Friends

This is something I just kinda spilled out last week- It's a little jumbled and not everything I wanted to say but for some reason I can't seem to fill it in. So maybe this is all it's supposed to be...I'm not sure:

Friends, we’ve all had them and have them now. I’ve been pondering lately. I’ve had “friends” in my life but were they really friends?
The Strongs says that a friend is:
An associate. he who associates familiarly with one, a companion. One of the bridegroom's friends who on his behalf asked the hand of the bride and rendered him various services in closing the marriage and celebrating the nuptials
The dictionary says that a friend is:
a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. A person who gives assistance, patron, supporter a person who is on good terms with another. Someone who is not hostile. Rare. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts, and one who supports.

When I think of the word friend I think of someone who loves me just as much as I love them. Someone who I would give my life for without thinking twice about it. Someone who would never hurt me intetionally and who would always speak the truth no matter how bad it may hurt. A true friend will never leave me, will never just walk away. A true friend is someone I can give my heart to and know they would never crush it, harm it, or drop it. My heart is safe with them. Now I’m not saying friends have to be perfect but a true friend would never talk about me behind my back, will never try to hurt the people I love. A true friend is someone who is willing to walk in the light. To walk in righteousness and flee all darkness. I must to say that true friendship HAS to be in the light. There are no hidden agendas, no secrets, no lies, only love and truth. A true friend never tries to act like everything is ok. They are always trying to serve, listen, and give godly advice. A friend is one who will admit they were wrong. A friend is quick to close their mouth and listen. They are not always trying to justify themselves. Their standards are that of Christ- no less, no compromise. They are willing to pour out their heart, willing to be transparent. Nothing can keep them from fellowship with Him or the body.

So what am I trying to say here?- I guess I'm trying to say that we really need to look at our friendship and see if they truly do match up with the Word. Not only our friendships or relationship with each othe but with God. Are we really walking in the light or only half way? because you know that only walking half way in the light is not walking in the light. If the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness? There is no gray with God, no shade, no lukewarmness- it says that if we are lukewarm He will spew us out of His mouth. I know we've heard this all before but I believe that we need to be jolted back into reality at times. I think that we all need to sit back and examine our relationships and truly see if they are pure. And you know that if you sit back and see that you don't have any relationships at all then we have a problem. I just encourage all of you to get into the word, set aside time and look at your hearts. God is wanting to move but He can't if we start backing up. THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE WHATSOEVER (in any area of our lives). We have to walk in righteousness, pure in word, pure in deed, and most importantly pure in our relationships. Your relationships with people reflects your relationship with God, I just ask you to truly think about this and let God show you whatever He needs to. It all comes back to the question: are you willing to serve Him because He's worthy? It's not about us, we need to see to it that the Lamb that was slain receives the reward of His suffering in us.