Encouragement and Godly Relationships in Our Faith Journey

The sermon begins with the pastor sharing a personal anecdote about a late-night gathering where people would come together to share testimonies of God's miracles in their lives. He emphasizes the importance of being reminded of God's faithfulness and encourages the congregation to be a source of encouragement for others. The pastor warns against the deceitfulness of sin and the enemy's tactics to discourage and deceive believers. He underscores the importance of daily encouragement among believers and the significance of evaluating friendships biblically, as they can either steer believers towards God's plan and purpose or lead them astray.

The pastor then expresses gratitude for the church and the people in attendance, acknowledging the sacrifice of Jesus and the reason for their gathering. He prays for God's blessing on the offering and asks that the church be marked by their generosity not only within the church but also towards those in need in the surrounding cities. The pastor then emphasizes the importance of the gift of encouragement and shares personal experiences of being uplifted by hearing about God's faithfulness in the lives of their family members.

The sermon then shifts to address the prevalent issues of despair and depression in today's society. The pastor acknowledges that even as believers in Jesus, we can still face attacks from the enemy, and depression is a real struggle for some people. He emphasizes the need for support and understanding in these difficult times, as many individuals are living in a constant state of discouragement due to various factors such as family, job, relationships, finances, or the state of the world.

The pastor then delves into the importance of godly friendships, characterized by selfless service, unconditional support, and the ability to pray for one another. He emphasizes that true friends should be willing to speak the truth in love and correct us when we go astray. The pastor also highlights the importance of gratitude towards God, encouraging the congregation to reflect on their blessings and express their gratitude through offerings.

The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the importance of having godly relationships in our lives. He highlights that as believers, we cannot afford to have haphazard relationships that do not align with the word of God. The pastor explains that every relationship we have is designed to move us and assist us in reaching the purpose and destination that God has planned for us. He emphasizes that being called a friend is a privilege and an honor, and not everyone is meant to be our friend.

Key Takeaways:

- Being reminded of God's faithfulness brings hope and encouragement to those who may be facing challenges. As believers, we should be a source of encouragement for others and share our testimonies of God's miracles in our lives ([12:45]).

- The deceitfulness of sin and the enemy's tactics can discourage and deceive believers. It is crucial to have daily encouragement among believers and to evaluate friendships biblically. Our friendships should steer us towards God's plan and purpose ([24:30]).

- The gift of encouragement is vital in our Christian walk. Personal experiences of being uplifted by hearing about God's faithfulness in the lives of others can have a powerful impact. We should share these testimonies with others, especially our friends ([36:15]).

- Godly friends who hold us accountable and call us out when we are moving away from our destiny and purpose are invaluable. Proverbs 19:20 encourages listening to advice and accepting discipline, highlighting the importance of godly counsel ([48:20]).

- Having godly relationships in our lives is essential. As believers, we cannot afford to have haphazard relationships that do not align with the word of God. Every relationship we have is designed to move us and assist us in reaching the purpose and destination that God has planned for us ([59:30]).

Bible Reading:
1. Proverbs 18:24 - "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
2. John 15:13-15 - "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
3. Proverbs 27:6 - "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."

Observation Questions:
1. In Proverbs 18:24, what is the contrast being made between many companions and a friend who sticks closer than a brother?
2. In John 15:13-15, what does it mean to lay down one's life for one's friends? How does Jesus redefine the relationship between Him and His disciples?
3. What does Proverbs 27:6 suggest about the nature of true friendship?

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of a friend who sticks closer than a brother in Proverbs 18:24 relate to the idea of godly friendships?
2. In John 15:13-15, how does Jesus' command to His disciples reflect the nature of godly friendships and the role of accountability within them?
3. How does the trust in a friend's wounds, as mentioned in Proverbs 27:6, align with the idea of godly counsel and correction?

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current friendships. Are there any that steer you towards God's plan and purpose, like the friend who sticks closer than a brother in Proverbs 18:24?
2. How can you demonstrate greater love, as described in John 15:13-15, in your friendships this week? Think of a specific action you can take.
3. Can you recall a time when a friend's correction felt like a trusted wound, as described in Proverbs 27:6? How did you respond, and how can you respond better in the future?
4. How can you be a source of encouragement for others this week, sharing testimonies of God's miracles in your life?
5. Think of a relationship that may not align with the word of God. What steps can you take to ensure your relationships are helping you reach the purpose and destination that God has planned for you?

1) Themes and Descriptions:

Day 1: Theme: "The Power of Testimony"
Description: Recalling God's faithfulness in our lives can bring hope and encouragement to those facing challenges. As believers, we are called to be a source of encouragement for others, sharing our testimonies of God's miracles in our lives ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=750s)).

Day 2: Theme: "Guarding Against Deception"
Description: Sin and the enemy's tactics can discourage and deceive believers. It is essential to foster daily encouragement among believers and evaluate friendships biblically. Our friendships should guide us towards God's plan and purpose ([24:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=1455s)).

Day 3: Theme: "The Gift of Encouragement"
Description: Encouragement is a vital gift in our Christian walk. Hearing about God's faithfulness in the lives of others can uplift us. We should share these testimonies, especially with our friends ([36:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=2160s)).

