Hello everyone, I hope you are all fine by God’s grace and that your lent period is fruitful.
Today’s post is centered on core values.
Let’s look at Amos 3:3
Amos 3:3 KJV
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
This verse is self-explanatory and it’s a basic principle we notice in our daily lives. It’s easier to hang around with someone with whom you agree. It’s easier to become friends with people who agree with you. However, when you try to make friends with people who are systematically different from you, there are always points of divergence which separate you or which push one of you to compromise.
We can’t always agree on every single thing with a friend or loved one. Nevertheless, we should befriend people with whom we agree at least on core values. If you can’t agree on core values with the people you spend all your time with, sooner or later you will be pushed to choose.
What are those core values on which you should agree? Let’s make a little list of some core values .
1. God exists and He is The Creator of Heaven and earth
Genesis 1:1 KJV
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
If your friend doesn’t even believe that God exists, it means he/she won’t have any reason of fearing Him. As such, they’ll behave in any way possible and they’ll never ever consider it as a sin since after all to them “God doesn’t exist”.
If you hang with someone like that and let yourself be under his/her influence, before you notice it either your faith in God is in danger, or your values are being compromised and little by little your zeal for The Lord decreases.
However, if you spend time with people who know that God exists and who love Him sincerely , they encourage you in your faith and make a safer environment for you to grow freely in The Lord.
2.There is only One God and He alone is to be worshipped and adored
Leviticus 19:4 KJV
Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.
There’re people these days who say it’s important to return to the African idols of the past, the gods of their ancestors. They have all sorts of arguments to say how much the idolatrous traditions of their culture are important and to be continued (worshiping masks, sacrificing to idols etc etc).
In case you’re looking for friends who can draw you closer to God, these absolutely aren’t the type of people you want to have near you. When they face troubles in their lives they are totally ready to resort to wizards, sorcerers, witch doctors, the gods of their ancestors etc. For sure that’s their choice, but when they’ll see you going through hardships they’ll invite you at those places of theirs, and they’ll be a trap to you. These are the people whose policy is to “light one candle for God, but light another one for the devil, because one never knows“.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 KJV
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. [12] For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord : and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
When your entourage is made up of sincere Christians they won’t encourage to do things which imply disobedience to God.
3. The Bible is The Word of God
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
If your friends don’t even believe that The Bible is The Word of God, every time you’ll discuss about something really obvious (obvious to you because you read your Bible and hence you know God’s will) they’ll tell you that they don’t trust The Bible. They’ll say all sorts of things in order to question how true and precise The Bible is, and in the end they won’t even listen to you.
4. There’s a difference between good and evil
Isaiah 5:20 NIV
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Watch out if your friend says that “good and evil don’t really exist and that everything is a question of perspective“. People who say things like that have absolutely no limits. Stealing, envying, killing, cheating are normal to them since “good and evil don’t exist“.
When you’ll tell them about your mistakes and about where you fell and your need to repent, they’ll tell you there’s no need to repent, since there’s “no sin” and everything you do is “OK” so long as you follow your “heart“.
Even when they’ll push you into sin and be a stumbling block for you, they won’t apologize and they won’t see any problem in that, since “everything is an illusion ” and the most important thing in life to them is “having fun“.
On the other hand, if your friends are Christians who love God and are aware of the difference between good and evil, they’ll be able to tell you when you’re wrong, pray for you and even help you turn back to God.
The list ends here for today, we’ll continue with the rest tomorrow God willing.
While waiting, please, take time today to realize that before choosing friends (and spouses), we may not agree on all, but at least we have to agree on essential Christian core values.
Prayer
Father God Almighty, please help me identify the core values I look for in a Christ-centered friendship. Help me find friends who love You sincerely, and who will be of good influence to me. In Jesus Christ’s Name I pray. Amen.
Thanks for reading.
God bless you.
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