Show Me Your Friends

There's a brief but very important message

I would like to share with all of you today.

And I have just one verse of scripture

and I promise that if you will just track with me here

for a few moments in today's word

that we'll make this as painless as possible.

But I think God's gonna do something great

with the remaining time that we have.

First Corinthians, I'd like to read out of

First Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 33.

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

First Corinthians chapter 15 verse 33.

1 Corinthians 15:33

I'm gonna invite you if you would be so kind

to stand with me just one more time, I promise.

And then you can be seated once again.

But in reverence to God's word,

we're just gonna read one verse.

First Corinthians chapter 15 verse 33.

1 Corinthians 15:33

We've been in a sermon series called Faithful Stewards.

Faithful Stewards, we've looked at the stewardship

of our finances, the stewardship

of many different things of the truth.

But today we're gonna look at the stewardship

of a very important aspect of our life.

It reads this way, do not be deceived.

Evil company corrupts good habits.

Evil company corrupts good habits.

And then we're gonna look at another translation.

Same verse, different version.

It says, don't fool yourselves.

Bad friends will destroy you.

Bad friends will destroy you.

There's an old saying, I know many of you heard it.

Show me your friends and I'll show you your future.

Ever heard that before?

Show me your friends and I'll show you your future.

So my message today is show me your friends.

Show me your friends.

We're gonna pray one more time if you would like.

Father, I thank you for your word.

All that you've done in this service

has been awesome, beautiful God.

But Lord, we cannot leave without receiving direction

and without receiving this word from scripture, God.

So I pray that you would anoint my lips of clay, God.

That you would touch the ears and hearts of all

who are gathered today watching online

that they can receive this word

and be glad and rejoice in it, Lord.

That they would be edified, strengthened

in this very important aspect of their life.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Someone say amen.

Okay, you can be seated in the presence of God.

Thank you.

I want to talk about the stewardship of ties.

Ties, I'm not talking about these ties, neck ties,

but your friendship, your soul ties, the ties,

the networks, the people that you are interacting with.

Scripture has much to say about this.

But before we dive deeper into what scripture has to say,

I read recently that you are the average

of the five people you spend the most time with.

Now you're gonna start thinking about

those five people right now.

This suggests that the people we surround ourselves with

greatly, greatly influence our thoughts, behaviors,

and ultimately shape who we become.

And I think that this is true,

that while this is not a verse in scripture,

there is a fundamental universal truth about this,

that those that you spend the majority of your time with

will have an effect on who you are

and perhaps nobody understood this better

than the Apostle Paul.

So for a few minutes today,

we're gonna get a little practical

as we're looking at relationships

through the lens of the Apostle Paul,

but there are some very powerful spiritual truths

along the way.

Now, the Apostle Paul, who is he?

We know him as an apostle, right?

We know him as a missionary, as a church planter,

as a prolific writer and preacher of the gospel,

the Apostle Paul.

Thankfully, I don't have to do a lot

by way of introduction of who he is

because we've heard his name before.

He is one of the most famous figures in all the Bible,

especially in the New Testament.

But Paul, for as great of a man as he was,

what I hope to convey to you today is that

I don't think he ever would have reached the heights

he did in his ministry and in his life,

his potential or helped others reach theirs

without having the right people in his life.

I think that Paul is a testament to the fact

that who you surround yourself with,

the people that you let into your inner circle,

the people that you let influence you,

the people you connect with,

have an effect on who you become,

and there is a very spiritual component to this.

It could have an effect on your spiritual destiny.

In Paul's example, we can, I think,

reduce the number of people from five to three.

Now, I think five people is a good number,

but we're only gonna look at three today,

three types of friends, three types of relationship,

because looking at Paul's life,

he had a lot of relationships.

You read his letters, his epistles,

you'll see him reference different men

who co-labored with him,

who worked alongside him in various capacities.

Paul was a people person,

and he knew how to recruit different men

and work with them in the spreading of the gospel,

but he had three, three essential friends.

Their names were Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy,

and each of these men represent a type of friendship

that God will send into your life for a specific purpose.

So Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy,

three men in Paul's life that had a great impact

on him becoming the apostle that he was

and him helping others fulfill their potential as well,

their spiritual potential.

So we wanna look at these three relationships,

because I think today that every one of us

needs to examine our relationships

and hopefully identify or look for who that Barnabas,

that Silas, or that Timothy is in our life,

because if you wanna be the well-rounded person

that God has designed you to be,

then these three people are essential

for you becoming that.

So let's start with this man named Barnabas.

You need a Barnabas.

What is a Barnabas?

A Barnabas is an advisor or a mentor.

In Acts chapter nine, we see Paul,

who was once a fierce persecutor of the church,

also known as Saul of Tarsus.

For the majority of his life, they knew him as Saul,

and that was the name that he was called on,

but he is also known as Paul.

And for the majority of his life,

he spent persecuting the church,

trying to do everything he could

to derail the progression, the growth of the church.

But then God did a work in his life,

and he met him on that one road to Damascus

where he encountered the shining light

and knocked him off his horse, as many of us know,

and he was converted to Christianity,

and he began to follow Jesus.

And when he was trying to join the disciples

after his conversion, many of the disciples,

the followers of Christ,

were very apprehensive about this guy.

They're like, wait a minute,

isn't this the same guy who caused us

all the grief and trouble?

Isn't it the same guy who was breathing murderous threats

on the church, who threatened to stifle us,

and who threatened to put us in jail?

And this is a bloodthirsty man.

And this was the memory,

this was the dominant thought in their mind

about who Saul or Paul was prior to his conversion.

Now, this was a very dramatic conversion,

and the disciples were just wary of him.

They were not quite sure that this thing was for real,

that this man had actually changed,

and they had serious reservations about this man, Paul,

who supposedly had a come to Jesus,

like a real come to Jesus moment,

and they wanted, and now he wants to be accepted

in the fold, and so they were divided about this.

The leaders of the church were not quite sure,

can we trust this guy?

Can we really trust him?

Can we let him in the fold?

Can we break bread with him?

Is he really one of us, or is this some kind of game?

Is he an insurgent?

Is he trying to come in on the inside and destroy us?

Is he even qualified to be one of us as a teacher,

as a preacher of the God?

So they're having this very robust debate

within the church, the early church,

about this man, Paul, and so they're not quite sure

if they're ready for him to come in.

He's got a checkered past,

and everyone knows his notorious reputation,

and perhaps his conversion was just too dramatic

of a shift for their minds to process,

but it was in this moment where this man named Barnabas

decided that he would step in,

and he took Paul under his wing,

and you know what Barnabas did?

Barnabas vouched for Paul when no one else would.

Barnabas stood in between Paul and his naysayers

and said, listen, guys,

I know whatever it is you think about him,

yes, he had a bad past,

yes, we know these things are true,

but I am here to vouch for this man

and tell you that he is a changed man,

and I have seen the testimony,

I have seen God do a work in his life,

and so he stood there and he vouched for him.

He put his own reputation,

I want you to understand what Barnabas does.

He puts his own reputation on the line for this guy

that he himself hardly knew.

Barnabas hardly knew Paul,

but he had been around him just enough to realize

that this man had been changed and transformed

by the power of God,

and we read in Acts chapter nine in verse 27,

it says this, but Barnabas took him

and brought him to the apostles,

and he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road

and how he had spoken to him

and how he had preached boldly at Damascus

in the name of Jesus.

Barnabas says, look, Paul,

I'm gonna go out on a limb for you, buddy, okay?

I'm gonna stick my neck out for you, Paul,

because Paul, I believe in you.

I believe in you, Paul.

I see something in you, Paul.

I see something in you that others don't see,

so I'm gonna stick my neck out for you

and I'm gonna face criticism for it.

They're gonna think that I've lost my mind,

but I'm gonna stick my neck out for you, Paul,

because I see something.

Now, why would someone do that?

I'll tell you why, because Barnabas, his name,

his name has a special meaning.

It means the son of encouragement.

You see, Barnabas was an encourager.