Day 4: Theme: "The Value of Godly Counsel"
Description: Godly friends who hold us accountable and correct us when we stray are invaluable. Proverbs 19:20 encourages listening to advice and accepting discipline, highlighting the importance of godly counsel ([48:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=2885s)).

Day 5: Theme: "The Importance of Godly Relationships"
Description: As believers, we cannot afford to have haphazard relationships that do not align with the word of God. Every relationship we have is designed to move us and assist us in reaching the purpose and destination that God has planned for us ([59:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=3555s)).

2) Bible Passages:

Day 1: Psalm 66:16 - "Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me."

Day 2: Ephesians 4:14 - "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming."

Day 3: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 - "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Day 4: Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

Day 5: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up."

3) Reflection Questions:

Day 1: Reflect on a recent time when God showed His faithfulness in your life. How can you share this testimony to encourage someone today?

Day 2: Consider your friendships. Are they steering you towards God's plan and purpose? What changes might you need to make?

Day 3: Think about a time when someone's testimony encouraged you. How can you pass on that encouragement to someone else today?

Day 4: Who in your life provides godly counsel? How can you show appreciation for their guidance and support?

Day 5: Reflect on your relationships. Are they helping you move towards God's purpose for your life? What steps can you take to cultivate more godly relationships?

4) Devotional:

Day 1: "The Power of Testimony"
Recalling God's faithfulness in our lives can bring hope and encouragement to those facing challenges. As believers, we are called to be a source of encouragement for others, sharing our testimonies of God's miracles in our lives ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=750s)).
Psalm 66:16 - "Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent time when God showed His faithfulness in your life. How can you share this testimony to encourage someone today?

Day 2: "Guarding Against Deception"
Sin and the enemy's tactics can discourage and deceive believers. It is essential to foster daily encouragement among believers and evaluate friendships biblically. Our friendships should guide us towards God's plan and purpose ([24:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=1455s)).
Ephesians 4:14 - "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming."
Reflection: Consider your friendships. Are they steering you towards God's plan and purpose? What changes might you need to make?

Day 3: "The Gift of Encouragement"
Encouragement is a vital gift in our Christian walk. Hearing about God's faithfulness in the lives of others can uplift us. We should share these testimonies, especially with our friends ([36:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=2160s)).
1 Thessalonians 5:11 - "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
Reflection: Think about a time when someone's testimony encouraged you. How can you pass on that encouragement to someone else today?

Day 4: "The Value of Godly Counsel"
Godly friends who hold us accountable and correct us when we stray are invaluable. Proverbs 19:20 encourages listening to advice and accepting discipline, highlighting the importance of godly counsel ([48:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=2885s)).
Proverbs 27:17 - "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
Reflection: Who in your life provides godly counsel? How can you show appreciation for their guidance and support?

Day 5: "The Importance of Godly Relationships"
As believers, we cannot afford to have haphazard relationships that do not align with the word of God. Every relationship we have is designed to move us and assist us in reaching the purpose and destination that God has planned for us ([59:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuXCjCxfyM&t=3555s)).
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationships. Are they helping you move towards God's purpose for your life? What steps can you take to cultivate more godly relationships?

**Adriana:** We can see that the Lord is in this place. That was beautiful, Adriana. I don't think you need to preach anymore, PK. I think we're good.

**PK:** All right, well, we're going to transition into the next time. I know you all took your seats, but I'm about to have you get back up. Let's do a little Limitless Shuffle. Let's get to know the people around us. Tell them how good they look this morning. Greet them, show them some love.

All right, as you take your seat, please scooch in. Scooch in! If you see empty seats next to you, scoot in. No one bites! We want to make sure we have enough space for anyone coming in, so please, please scoot in so that there are seats on the edges for anyone coming in a little bit later.

All right, how are we doing this morning? Ah, come on! How are we doing this morning? That's it! That's it! Y'all are the 11:00 a.m. service; I expect a little more energy than the 9:00 a.m. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Daniela, and I am so happy I can be here to welcome you.

Do we have any first-time guests in the house? First-time guests? Oh, we got some back there! Can we give a round of applause for our first-time guests? Thank you so much for joining us! We know you could be anywhere else, but you are here, and we want to welcome you.

This is for everyone, but especially any other first-time guests. We have a QR code in the seat pocket in front of you. This QR code is magical! It has a bunch of little goodies in it. One being, if you are new, you can fill out our welcome form. We'd love to get to know you, connect with you, and hear your story. We also have a gift for you at the welcome table, so if you fill out that form, you get a little sweet treat.

That also has a form to fill out if you want to join our team. If you'd like to serve with us, we have an awesome team that makes all of this happen, so we'd love for you to join us if you have some skills or passions or giftings that the Lord wants you to use. We also have an app that you can find through that code. That code has everything, y'all! So use that code, find our app, and you will find everything you need.

Today, this 11:00 a.m. service is actually also a very special service. Do we have any college students in the house? Can I see you raise your hands? Make a little noise! I don't know; we didn't really announce it to the rest of the church, but we wanted to reach out to the college students. A couple of colleges just have started, so we're having a little special college service today, welcoming them, showing them that there is a home here that they can have for the next four, five, six years, however many years they are in college. You have a home here!

