You Are Called His Friend

Oh, how the Father loves His own. Oh, how He loves His faithful servants and children. He knows who they are. If the Father knows you, you are so much more than His servant. The Lord Jesus calls you His friend. If you are His son or daughter, if your name is written in the Book of Life, He is more than just a master and Lord. You are brothers and sisters. You are heirs to the Kingdom of God and a part of the family of God.

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:5

Just as Jesus laid down His life for you because of His great love, now you are to lay down your life for Him and obey His commands. You are to lay down your desires, wants, and what you hold dear on this earth for the sake of His call so that some might be saved. If you do this, you prove that you are truly brothers, sisters, and children of the Father. Though in a worldly way, you may have lost everything. But in truth, you have gained everything because God rewards those who are faithful to Him.

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26

So go from here and do as He commands and bear much fruit. Be righteous in all you do for Him. Seek to save the lost wherever you go, with whatever means the Lord makes available to you. Speak the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness but also in love, compassion, and gentleness. Knowing that if they do not hear, they can not turn to Jesus.

This is the work that God the Father has prepared for you to do before time began. This is the command He gave to all those who believe so that they do not remain silent but proclaim the Gospel freely. He has set you apart on this excellent work so that you may bear much fruit and reap a harvest in His time.

This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to you. These things I command you so that you will love one another.  John 15:12-15