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standing with friends


Often I look around the places I get to go and notice some particular blessings that God has given me.  Blown away by the grace of God is a correct statement especially as I realize the people God placed in my life are making me much stronger.

We are stronger together.  It is easier to see what is really going on.  It is easier to get through any situation when you are not alone.  At times those friends lift us up because we are weak.  Then there are other times when we lift them.  

These people I stand with remind me of God's goodness.  Real friends let us know that we have messed up and need to keep walking with Jesus in this life.  God didn't create us to be alone.

Friends make life sweeter.  The people we stand with make us stronger. 

Here are three things that friends do for each other as we help each other stand strong:

Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

We sharpen each other as we stand and do life together.  This includes everything from learning from each other or helping a friend with a project or a problem.  Listen, we need to be sharp in difficult situations understanding that Christians have Satan as an enemy.  Lets sharpen each other.

Mark 13:9 (The Message)
... You're placed there as sentinels to truth.

A "sentinel" is a guard.  Some say "I am not my brother's keeper" and if they do, they would be wrong.  We are to stand tall in our world for Jesus.  The next verses in that chapter of Mark say that the Gospel has to be shared.  One way we help each other is when we share truth.  Our world, lost people around us and our friends, needs to see and hear truth.  People long to see truth lived out in front of them.  By the way, Truth is a person, and His name is Jesus!

Proverbs 27:9 (NLT)
The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

Friends make life sweeter.  We need each other.  Another thing we can do as we are standing with friends is counsel each other and simple live life together.  Life is sweeter as we share life.  

How are you standing, encouraging and sharpening your friends today?

NOTE: much of this post appeared on my blog in January of 2010.
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