We did promise a special treat, so if you signed up for that special treat, meet me after service in the front, and I will have that for you.

Now, I have something very exciting I want to talk to you all about. I'm about to talk for a pretty long time, so please bear with me. I will get a little tired, but it is very exciting! You saw last week we are launching our small groups this week. Let's make some noise for our small groups! It is so very exciting! These small groups, our life groups, are a passion of mine, very close to my heart. I really believe that they are integral to a church, to building community, and to transforming lives.

So we have five small groups that are starting this week and next week. They said in the announcement there's a QR code you'll see in the video that you can sign up through those small groups, but after service, we will also have some tables out here on the left where you can sign up for the small groups with the QR code on paper. We also have syllabi—that's right, syllabi—to tell you everything that's going to be going on, what the group is about, what we'll be going over every single week, so you can have a better understanding. Some of our leaders are actually going to be there to talk with you, connect with you if you have any questions.

So for the next portion, I'm going to go over what each small group is about, and if our leaders are here, they're going to stand up when I announce the small group, and you can decide kind of where you want to join. I am very excited! I think you should all be very excited as well!

So the first one we're going to have is the Mental Health and the Church Life Group. This is going to be led by Leona and Elva. If Elva can stand up, give a little wave. Elva is going to be Leona's helper. So Leona, she's not here right now, but you'll see her. Leona grew up and raised her children in the church, so when her youngest son was psychiatrically hospitalized and diagnosed with a mental illness, she looked to the church for answers. Her experience was shared by many others. The church was not educated on mental health and faith. It became her passion to ensure that the church be a place of healing and hope for those with a mental illness and their families.

This group will take the limits off the way we see mental illness, reduce stigma, start conversations, and seek the hope of Christ through the scriptures for any who may struggle with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health challenges. We're very excited for this group! So again, if you want to sign up, it'll be outside.

Next, do we have any men in the house? Yeah, there we go! I was about to say, the men always like to bark. Yeah, I don't know; very interesting. But we have a men's group! We will be continuing the men's group. We're really excited! It's going to take the limits off the way men see community, encouragement, and vulnerability. They will be going through a 12-week course. This course is described as the belief that when a man is present in his relationships, he is dismantling the power of darkness. When a man shows up for his family and others, he is bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth. When men walk out their purpose as men, there is no more powerful weapon to destroy the works of the enemy. So this is going to be a very powerful group! I recommend men in the house, women have your husbands, sons, whatever, sign up for this group. It is very exciting! There is limited capacity, so make sure you sign up.

Next, we have a group called Fireproof Your Marriage with Rudy and Kelly Cholo. Rudy, are you in the house? Rudy is back there! Him and his wife have been leading marriage sessions for a very long time, and theirs is called Fireproof Your Marriage. It will challenge you to love better, to love first, and to love for a lifetime. Fireproof Your Marriage is founded on biblical principles for strong, God-centered, lifelong marriages. It'll be a six-session study with videos from Fireproof, and it'll have thought-provoking questions for the individuals and for couples' devotionals. This one is limited to only four couples each session, so make sure you sign up if you are interested.

And this next group we have is the Seven Churches of Revelation. That is going to be with myself and Carolyn Gale. Where is Carolyn? Is she here? Oh, there she is! She is in the back! Give a round of applause! Now, I'm excited not just because this is my group, but because it is on the Book of Revelation. I know this sounds scary—the Book of Revelation—but no, we want to show you that the Book of Revelation is a book of hope. It is a book of promises and encouragement, and we want to dive deeper into what this means. It is based on David Jeremiah's book about the seven letters sent to actual churches located in Asia Minor during the first century. We will see how to have personal applications now for living a life that's holy and preparing for the coming of Christ. This is an exciting group, and I'm excited to learn with you all!

Lastly, we will have our Limitless Youth! Let's make some noise for the Limitless Youth! This is going to be led by Dena and Elton Washington. Here's Dena, and Elton is in the back. Thank you so much! This is actually a group for youth in grades 6 to 8. It is designed to create a safe and engaging space where middle schoolers can connect with their peers, grow in their faith, and openly discuss the challenges they face in their everyday lives.

Now, our leaders have worked very hard; they've trained, they've been equipped to lead these groups, and we really hope you can join us and continue to learn how to build deeper community in our Limitless Life Groups. I'm also going to put a small club for our young adult group. This isn't like an official life group, but we like to unofficially hang out. We will be hanging out every Sunday after the second service around 1 p.m. This can include eating lunch, boba, going mini-golfing, whatever we really want to do, and of course, praising Jesus. So I hope you all can join us for these groups!

Again, after service, we will be here on the left where you can sign up, get the syllabi, and get some more information. All right, enjoy the rest of the service!

That was fantastic! That was my second time hearing it, and it was just as great! I said this for the first service, but my wife is the best! She helped plan all of those. She is one of the reasons that we have life groups coming up.