He was the son of encouragement.

He had encouragement within him,

and he was encouraging Paul.

Paul, I know they're saying this and they're saying that,

and there's rumors that are circulating

among the top brass of the church,

but Paul, you need to know that I'm here to encourage you,

Paul, you need to pursue your calling,

you need to do what God has called you to do,

and this is exactly what, and he wouldn't give up on him.

He would not give up on him.

In Acts chapter 11, Barnabas, again, he went to Tarshish

Acts 11 · chapter mention

for the specific purpose of finding Paul

and bringing him with him.

He went and he sought him out,

and he began to look for Paul,

and then he takes Paul with him to a city called Antioch,

and in Antioch, both Paul and Barnabas there

worked together side by side,

and for a whole year, Barnabas took Paul under his wing

and he mentored him, and he allowed Paul to shadow him

and to, and allow him into his life, into his world.

He said, no, no, Paul, that's not how you do it.

This is how you do it.

Oh, okay, and he was his, he followed him in that way.

Let me tell you something.

If we're ever going to reach our potential in God

and in life, we need a Barnabas in our life

who's gonna believe in us.

Amen, somebody.

Why do you need a Barnabas?

Let me tell you why.

You need a Barnabas because a Barnabas is someone

who believes in you when others don't.

They see your potential.

They see things in you that, quite honestly,

you may not even see in yourself.

They call, they speak things in you

that you may not even feel and know yourself.

You're like, wow, you really see that in me?

And has someone ever spoken to you like that?

You don't believe them?

They're like, no, I see it in you.

You're a creator, you're this, you're that,

you've got a brilliant mind, and you have to convince,

you've got to talk them into who they really are.

And this is why you need a Barnabas

because if you don't have somebody in your life

that is bringing an opposing or a different point of view

into you, you might believe whatever lies or deceptions

or falsehoods about yourself,

self-reducing thoughts about your life,

but you need someone like a Barnabas.

You need a Barnabas because they are, number two,

mentors who can guide you through life's various challenges.

All the different challenges that come through life,

the spiritual and the practical,

they bring you into different challenges

and they help you find your way.

Because a Barnabas is someone, number two,

show number two there, a Barnabas helps you

bring through challenges, they guide you.

The reason they can guide you is because most times

they've already been there.

They've already been there.

They're further along in the process than you are.

You know what they've done?

They've climbed the hill that you're on right now.

They've already slayed the giant

that you've been fighting with.

You need people like that in your life.

My God, you need people like that in your life.

You need people of faith and people of courage to say,

you know what, this thing you're fighting right now,

let me tell you this, I've got the scars to show,

I've got the medals to prove that I've already conquered that

and if I did it, you can do it too.

You need people to speak faith into you

and shake you out of your negative thinking

and tell you it's gonna be all right, amen.

I need a Barnabas, how about you?

Number three, they help you step into your calling.

Every one of you is called, every one of you.

No one shows up into this world without a calling

on their life, whether they reach it or not is the question,

but God has called each and every one of us

that are here today and a Barnabas can give you the wisdom

and the knowledge you need to fulfill your God given calling.

So let us not overlook the influence and the impact

that a Barnabas can have in your life.

They could be a family member, but not always.

They can be someone outside of it.

In fact, sometimes it's good to have someone outside

of the family who can talk to you this way

because then you know they're gonna be completely objective

and unbiased about what they see in you and what they,

because sometimes even your own family members,

they have you pigeonholed in a certain thing,

well, I just always thought you were gonna be this

and they have a hard time accepting

what God's really called you to be

and so sometimes you need an outside voice,

a Barnabas to say, no, this, I'm here to tell you

and encourage you that you're an apostle, Paul.

You're not just Saul of Tarsus anymore.

You've got a greater destiny in your life.

So you need a Barnabas and number two,

this brings us after you have an advisor, a mentor,

you need a Silas.

You need a Silas.

Someone say Silas.

Silas is an important figure that we need,

important relationship in our life.

He is an associate.

So you need an advisor and you need an associate

or a companion.

