Friends of God

Everyone must honestly answer the personal question, "Who am I?"

Suppose our identity can start from being called friends of God. In that case, we have already simplified the puzzle many often struggle to understand—the question of purpose and identity.

The Bible says in John 15:14 TPT, "You show that you are my intimate friends when you obey all that I command you."

God is passionate about the well-being and prosperity of His friends. We see this clearly through Abraham's relationship with God from the beginning (Genesis 12).

Anyone can enjoy the same relationship with God by sacrificing things like time, bad habits, and worldly pleasures and committing to the discipline God requires. Abraham's obedience to God started long before He asked him to sacrifice his son. God observed him before he changed his name from Abram to Abraham and asked him to sacrifice Isaac.

God does not require blood or life like other gods do. God never intended for Abraham to kill his son Isaac. He was never that kind of God and will never be. He did this to help Abraham put behind everything he had ever known from his father's house: a culture of idol worshipping and human sacrifice.

"And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and this [faith] was credited to him [by God] as righteousness and as conformity to His will," and he was called the friend of God. [Gen 15:6; 2 Chr 20:7; Is 41:8]” ‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭AMP‬‬

By taking Abraham through gradual steps and observing his obedience and heart every step of the way, God could trust Abraham with nations and call him a friend. The central turning point in Abraham's story started here because he trusted God with the unknown. God hardly swears by His name, but it happened with Abraham when He swore by His name to bless him.

"The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "By Myself (on the basis of Who I Am) I have sworn [an oath], declares the Lord, that since you have done this thing and have not withheld [from Me] your son, your only son [of promise], indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies [by conquering them]. [Heb 6:13, 14; 11:12]” Genesis‬ ‭22‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭AMP‬‬

There have been times when all I had left was my faith. Many of us have likely been there as well. In those moments, we can't afford to give up just because we think God is taking too long.

Abraham must have been confused, just like we can sometimes be. He likely wondered how a loving and generous God could ask for his son's life. But Abraham had walked closely with God long enough to recognize His voice. Even though it might have seemed foolish or puzzling to others, Abraham trusted God would come through for him before he stepped out with Isaac.

"And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided."" Genesis‬ ‭22‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God still calls for sacrifices in our time, but are we paying attention and responding? The sacrifices required of each person may vary significantly from one individual to another.

We must nurture our relationship with God to evolve into friends of God, and it doesn't happen overnight or in a day. Trust in greater responsibilities begins with faithfulness in the small things, which also applies to marriage. Marriage is not just about the union of two individuals; it is a divine partnership with God that plays a vital role in fulfilling His purpose for creation, a purpose that began in Genesis and continues through us.

The marriage institution is crucial to God because when a true son and daughter of God unite, the circles of the friends of God expand.

Recommended Bible Study: James Chapter 2 (AMP)