I get to talk about one of the best times in the service, which is the time where you guys get to really do all the work, and the people up on stage don't do any of the work. So I get to talk about the offering. One thing I did during the first service, and I want to do it again, is I want you all to just take a moment and think of one thing you're grateful for. It could be a family member, it could be a job, it could be anything. It could be the breath in your lungs—something as simple as that. So just take a moment, think of what you're grateful for.

All right, so hopefully you have something. That thing came from God. Every good gift is from the Father in heaven, and He's the one who gave us everything we have, right? Our offering isn't about just following a ritual; it isn't about your 10% or whatever percent you give. It's about giving gratitude to God. Whether it's $1 or $5 million, it's about being grateful to God. He has an infinite supply, so the number you give does not make a difference to Him other than the fact that you're showing Him, "God, you gave me everything I have. I'm grateful to you." Whether that's your money, your time, your energy, your love for other people, whatever it might be, that's your offering to God—to just say thank you, Lord. Thank you for giving me what I have.

It's through your offering that we get to do things like life groups through all of your generosity. I just want to say thank you. I'm going to pray for our offering, just keeping it simple today. Just whatever you want to give as gratitude to God, that's what I would encourage you to give—whatever is coming into your head.

Also, a plug for Team Limitless: we have three ways to give. You can give personally; you can put a check or cash in an envelope, and that'll be in the buckets going along the aisles. We have online at mylimitlesschurch.com. There's also a QR code that Keenan loves on your seat back in front of you. That is his favorite way for you to give. But again, give whatever you want to give because that's how you can show gratitude to God.

So I'm going to pray for the giving real quick, and then we'll get to move on.

Oh Lord, we thank you for those things that we thought of. We thank you for the breath in our lungs. We thank you for the family members who have loved us. God, we thank you for this church that we get to stand in and worship you. We thank you for every person here. Most of all, Lord, we thank you for your sacrifice—that is the reason we're here in the first place. Jesus, you gave everything for us, so we're so excited to give a small part of ourselves in return. Thank you, Lord. I pray that you would bless this offering. I pray that you would mark our church by our generosity—not just to this church, but also to the people around us. Lord, I pray that as we go out into this city, into the cities around us, that we would be generous people, that we would take the time to talk to other people, that we would be freely giving to anybody in need, and that we would extend the hand of Christ to them—the hand that redeemed us, the hand that saved us. I pray that we would extend that offer of grace to everybody around us, Lord, through everything that we do. I pray this in your name. Would you glorify yourself, Lord? Amen.

God bless you guys as you give!

Hi guys, my name is Pastor Keenan, and these are your weekly announcements. It's finally here—something that people have been asking for since Limitless opened its doors. Beginning the week of October 15th, we are launching our small groups! We have five small groups with some amazing leaders who have been training, preparing, and equipping to lead these groups. The groups have varied interests, and you can find out all about these groups at this QR code right here. This QR code will give you the description of the group, who the leaders are, and will allow you to sign up.

Now, sign-ups are limited. These groups are limited in size, so make sure if you want to sign up for a small group, you sign up quickly. Additionally, on Sunday, October 15th, after our second service, we will be having a small group fair where you can meet and talk with the leader of the small group and just figure out how that group is going to go and where you might want to land. We can't wait to see how these small groups bless your life!

Hey guys, I just wanted to take a quick second and invite you to The Bash. If for some reason you have no idea what I'm talking about, maybe you haven't been here or you're new. One of our core values is outreach; we take it very seriously. On October the 28th, we have our biggest outreach of the year, and it's called The Bash. We're going to have face painting for our kids, a trunk or treat, we have a maze going, and a whole host of other things. Not only that, we have a Christian hip-hop concert featuring myself, Mission Mike, Tey, and Porsa Love. So if you have teenagers or young adults that love Christian hip-hop music, this is going to be amazing! We want to see you there. There are going to be so many opportunities for you to get involved and get engaged and see what's happening as we love on the city of Woodland.

Not only that, but breaking news! The next day, on the 29th, we will be having guest worship by Missy Cruz! That's right, Limitless family! You've seen her before; she is back in the Sacramento area, and we're excited to have her. So we want to see you there! Bring a family member, bring some people with you. We're going to have an awesome time on Saturday, and we're going to have an even awesomer time on Sunday. So make sure you are there for The Bash and the following Sunday. See you there! God bless!

Well, good morning, everybody! How are we doing this morning? Good, good, good! Well, I am excited to bring the word this morning. But before I do, I wanted to do two things. The first thing is I would like to show you guys these. We got these this week. We're about two weeks away from The Bash, and we think it would be a great thing if you invited somebody. So I want to give you guys some assistance or some help in inviting people.

So we have these flyers here. Last year, we had, I think it was almost somewhere around 2,500 to 2,800 people come to The Bash, and we're expecting more than that this time around because last year people were like, "Oh, this is amazing! We can't wait!" The news has already gone out; the city has already talked about it. They've put out flyers; they've gone door-to-door. So we have these flyers for you to hand them out.

Now, if you're somebody who is like, "Oh, you know, I'm not really like somebody that likes to talk to people," that's what the flyer is for! You don't have to say anything; just hand it to them. And when they ask you what it's for, run away! It's fine; they got it! Like, that's weird now. I want to read it. Boom! You got them!