See, a Barnabas is someone that walks before you,

but a Silas is someone that walks besides you.

Barnabas is not always gonna be there

through like every battle, okay?

Barnabas has got like other stuff he's gotta do too, you know?

You're not the only one, maybe he's mentoring.

He might be helping somebody else out,

but a Silas is somebody who will stick to you like glue.

So you gotta be careful who you choose.

Amen.

Silas came into Paul's life at a crucial time,

at a crucial time during one of his,

it was actually his second missionary journey.

And we read in Acts chapter 15 and verse 40,

Acts 15 · chapter mention

but Paul chose, watch this, Paul chose,

because you have to, you gotta choose them sometimes.

You don't just wait for them to come into your life.

Oh, you just stumbled into my life.

That's not always gonna happen like that.

Sometimes you gotta seek it out.

Sometimes you gotta seek it out, he chose Silas

and they departed being commended by the brethren

to the grace of God.

Silas came alongside Paul when he needed a fresh start

and he needed a companion who would share his passion

and his commitment.

Here's the thing about a Silas,

and this is why you have to be careful who your Silas is.

Not everyone in your life is qualified to be your Silas.

I don't care, you can get along,

you can do a lot of things,

and say, hey man, we like the same team

or we don't like the same food.

It's gotta be deeper than that.

It's got to be deeper than that.

It's not just, you know, we get along.

We get along, you can get along with a lot of people,

but that doesn't mean they're your Silas.

The Silas in your life is the person who can challenge you.

Amen, somebody.

The Silas in your life is the person who comes alongside you

and like iron sharpens iron,

is able to encourage or push you,

but be there with you along the way.

When Paul and Silas came together as friends

and they started this journey together,

I'm not sure that either one of them

knew where this friendship would take them,

but what a wild ride it was.

What a wild ride it was.

I don't know if either one of them knew

what they were signing up for,

but when they went on that journey together,

they were in it together.

One most notable story of their friendship

is found in Acts chapter 16,

Acts 16 · chapter mention

where the Bible says that they were jailed

for praying for a girl who was freed from an evil spirit.

Paul and Silas, they were ministry partners.

They shared a passion for the gospel.

They shared a passion for apostolic ministry.

And so the two of them were working side by side

and they happened to come upon this girl

who was possessed by an evil spirit.

And when they ministered to her,

she was set free from that spirit,

but the people who were profiting off of her,

because she was a fortune teller

and there were men that were profiting,

she was really a slave to them,

she was being human trafficked in that way,

and so she was set free from that.

And they didn't like it because it put them out of business.

They were making money off of this girl.

Well, she's free and it caused a ruckus among these people

and they got Paul and Silas thrown in jail.

So imagine this, Paul and Silas went from the mountain top

to the valley in a matter of moments.

They went from being like the talk of the town

to having their name on a wanted poster.

They went from being apostolic ministry 101.

I mean, they went from just doing great things

and all of a sudden they found themselves public enemy,

number one, and now they're in jail.

But what I like about this tandem,

what I like about this duo, this Paul and Silas,

these two associates, is that through the ups

and through the downs, they did not abandon each other.

They did not abandon each other.

And this is what the Bible says in Acts 16,

watch this, it said already, as they were in jail,

this has got to be one of the lowest points

in both of their lives,

but we're focusing on Paul here, right?

This got to be the lowest point in Paul's life.

They're now in jail, what are they going to do?

But the Bible says, but at midnight,

Paul and Silas were, what were they doing?

Oh, come on now, what were they doing?

They were praying, they weren't complaining.

They weren't talking about how woe is me.

They were praying and they were singing hymns to God.

You need to find, you know who your Silas is?

The person that will pray with you,

that will praise with you.

They're your prayer partner, they're your praise partner.

They're the people that'll stay with you

in the thick and the thin.

And they were, and the prisoners were listening to them.

This is what we need in our life.

If you're gonna make it, if you're gonna make it,

if you're gonna endure to the end,

if you're gonna be all that God has called you to be,

if you're gonna steward your relationships, right?

You need a Silas.

Why do you need a Silas?

