PROVERBS ~ "This Is How We Do It" - (Week 6) - God's Plan For Friendships

PROVERBS ~ "This Is How We Do It" - (Week 6) - God's Plan For Friendships

Proverbs 13:20, 17:9,17; 1 Cor. 15:33; 2 Peter 4:1-10; Rom.12:10;

• INTRODUCTION: Hey Fathom Church!
o We are in series called PROVERBS -“This Is How We Do It”
 Biblical Wisdom is about: HOW WE DO IT?
• Life – Money – Morality – Success – Live Well!!!

o REVIEW:
 Proverbs is “Wisdom” skill for life – Not mere knowledge.
 Proverbs are not Promises – BUT – doesn’t make them useless.
 Proverbs are [Hebrew] Poetry – PARALLELISM [[[Compact]]]
• Some of the “Characters” in Proverbs:
o The Wise vs. The Fool
o The Righteous vs. The Wicked
o The Simple – The Whisperer – The Sluggard…

o Today we will be discussing another character -“The Friend”
 More Specifically: “How (and Why) to Pick Godly Friends”

Proverbs 13:20
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm!”
• Friendships are relationships of MUTUAL INFLUENCE!
o 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.”
 WISDOM – is as much CAUGHT as it is TAUGHT!
o Women will check on each other’s look before going out – Men … well!
• Absorb the wisdom of a wise friends:
o Marriage – Money – Parenting – Spiritual Discipline
• Beware of wicked friends – Beware of FOOLISH friends:
o SUFFER HARM - “Sin Grenade” - “The Treadmill”

Proverbs 17:17
20 A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity”
• A Key feature of Wise/Godly friendships: Reliability/Trust/Consistency
o Proverbs 18:24 “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
o [[[ Erin Herman – My sister and friend ]]]
o Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in love.
Honor one another above yourselves.”
 Have you ever had a friend who is there when things are good…
 … BUT – They’re nowhere to be found when times get tough?
• Ask yourself: “Are my friends godly and dependable?
• Ask yourself: “Am I a reliable godly friend?

Proverbs 17:9
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends”
• There is an important ingredient of Godly Friendships – FORGIVENESS
o 2 Peter 4:8-10 “ 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.”
 [Remember the blood on the “Mercy Seat” during Yom Kippur?]
• Even Godly/Wise friends will err from time to time…
… So we must have patience & forgiveness for one another!

APPLICATION
Critical Concept:
The company we keep, the friends we associate with, and the advice we heed has great impact on our lives. The wise will associate with the wise, the righteous, and the trustworthy. While the dummy will regularly associate and be influenced by fools and scoundrels. Which one will we be?

1. Jesus is God’s wisdom incarnate! Walk with Him above all else!
2. Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother! (Even to death for us)!
3. Jesus’ love literally covers (forgives) sins, so we can become His righteous!

#NathanDeisem #FathomChurch #Proverbs #ThisIsHowWeDoIt

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