Now, if you're somebody who is like, "Oh, I love talking to people," well, guess what? That's what the flyer is for! Now you have an opportunity to talk to them about what's happening. We do these events because outreach is a core value of this church, and we love having opportunities to love on the city. But that only makes a difference if the city actually shows up.

So, we have tons of these flyers that are available, and if you say, "Hey, I know that I'm going to need a gang of flyers," grab them! If we're out, we will get more next week. The biggest thing for us is we want to make sure that we have an opportunity to love on this city and provide a safe alternative for what's going to be happening all during that week.

In line with that, I need you guys to do me a favor. Could you guys do me a favor? All right? The smart ones, like, I'm waiting. I'm going to let you tell me what it is, and then I'll tell you what it's going to be first. All right? So this is what I need you to do. We have been collecting candy for our outreach, and we have a trunk or treat, and we're going to have candy everywhere. So this is what I need to make our event a success next week: I need each one of you to bring one bag of candy. That's it! You don't have to go and get a gang of them; you ain't got to get 50 of them. I mean, you could, but I just need one bag of candy from each of you. And if each of you brings one bag of candy, we will be successful in our goal for what we want to be able to minister to the city.

So I'm going to ask you again: can you guys do me that favor? All right! I appreciate that! I appreciate that! Are we ready to dive into this word? All right!

Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for what you want to do in this place. God, your word is already anointed. We ask that you would anoint our ears. We ask that you would anoint our hearts. We ask that you would speak to us today. God, we bind any distraction, any satanic or demonic force that would try to hinder your word from coming forth today. God, we are focusing; we are making a decision to focus on you in this moment. We're not worried about what's happening next week; we're not worried about what's happening after this; we're not worried about what's happening last week. Right now, we are laser-focused in on you. This is your house; have your way. Speak to us in Jesus' name. Amen!

All right, so we've been having a conversation about relationships. Last week, we began talking about the importance of relationships, how we all have them, the different types of relationships, and why these relationships matter. As believers, as people who love Jesus Christ, who have made Jesus Lord of our life, why it is important that we look at all of our relationships from the perspective of our faith. That we look at them from the perspective of what the word has to say about our relationships. As believers, we can't just afford to be haphazardly having any type of relationship, even if it doesn't align with the word. Amen? It is a hazard to our life.

So last week, we began talking about why that's important. So again, as we get started, I want to highlight why it is important—this idea of leaning into and understanding the importance of relationships in our lives. It matters because not only do relationships matter to God, but last week we said godly relationships are designed to move us and to assist us in getting to the purpose and destination that God has planned for us. Every relationship that we have is designed to move us and assist us in getting to God's destiny and plan for our life. Relationships move you.

So today, I want to talk about a specific type of ship that I feel is extremely important for us to look at as it pertains to the perspective of our faith. Today, I want to talk about friendships. I want to talk about it. I want to evaluate the importance of friendships and how, when our friendships align both spiritually and biblically, they can be amazing assets to our life and our legacy.

First thing's first: when we look at friendships, we have to understand that the title "friend" is a privilege. It is a privilege, and it is an honor to have. Everyone is not meant to be your friend. Everyone is not called to be your friend. Now, some of us, when we were in school, it didn't matter who it was; once we met them, we called them our friend. "Oh, this is my friend such and such, and this is my friend such and such." Your mom would ask you, "Well, you don't even know these people! Why are you calling them your friend?" The title "friend" is something that should be held in high regard. Friendships have requirements; they serve a pivotal role in our life, and friendship should not be entered into lightly.

Now, there will be some people that you'll come across who will say, "You know what? I get it and all, but it's too serious. It's just friendships; it doesn't matter. It's good! You can have friendships; you can have a lot; you could have a little; you could have good. Sometimes you may need some bad friends." Proverbs 18:24 says, "The man of too many friends that are chosen indiscriminately will be broken in pieces and come to ruin." The man who chooses friends who don't think that having friends is important, who doesn't think that you should just have a requirement when it comes to your set of friends, will be broken in pieces and come to ruin.

I don't know about y'all, but I don't desire to be broken in pieces or come to ruin, and I don't think that any of us desire to be broken in pieces or come to ruin. This is why who we choose to do life with and the people that we call friends is important because our life, our purpose, and our destiny—and the destiny of those we are tied to—is on the line. It's not just about us, but those that we are tied to. Our destiny, our future, their destiny, their future—all of it is on the line.

John 15:13, starting in verse 13, says, "No one has greater love nor stronger commitment than to lay down his life for his friends." Verse 14 says, "You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you." He says, "I don't call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you my friends because I have revealed to you everything I have heard from my Father."

When I read this scripture, the first thing that came to me that I understood was that there is a requirement on friendship. There's a requirement on friendship. When He opens it up, the first thing He says is, "No one has greater love or stronger commitment than to lay down his life for his friend," which tells me that the first requirement of friendship is love. And not this Valentine's Day love—no disrespect—but not this love that just comes and goes. Not this feeble type of, "Oh, I love you; I love you too." No, no, no! He says there's a different type of love, and I wanted to make sure, so I looked this up. The type of love that He's talking about here, He's talking about agape love.

