Who are your Friends?

Text: Mk. 2:1-12
More lessons: 1 Kings 12:1-14
Bible Reading in one Year: Psalms 137-142

I have discovered in life and destiny that, whoever you are, you need help. Most of the time, the supernatural help of God comes in display or manifestation through men. The man sick of palsy needed to be carried from the point where he was to the point where Jesus must see him and help him. He could not help himself, if he could help himself, he would have not remained in that condition for that long. Oftentimes in some life's situations, a man may lose all the ability to help himself. There are so many leprosy situations in peoples' life that cannot be seen physically but they are there. We read about how some four men helped the sick man to get to Jesus. A man who stands alone is in danger of falling. The Bible says Two are better than one… but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up Eccl. 4:9-10. Good friends are assets in times of trouble. You need people to help you. Friends can be source of encouragement in times of trouble. Also, bad friends can be the undoing of a man. So the friends you keep have either negative or positive effects on your life.
The friends you keep can make or mar you. The type of people you keep around you or hang up with will determine how you may likely end up. Y our purpose and goals in life should determine the type of friends you keep. Friends have influence on your journey in life and they can determine if you will get to your destination or not. It is wisdom to identify each of the friends you have and what effect they have on you. Whoever is in your life and does not have anything to do with the plans and purposes of God for you could not have been by the plan of God, he is an extra luggage and will slow you down. This man's friends made every effort to bring him to Jesus. As soon as the major assignment of bringing him to Jesus was performed, we never heard about them anymore. The friends you keep should take you closer to Jesus. Any type of friendship that does not take you to Jesus will take Jesus from you. But for the good friends of this man he would have died in his infirmity. His friends were tools to his deliverance and healing.
God desires healthy relationships for you. God has placed people around you who can help you reach your goals and heights He has destined you for. You need to identify them and know the part they are to playing in your destiny. Cherish relationship, cherish the people around you, you may need them in your days of trouble when no one is there to help.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to turn away every negative company masquerading as friends around you.
* Ask God to lead you to friends of life not adventures and friendship merchants.
* Pray that you will be a productive friend in all your relationship.

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