Mark These Key Words: Fellowship Sharpens Rejoice
Proverbs 18:24
“A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
What top qualities, habits and practices do friends bring into a relationship where true brotherhood can develop?
Top practices brought into a relationship that allow true brotherhood/sisterhood to develop are glorifying God in activities, in talk, and pushing each other in grow towards Christ.
Hebrews 10:24
“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.“
As a cowboy spurs his horse to victory in a race, how do friends “spur one another to love and good deeds”?
Friends ‘spur one another’ by keeping each other accountable to God’s standards, in purity, speech, and friendships. Also, we can spur our friend on by giving them words of encouragement
Proverbs 27:17
“Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Like an axe on a sharpening iron, true friends bring an edge to the sword of the spiritual battle. How do friendships truly begin to sharpen each other?
Friends begin to sharpen each other by confronting each other when acting in ways that do not glorify God. Confronting a friend allows for both individuals to become sharper in their personal walk with God.”
Romans 12:15
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
2 Timothy 1:4
“longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.”
What role does emotional interest and care play in developing true brotherhood?
True brotherhood / sisterhood is deepened when you show your friend emotional interest and care. By caring and even sacrificing time for a friend, friendship will grow.
Philippians 1: 3 & 4
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all.”
Why is it so important to pray regularly and often for your friends if you want true brotherhood to develop?
It is critical to pray regularly for your friends because development in friendship will deepen through prayer. By interceding in prayer for a friend, the friendship will grow in Christ, having a solid foundation.
2 Timothy 2:2
“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
For this verse, ask the Kampers: What do we entrust to faithful men? The answer is the Gospel of Christ: that we are sinners separated from God, that Christ died so that we do not need to be separated, and that we can have a relationship with Christ if we confess that we are sinners and believe that Christ was risen from the dead.
1 Corinthians 13:11
“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”
As I “become a man” in this bond of brothers, what childhood qualities do I need to leave behind?
When we become men and women, the childhood qualities we leave behind are immoral speech (cursing), immoral thinking (vengeance and immoral desires like sex before marriage), and immoral reasoning (trying to justify sin).
APPLICATION: How do these passages relate to me today? What changes does it bring to my life?
LOCKER ROOM: What is your greatest need for being personally sharp-ened today?
MEMORY VERSE: Hebrews 10:24“…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”
MY PRAYERS
Adoration: Father, today I praise You for…
Confession: Father, please forgive me for…
Thanksgiving: Father, today I’m thankful for…
Supplication: Father, the people and things that I wish to pray for today are..