See, there are different types of love. We talked about this before. There's phileo, there's a brotherly love, and so I thought, "You know, obviously, He's talking about friendship; maybe He's talking about a brotherly love." But I looked it up, and He says, "No, this word is translated agape." This word agape means the unconditional affectionate concern for the well-being of another. Unconditional affectionate concern for the well-being of another. There is a requirement on love! This isn't just something that pops up when you have coffee with somebody. This isn't somebody who likes the same things that you like, and they just, you know, are a part of the same party that you're a part of, or maybe you guys live on the same street. No, no, no, no! This is something that is built over time. This is something that is built through adversity. This is something that is fortified through experience.

This type of friendship that Jesus is talking about are two people committed to continually serving and unconditionally seeking the best for one another. That's what this type of friendship means. This is a godly friendship. Rather than this mentality of, "What can I get? How can I get? How can this person benefit me?" it's a mentality of, "What can I give? How can I serve this person? How can I better this person? How can I be there and support this person?" It's the gift of friendship. It's a gift of friendship.

And today, as I go through this, I'm going to go over some gifts that friendships offer you. Sometimes that gift is presence—just the presence of people. Just the presence of friends. When I was in Atlanta, I had a house, and sometimes people would come over to my house. Maybe somebody came over for the first time, or they just came over with somebody else. They would come in the house, in the living room. I had a big living room with a bunch of couches, and they would come in, and you would just see people just sitting down—nobody talking to nobody. Folks are on their phone; folks are watching TV. It's just a group of people that's just there. It's just the gift of presence. We don't need to say nothing; you're here; I see you; you're fine; you know the refrigerator is there; the TV is on; we good!

Sometimes it's just presence that you need—the gift of presence. Sometimes it's prayer. Let me tell you something: your friends should be able to pray for you. Your friends should be able to seek Heaven on your behalf. If you have a friend and you can't call them to pray for you, if you can't call them and they seek Heaven on your behalf, guess what? They're not a friend! They're not a friend! I know it hurts—ouch! Ouch for you! But if you can't pick up the phone and have them pray for you, they're not your friend! They're not your friend! Take care of it when you leave—evaluate, call, delete numbers, block whatever you need to do, but they are not your friend!

The gift of prayer. Maybe it's a gift of community. You know, just being in the presence, hanging out, going out to eat, just fellowshipping one with another. And sometimes that gift is the gift of sound counsel. Proverbs 27, we'll start in verse 9: "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel." The sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. Godly friends, you can go to them in tough times. Godly friends, you can talk to them in confidence about life, and you know that you will get understanding, that you will get wisdom, that you will get wise counsel.

"Hey, I just wanted to call you. I'm going through this. I just want to know, you know, what do you think about this?" Yes, you need to do this! No, you don't need to do this! No, this is not good for you! No, this is... That's the gift of wise counsel from a friend. And the benefit of having godly friends is you don't have to worry about an ulterior motive from friendship.

"Girl, I've been dating this guy, and I was thinking I should probably just leave him alone." "Yeah, I think you should leave him alone! I think you should leave him alone!" Pick up the phone: "Hey, she getting ready to dump you! I just want to see, you know, I know you was feeling me; I'm feeling you." Yeah, yeah, yeah! That happens all the time! But that's what happens when you don't have godly friends. It's not wise counsel; you got to worry about, "Why are you telling me this? Are you telling me this because you want them? Are you telling me this because it's going to benefit you?" That's what happens when you don't have godly friends.

Okay, the benefit of wise counsel. My wife showed me this Instagram a day before yesterday. We were watching it, and the guy is talking. He's doing this video, and the guy is like, "Hey, I just was calling you, and you know something happened today, and I just wanted to run it by you. I was in the store today, and this person bumped up against me, and then I punched him in the face! I punched him in the face! And when I punched him in the face, I drug him through the freezer aisle! And then the police come! The police come! I'm fighting him! We get to the jail, and the jail comes, and we're still fighting in the jail! And I just wanted to see, did you think I overreacted?"

And they were like, "No, I don't think you overreacted at all!" And he said, "What happened again?" "Oh, they just bumped into me." "No, I don't think you overreacted at all!" "I didn't think so either because, you know, after that happened, they wound up going to the hospital because I bust them in the face! And then I walked in; I found out where they were in the hospital, and then I unplugged the thing from the wall where they was..."

"Be, you don't think I overreacted, do you?" "No, no, not at all! Not at all!" But here's the thing: when you have people who are not godly friends, you don't get wise counsel, and then you wind up being in a crazy place because you sought confidence from somebody who didn't have your best interest in the first place. That's good! Godly counsel is important! God can use wise counsel—God can use the wise counsel of friends to confirm what He's already been saying to you.

You ever been thinking about something or praying about something, and then you call up a friend and you say, "Hey, I just want to see what you think about this," and they say the same thing that you were already thinking about, that the Lord had already revealed to you? That is a gift of a wise counsel from a friend—a godly friend. Sometimes that gift is wise counsel; sometimes that gift is correction.