Number one, a Silas is a peer who walks alongside you

in your journey of faith.

They refuse to let you walk alone.

They are agreeable and they are available.

Bible tells us in Amos, Book of Amos chapter three

and verse three, can two walk together

unless they are agreed.

That's your Silas.

Your Silas is that person that walks with you,

alongside you, and they refuse to let you alone.

They're, like I said, they're like glue,

they're like Velcro, they're there with you.

And this brings me to the second reason

why you need a Silas is that they help you stay strong

during trials, encouraging you to press on.

You need people like that,

that are not gonna let you give up.

Hmm, my Lord.

Oh, help me, Lord.

You need people in your life

that are not gonna let you give up,

that are not gonna let you throw in the towel,

that are gonna be there to support you, to encourage you.

Let me tell you, in the day of Facebook and Instagram

of a bunch of disposable friendships

and people that are falling in and out

of friendship nowadays, you know,

they, you know, you say one thing

and then now they're not your friend

and then they block you, you know, or they unfriend you.

Man, I don't know, that's kind of a new kind of thing

in our day and age,

but in an age where kind of people just are still flipping

with their friendship,

you need to watch out for fair-weather friends,

those friends in your life

that'll only be your friend when you agree with them,

that'll only be your friend when things are going good,

that'll only be your friend, oh my God,

when things are going well,

but the Bible tells us in Proverbs 17, 17,

that a friend loves at all times.

At all times.

At all times, someone say all times.

All times, that's right.

You gotta watch out for those fair-weather friends

who, you know, who just,

and you know the type, right?

They just show up, ooh, you got that promotion,

they wanna know where we're going for lunch.

Where were you when I lost my job?

When I needed some help?

Man, I was sending subliminal messages

and you just ghosted me on Instagram, you know?

Where were you then?

And they wanna ride, it seems,

now that you're doing better,

now they wanna maybe ride the coattails, you know?

No, a silas will be with you

when everyone loves you and likes you

and they'll be with you

when you might be the most unpopular person.

You can't buy a friend.

They say, you're stuck with me.

They're your ride or die.

I'm with you.

We're gonna make this, we're friends till the end.

And this was a silas.

They are friends, number three,

they are friends who push you to be better

and they also hold you accountable.

Say, hey, you said we were gonna do this and that,

but now you're not doing it.

What's up?

Oh man, I thought we were friends.

Well, yeah, I'm your friend.

I'm holding you accountable.

We said we were gonna do this together.

What happened?

Oh man, yeah, you know, I gotta get mad.

And vice versa.

And then in the next season, the tables will turn.

And then it'll be you telling them, hey, come on,

let's do this together.

Pick up your head, get your chin off the floor.

Come on, we've gotta do something for God.

We've gotta do things for the Lord.

We, you know, the life's too short for this stuff.

Real friends, don't just go along to get along.

Well, I don't wanna say nothing

because then it's gonna make it awkward.

No, make it awkward.

I don't wanna say it's gonna make it awkward.

And then, you know, then it's gonna change things.

Maybe that's what your friendship means.

It needs to get real.

It needs to get awkward.

It needs to get a little uncomfortable

because what good is a friend

if they're never gonna speak the truth and love?

What good is a friend if they're just gonna walk?

Does a friend let a friend just walk off a cliff?

So, oh, but they're happy.

Let them be happy as they walk off a cliff.

What?

I don't want people like that in my life.

I want people to say, oh, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Even if you get upset,

you go ahead and get upset with me right now.

You might think I'm your enemy.

You may not like me for a season,

but it's because I love you

and I said I've got your back

and I said I was gonna pray for you

and I said I was gonna praise with you.

Oh, thanks be to God.

Hallelujah.

No, that's truthful.

That's honesty.

And Paul had a silas in his life.

Who's your silas?

Who's your silas?

I wouldn't be here today if I didn't have a Barnabas

and if I didn't have a Silas in my life.

And sometimes, sometimes Silas is my change.

If you're blessed to have a friend,

a lifelong friend all your life who said,

well, praise God, but sometimes it comes in waves

and then you may have a Silas in one season

that is different in another season of life.

