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Friend or Acquaintance? How to Tell

by Tonja Taylor  
2/23/2023 / Christian Living

A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity.--Proverbs 17:17, AMPC

Some people like to brag about how many "friends" they have on social media and other areas of life. But when it comes down to it, how many of these can we really count on? Here's a couple of ways to tell the difference between a true friend and a mere acquaintance. 

The man of many friends [a friend of all the world] will prove himself a bad friend, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.--Proverbs 18:24, AMPC

The friend that sticks closer than a brother is a true friend. 

The truest "forever friend"--which most of us want--is the LORD Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate Friend, Who will never leave us nor forsake us; Who will be with us to help and cover us, forever.

His love is unchanging and eternal. He is, in fact, Love personified (I John 4:8)! 

Hallelujah!

A true friend will listen to you. That person will care about your life. That person will be willing to do hard things with you and for you, that others wouldn't do. 

True friends that are true Believers in Christ will even intercede (stand in the gap for you, between you and God) for you, and will continue to believe in you and stick by you and not deny they know you, even when you mess up.

An acquaintance will quickly disappear when you have trouble. Or, they will say they're thinking about you, etc., etc., but not seek you out to really help you as you need. They also may be quick to "share" about you, which is really gossip.

Sigh.

At this point, and even with true friends, who can sometimes blow it--but will be honest with you to admit it, and are, in fact, honest with you anyway, because they are true friends--we must release our disappointments in them to the LORD.

By the way, the LORD God, Who is our Heavenly Father when we have truly believed in and received His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ, and what He did in dying on the cross to shed His pure blood to pay for our sins over 2,000 years ago (HALLELUJAH!), is the only One Who will never disappoint us! 

⁴ And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. ⁵ Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.--Romans 5:4-5, AMPC

Even at church, we can have many--mostly--acquaintainces, if we don't take time to develop deep relationships. 

However, the One with Whom we should develop the deepest relationship is the Holy Spirit, Who is God, Who created and loves and sustains you--just as you are! 

Once you invite the LORD Jesus, God's Son, into your life to be your Savior and LORD and Best Friend Forever, Jesus will come into your heart as the Holy Spirit, and will be with you forever, to cover and protect, guide and provide, comfort, encourage, counsel, and heal and deliver and restore you, and more! 

He will never, ever go away, unless you keep telling Him to (and that is another subject)!

Jesus Christ is truly the best, sweetest, most faithful, generous, understanding, kind, wise, patient, perfect Friend there ever was or ever will be! Hallelujah!

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]--Hebrews 13:5, AMPC

 

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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