Yeah, I know! Proverbs 27, and let's start at verse 6. Proverbs 27:6 says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend who corrects out of love and concern, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful because they serve his hidden agenda." We just talked about this! Just talked about this! And wounds—when you talk about wounds and friendship, this isn't one that people think of immediately because when we think of friendship, we don't think that friendship comes with wounds. But the scripture says the wounds of a friend are faithful. The NIV says the wounds of a friend can be trusted. Why? Because true friendship is wanting the best for you. True friendship will correct you out of their love and their concern for you, and sometimes that hurts! Sometimes it hurts!

"Hey, I just... Yeah, I already know we had this conversation ten times. Let me tell you something: look, we done did this already! You have to make a decision about what you want to do in your life, and I am your friend, so I am going to tell you this is a problem. I'm going to tell you you don't need to be a part of that relationship. I'm going to tell you you need to make a change. I'm going to tell you you need to be in church. I'm going to tell you you need to read the word of God for yourself. I'm going to tell you you're gossiping, and you need to stop. I'm going to tell you you don't look well. I'm going to tell you... Why? Because the wounds of a friend are faithful!

And we don't like that! I know! I know! I already know! Because what we say when they say that? "I didn't call you for that!" Yeah, yeah, I already know! I already know! That's not why I called you! I didn't call you to help me; I just called you to listen! Well, then you called the wrong friend because I'm not that friend! I'm not going to sit there and pacify you! I'm going to tell you what you need to know! Why? Because I care about you! That's what friends are here for! They will correct you out of love and concern for you.

Godly friends won't let you slip back into the old you. Godly friends won't let you compromise. Godly friends won't pacify your feelings. Godly friends care about your character. They say, "You messed up! You messed up! But we're going to get it right, and I'm going to be here with you!"

Galatians 2:11, let's start at verse 11. Galatians 2:11 reads, "When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned." He said, "I had to check him right in his face because he knew he was wrong! For when certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles. He was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, 'You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? We are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles. We know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus. So we too have put our faith in Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.'"

He came up to him and said, "Hey, you're being fake, and I don't like it! You're being fake, and I don't like it! You know you regularly eat with the Jews, but when these people got here, now you don't want to eat with the Jews no more because they belong to the circumcision group. So now you want to act like you don't do what you normally do. You know that it's not by our following the law that we're justified by faith! You know that! You know that we are justified by faith, not of works! So why are you acting funny now?" Why? Because he was a friend! He wasn't afraid to address him and correct him.

Also, here's another one: what he had—another gift of friendship. This one's free; I ain't going to charge you for this one. This one, he had the gift of perspective. See, sometimes you don't see yourself right. Sometimes what they say, "You ain't smelling yourself!" Oh my God! So what happens is someone from a different perspective, who has your best interest at heart, has the ability to see what's going on and correct you and tell you about yourself because, as a friend, he was able to see that his actions were not only affecting him, but it was affecting the other Jews, and it was affecting Barnabas. It wasn't just about him. So he said, "As a friend, I have to correct you!" Not because I am looking to gain a status, not because I'm looking to humiliate you, but I care about you! I care about your purpose! I care about the call on your life! I care about what God wants to do in your life, and I'm not going to let you throw that down the drain!

The gift of correction! Paul cared enough about him to correct him. Godly friends want you living in line with the word. I love that in Galatians, he said, "When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the Gospel, I had to speak up." Godly friends want you living in line with the word of God. They want you moving towards your destiny and your purpose, and they view anything that's moving you away from your destiny and purpose as an immediate threat, and they will call you out on it because that is their job! That's what real friends do!

Proverbs 19:20 says, "Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end, you will be counted among the wise." Sometimes your friends got to call you out, and if you don't have a friend that is in your life that has the ability to call you out, then they're not your friend! They're not your friend! Because godly friends are willing to speak up and pull your coattail sometimes. Godly friends guard vigorously over your heart, your soul, and your spirit, and sometimes that requires correction. It is the gift of correction because it comes from a place of love and concern. It's a gift!

So we talked about the gift of sound counsel; we talked about the gift of perspective; we talked about the gift of correction. Right now, we live in this time where despair and depression are at an all-time high. This morning, in our prayer time, what we've begun to do is ask for prayer requests in our 8:00 prayer time when we pray with all of our leaders and volunteers. It was brought up to us this morning that, "Hey, some of our people are struggling with depression." It's a real thing! And just because we know Jesus and love Jesus doesn't mean that it's not an attack that the enemy will use.

So these things are at an all-time high, and there are people who are living in a constant state of discouragement—whether it's their family, their job, their relationships, their finances, or maybe even just the way the world is at large. This is why one of the major gifts of having and being a godly friend is the ability and the opportunity that we have to encourage those around us—to remind them of God's faithfulness, to remind them of God's blessing and grace on our life. And sometimes, as a friend, it will be one of the most important things you do.

Paul is speaking in this letter to someone he called friend, and he pointed out what I feel is one of the most major gifts of having a godly friend, and it is the gift of encouragement. Romans 1, starting in verse 9, he says, "For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how continuously I mention you in my prayers, always pleading that by somehow, by God's will, I may at last come to you. For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen and establish you." Then he said to clarify, "Oh, he says that is that we may be mutually encouraged and comforted by each other's faith, both yours and mine."