But as long as you have that person

or those people who will push you along.

So build and steward those friendships.

Treat them well.

Build each other up who share your values and your mission.

And I said, not just anybody can be your Silas.

There has to be somebody who shares a common value,

a common mission.

The Bible says that do not be unequally yoked

with unbelievers.

So you gotta get a believer,

a person of faith in your life

that shares the same passion that you have

for the things of the Lord, amen.

So these relationships will encourage you to keep the faith.

And here's the third, here's the third,

because this is where we're gonna bring it home right here.

Amen, can you give me just a few more moments, amen?

Is the third, number three is that you need a Timothy.

You need a Timothy.

Okay, so let me put it on perspective for you.

You can have a Barnabas, praise God, wonderful.

Have a mentor and advisor.

You can have a Silas, you're ride or die,

the person who's there with you.

Great, but my question is, after an advisor,

after an associate, do you have an apprentice?

Someone who you are discipling.

Paul's relationship with a young man named Timothy

is one of the most powerful examples of mentorship

in the Bible.

Timothy was more than just a friend.

He was Paul's protege.

He was his spiritual son.

Their bond was special.

It began when Paul met him in a little town called Lystra

in Acts chapter 16.

Acts 16 · chapter mention

And Paul recognized something in Timothy.

He saw the sincere faith in him that had been deposited

in him from his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois.

Timothy was a young man who had an excellent reputation

in the church, who had made a great impression

upon the believers, young and old.

And Paul saw this young man and said,

man, that kid's got something.

That kid's got something.

There's something about him, something special.

And so Paul sought him out and he, just like Barnabas,

watch how this thing comes to full circle.

Just like Barnabas put his arm around Paul,

took him under his wing.

Now Paul is paying it forward by taking Timothy

under his wing.

And it continues from there.

And he begins to pour into him.

And he takes him on a missionary trip

and he starts to mold him.

He starts to disciple him.

He starts to train him up in the ministry.

He starts to train him into being an apostolic preacher

of the gospel.

And their relationship blossomed to the point

that Paul called him in 1 Timothy 1-2 a true son in the faith.

He said, Timothy, you're like a son to me.

I'm not, you know, he wasn't trying to replace

his biological father in any way.

Timothy had a father.

But he said, you're like a son to me.

That's how I love you.

That's how invested I am into you.

That's how committed I am to this relationship.

And so Paul began to invest in him.

Why do you need a Timothy?

Let me tell you why before I close.

A Timothy is someone you pour into.

A younger or newer believer who looks up to you.

Can you imagine what Timothy felt like

when the Apostle Paul, like the great Apostle Paul

took notice of him?

Can you imagine what that did for his self-esteem?

Can you imagine what that did for Timothy?

Like, you want to mentor me?

That must have just, that must have made

such a strong impression on him

because Paul had taken that time to bring him under.

This is someone who is teachable.

So how do I know if this is Timothy?

Well, do they listen or not?

Are they open-minded?

Or do they act like I know it all?

There have been people in my life who I have wanted to,

at different points, bring in as a Timothy.

But one of the things that tell me is,

at least you're not my Timothy,

is that when you have a know-it-all attitude already,

if you are already a mister or a missus know-it-all,

guess what?

You might have to go through some experiences

to realize that you actually don't know it all,

but until then, you can't be a Timothy.

A Timothy has to have a mind like a sponge

and be ready to absorb what it is that you're telling him

and be teachable and moldable and correctable in that way.

This relationship, number two, reinforces your own learning.

You know what I've discovered

about having a Timothy in my life

is that it forces me to stay sharp.

You don't realize how slack and how, oh,

how stale you've become in your own faith,

in your own walk with God,

until you have to start molding and mentoring someone else.

Because you're like, wow, I thought I knew it.

And I have to go back.

You know why?

Can I tell you?

They start asking you questions

that you don't have the answers to.

You're like, uh, and that's a little embarrassing at first.

You're like, man, I'm supposed to know this.

And then you say, well, let me get back to you

and I'll tell you.

