Friends of GOD First of all I like to pray before we began this study in the word.

Father in the name of JESUS, maker of Heaven and Creator of all things in existence. The foundation spins on its axis at your commands; the wind blows because you will it. The sun shines and the dew of the earth falls, because of the awesomeness of your power. Father let my words be your words. Let your holy spirit, stir the hearts today. Let the vision of the Cross of Christ unto the Glory of the Father go forth and accomplish your plans and purpose in us IN JESUS HOLY NAME< AMEN!! I like to title this sermon Friends of GOD, if I may. When we go thru out our daily lives and approach those whom we have known some years we might refer to them as being friends. What exactly is a friend? Today we will look at what the world we live in classifies as friendship and what the bible and the Lord of Glory says about friendship. First let s look at the book of James in Chapter 2. We see early in the chapter of James speaking to the brethren in the church and how that had not been

following the faith of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. I don t know about you, but it is a sobering issue when the man of GOD under the unction of the HOLY SPIRIT, even makes a statement about a lack of Faith in the body of Christ. Many times JESUS himself would rebuke the disciples and say, Oh yeah of little faith. Or A wicked and perverse generation seeks a sign . Going back to the chapter we see James was in some way nicely rebuking the disciples not to have a respect of persons. He said if someone comes in the church in clothing that may not meet your approval and you make him set in a less important position, or the poor. He was making a valid statement in that day about respect of persons. This is very important to the LORD since we see he is no respecter of persons. Whether rich or poor, whether saved or lost. Whether noble or cast away. GOD loves us all and wants none to perish. I say again GOD, love us all and wants none of us to perish. For as the scripture has said, All have sinned and fall short of the GLORY OF GOD. In a nut shell you see verses 1 thru 9 referring to the Respect of persons and how the LORD views our attitude towards others as

Christians. This is not just Christians, because we see that this is Christians and non-Christians. James did not specify, other than saying my brethren. Thou we always refer to the household of Faith as Brethren. IN verse 4 he states that those who show respect of persons become judges of evil thoughts.

In verse 10 thru 26 we see James talking about Faith and works. Church we can t get to heaven by our works. Under the old law it was works based. The priest would come daily to the alter and offer up sacrifices to GOD, and to no avail except when certain conditions where rightly met under the levitical law, then remission of sin was cleanse from the people. GOD is a GOD of faith, without faith it is impossible to please HIM. JESUS of NAZERETH came to cleanse the leper. He came to set man free, from what they could not do, JESUS accomplished on the CROSS of Calvary. It was his precious blood that was spilt. It was the crimson flow that ran down his face, and off his back. The crown of thorns that pierced his brow.

SING THIS SONG!! Oh the precious blood that washes white as snow. No other fount I know nothing but the blood of JESUS. Thou your sins are as scarlet he said he would make them white as snow. To have faith your faith must be in the CROSS. The entire do s and don ts, all the regulations of man are meaningless, Meaningless I say. It s nothing but the blood of JESUS, I say, its nothing but the blood of JESUS. The world we live in is a works based society. What can a man do to earn salvation, not a thing, not one effort, not one sermon, not one dollar, not one Sunday school class, not even one day of sacrificial service cleaning the pews or ushering. I say nothing; you can t earn your way to heaven. Jesus Christ of Nazareth paid it for you in full on the CROSS. This does not mean we don t serve one another out of a pure heart, don t get me wrong. The ministry still has to go on and function and it will. What I am saying is our efforts in regards to our salvation are pointless; we can earn anything or do anything to get salvation from our works. JESUS CHRIST is the Way, the TRUTH and the LIFE. No man comes unto the father except by him.

So we see in the 2nd Chapter of James somewhere here around verse 14, making reference to faith and works. Many have misunderstood this over the years. He is not saying we need works added to our faith to seal the deal. It s in CHRIST alone. There is no other. Your works are not going to win you anything. If you re a true believer in CHRIST you will have corresponding action in a CHRIST way. If you see your brother in need, you ll help him. Having your faith placed correctly will produce good fruits unto the righteousness of GOD. Don t go out here trying to do all this stuff for JESUS cause you wants to win his heart. You can t by his love, he already gave it. IT is a free gift for all that would take it. SO what is he saying here again about works, Do we just ignore the needy, do we walk on by the hurt or poor, the answer is obviously NO . So what do we say about works. We do good works when we are in correct relationship with JESUS. You see Abraham of UR, knew what it was like to have this perfect kind of faith in the site of GOD. In verse 21 we see Abraham, who offered up Isaac on the altar, and by faith works was made perfect. Abraham

did his works with his faith in the front. We have to have faith in the front of our works. When we totally trust in JESUS and the CROSS is the object of our faith, our works will follow accordingly. Not works then JESUS. Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and you shall be filled. There is always corresponding action to our faith. The pinnacle verse I want to focus on is verse 23 we see Abraham was the friend of GOD. Was Abraham perfect, by no means? But by faith he was made perfect and because he believed it was imputed unto him as righteousness. If anyone had a genuine and true faith in GOD it was Abraham. It says it was imputed to him as righteousness. This word imputed takes on several meanings when translated back to the Greek word Logizomai meaning to take inventory, to conclude. How many know that Abraham had an inventory, none the less, how many of us out here have an inventory. Second we see the word logos also in the translation meaning something said and reasoning by mental faculties. How many would say when GOD says something, we need to take note. GOD said it, I believe

it, and that settles. I don t care what you believe, if GOD said it, I believe and that settles it. If GOD said, then it is true. How many of us have taken an inventory and come up wanting in our lives. If we place our faith in the Cross, Then GOD honors it.

Cain and Able tried to please GOD, Able having the perfect sacrifice. We have to keep our focus. If we want to be friends of GOD, we have to trust and believe in what JESUS has already accomplished on the CROSS. How many today would like to have JESUS as there friend and GOD to count it as righteousness? So we conclude in saying that justification is by faith alone. FAITH IN THE CROSS>