OR VISION TO US.

ABRAHAM KNEW ISSAC WAS THE SEED OF HIS PROMISE, SO HE KNEW SOMEHOW HIS FRIEND THAT ORIGINATED THE PROMISE WAS GOOD TO HIS WORD AND WOULD MAKE SURE ISSAC WOULD BE AROUND EVEN IF HE HAD TO SACRIFICE HIM.