And if you've got a good relationship with them,

they'll let you do just that.

But it keeps you sharp.

There's been times in my life

where I've had to say, let me get back to you on that.

And it forces me to stay fresh.

It keeps you from becoming stagnant.

And so if you have a Barnabas, praise be to God.

God bless you.

If you have a Silas, God bless you.

Who's your Timothy?

Who's the person that you're,

that new or young believer that you are pouring into,

amen, to help you stay fresh in your own faith?

Number three, it fulfills the biblical mandate

to go and make disciples.

I'll invite the musicians to come up here, but listen,

this is what it all comes down to.

God has given each and every one of us a mandate to go.

Did he not?

Someone say, amen.

He gave us a mandate to go and make disciples.

Finding and mentoring your Timothy

is about fulfilling the great commission

to go therefore in all the world and make disciples.

Baptizing them in the name of the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all things.

What is this about?

Can I tell you?

Someone say, what is it about?

It's about tomorrow.

It's about the future.

It fulfills the divine call to pass the baton.

God forbid that we live and die

with the baton still in our hands.

God forbid that we go through our life

never passing the torch to someone else

and say, now you take it even further.

You go places where not even I could have gone.

But what I'm describing here

is gonna require a commitment from you.

See, it's like many Christians, they love the idea.

They're sold out to the idea of taking a Timothy

and discipling somebody.

But when the rubber actually meets the road,

and now it's gonna inconvenience your life

in some big way,

and now it's gonna,

because you're gonna have to pay for them to eat sometimes.

You're gonna have to talk to them.

You're gonna have to invest in them.

Oh my God.

And it's like, that's where it gets difficult.

That's what, I don't know.

But I am here the last time

but I am here the Lord sent me here today to tell you,

it's worth it.

It's worth it.

It's worth it to pass that baton.

If it's your children, absolutely.

You pass that baton to your children.

Outside of your children,

there are other people in your life that God,

let me tell you as I close that every Joshua needs a Moses.

Every Ruth needs a Naomi.

Every Elijah needs an Elisha.

Needs someone who's gonna show them the ropes.

Show them this is how you serve the Lord.

I invite you to stand with me here today.

Can we give God a hand, praise.

Thank you Jesus.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Church of God, I implore you today friend, family member,

I employ all of you today.

I implore you today,

I employ all of you today, I implore you today

in the Holy Ghost that we must do our part.

But among all things, there is a friend this afternoon

that fulfills every category.

There is a friend that's a friend of all friends.

There is a friend that if you would meet this friend today,

if you would draw closer to this friend,

this is the friend that will lead you

into every other friendship that you need.

And his name is Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the ultimate friend.

He is the one that fulfills all these aspects

of true friendship.

Like Barnabas, he'll give you the wisdom that you need.

Like Silas, he'll stick closer to you than a brother.

And for the Timothes, he'll give you the wisdom

to raise up Timothes in your life.

I invite you today as we begin to pray,

I invite you today to start with Jesus.

Mm, mm, my God.

Start with the Lord Almighty.

He said, well, what kind of friend is God?

What kind of friend is he?

Jesus said, greater love has no man than this,

that to lay down one's life for his friend.

Let me tell you about the friend of all friends today.

Oh God, let me tell you about the friend who loves,

the friend who gives, who laid down his life for us today.

If you can connect with this friend,

if you can connect with the one who told his disciples,

I no longer call you slaves or servants, but friends.

If you can connect with that one today,

he will guide you into all truth.

He'll set you up with the right people in your life.

He'll hook you up with the right relationships

and friendships in your life.

He'll bring you into the right spaces and places.

He'll open up a whole new world of possibilities

and he'll lead you all the way to heaven.

I invite you right there where you are.

If you wanna close your eyes,

if you wanna begin to pray with me,

in fact, I'm gonna open up this altar today

for anyone who would just wanna draw closer

in prayer to God, but I wanna pray,

hallelujah Jesus, hola, mayasha.

I wanna pray that somebody today

would draw closer to the friend of friends.

Come on, would you help me pray as we get ready to sing.