A Truly Good Friend

A man without a friend is a lonely person. Everyone needs a friend. But there are good friends as well as bad ones. Even good friends can become bad ones. Psalms 41:9 says, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”

Who is a truly good friend? He is one who will remain with you in adverse circumstances. Only Jesus does that. He understands what it means to be without a friend.

When Jesus performed miracles and fed five thousand people, He was popular (Jn 6:5-15). After this, the people wanted to make Him their king. But when He told them not to labour for the food that was perishable but for the food that endured unto everlasting life (Jn 6:26-42), the people despised Him and left. Those who left Him included His disciples (Jn 6:66). The Lord during His last supper said to His disciples, “All ye shall he offended because of Me this night.” But Peter answered saying, “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” Then the Lord said to him, “Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Mt 26:31-34). True enough, not long after Jesus had finished speaking, Judas led a hand of soldiers and came to detain Jesus. Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled, including Peter who had declared that he would die for Jesus.

When Jesus was captured, Peter denied Him three times (Mt 26:69-74). When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He cried out with a loud voice saying, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken Me?” (Mt 27:46).

We need only to come before Him to ask for mercy. He will surely grant our requests (Heb 4:15-16).

If you have been misunderstood with no one to care for you be assured that the Lord Jesus knows your sorrows. He will surely comfort you and help you.

The Lord Jesus said, “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He also said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (Mt 11:28; Jn 6:37).

The Lord Jesus gave this promise to His disciples, “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you” (Jn 14:18). The Lord also promised His disciples saying, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever ... But the comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (Jn 14:16, 26). This promise is precious indeed. If we desire to have fellowship with the Lord, we must receive the Holy Spirit. We must also read the Bible. Go to the True Church. Then we shall get to know Christ better.

The Bible says, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Prov 18:24). This friend who is closer than a brother is the Saviour Jesus Christ. Are you willing to be His friend?