Paul is talking about being mutually comforted, being mutually encouraged by each other's faith. Adriana, there is something powerful that happens when we, as friends, get together and encourage one another. I was reminded this right before First Service as I was going over the message. I remember you guys will remember this when I first got here. I would hear stories about these long nights that used to happen. There would be my mother-in-law and my father-in-law and Aunt Ruby and some of the saints. They would get together, and it wouldn't be anything that was planned. They would just get up, and they would just get together.

I remember my cousin Jeffrey telling me sometimes they would all go in the room, and they would just go to sleep because they knew it was going to be a long night. And when they were telling me this story, I would ask Mom, "I said, what are y'all doing at 2 and 3 in the morning?" She said, "Child, we just talk about the Lord!" Woo! I said, "Well, what was happening?" And she said, "We get in there, and we just start talking about the things that God had done for us."

I would go in there and say, "Hey, let me tell you what God did for me this week. You know, I was thinking about this thing, and I just began to pray, and I just started praying about it, and sure enough, God just showed up in the middle of nowhere and took care of this thing for me." And then now somebody else would say, "Oh, well, you think that's something? Well, let me tell you what He did for me!" Because I was sitting down, and I wasn't feeling well in my body, and I began to pray and talk to Him and tell Him about what was going on, and then all of a sudden, as I'm praying, I can feel the healing starting to happen.

Well, you think that's something? Let me tell you what He told me! And what would happen is there would be this encouragement that would keep going forth. There would be this cycle of being reminded of all the things that God had done, and hours and hours and hours would go by because they begin to just continue to encourage one another.

And here's the thing: you don't know what they walked in with! You might not know what your friends are walking in with, but there is a gift that you have of the opportunity to be reminded of God's grace, to be reminded of His faithfulness, to be reminded of the healings that He's already done for you. You're worried about the healing you got, but being reminded of the 511 times He's already healed you! Being reminded of the 5501 times that He's already provided for you! Being reminded of all the things that He's already done!

And sometimes when you come in there discouraged and you begin to be reminded about that thing, you begin to get encouraged! You begin to get uplifted! You begin to get reminded! Your spirit begins to fill up, and before you know it, you're excited! You're excited! Like, "Oh man, hallelujah!" Why? Because of the gift of encouragement! That's a gift that you have, and it may be one of the most important gifts that you carry! Amen?

And I say the same thing, like I said before: if you have a friend and they cannot encourage you, they are not your friend! They are not your friend! This is a gift! Paul said, "I pray that we may be mutually encouraged and comforted by each other's faith, both yours and mine." That means we both got to have it! When that happens, when you get to talk about that thing and you get to be reminded, you begin to share about the miracles that you've seen, you move from this place of despair, you move from this place of depression, and you move to being grateful! You move to being encouraged! You move to this heart of gratefulness instead of looking at all the things that are going wrong and all the things that are happening. You go to this place, and you're like, "You know what, God? I'm sorry! I was tripping! Let me take a second to say thank you, Jesus! I forgot you gave me the very breath that I'm breathing right now to be discouraged! So let me take a second and say thank you!"

Hebrews 3 says, "But encourage one another daily as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Because here's what sin will have you think: "It's never going to get better! He's not going to come through this time! He ain't heard your prayer! He's not concerned with you! He's not worried about you! He's not going to do what He said He's going to do!" He says, "No, no, no, no, no! Be encouraged one another daily as long as it's called today so that you won't be fooled, so that you won't be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

1 Thessalonians 5 says, "Therefore encourage and comfort one another, build up one another just as you are doing." He's telling us we are called to have this gift of encouragement! Hebrews 10 says—we read this last week—"And let us consider thoughtfully how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds."

When you think about the friends you have in your life, maybe the ones that are coming, maybe the ones that you're even now considering, I challenge you to evaluate your friendships biblically. Your life is too precious! Your life is too precious! Evaluate your friendships biblically! Friendships should not be taken lightly because God uses friendships to steer us and assist us to the path and the calling and the purpose that He has for our life. In the same way, the enemy can use friendships to take you off the plan and the path that God has for your life.

"Real friends will call you out on anything that's moving you away from your destiny and purpose because that's their job. Proverbs 19:20 says, 'Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end, you will be counted among the wise.'" [01:12:18]

"Despair and depression are at an all-time high, and just because we know and love Jesus doesn't mean it's not an attack from the enemy. These struggles are real, and many people are living in a constant state of discouragement." [01:13:49]

"I'm just encouraged that you were here cuz I remember when you didn't think you was going to be here... I'm just encouraged by God for what he's already done so you can be reminded of his faithfulness." [01:21:09]

"Evaluate your friendships biblically. Your life is too precious to take friendships lightly. God uses friendships to steer us and assist us in the path and purpose He has for our lives. On the other hand, the enemy can use friendships to take us off the plan and path that God has for us." [01:23:57]

"Godly relationships are designed to move us and assist us in getting to the purpose and destination that God has planned for us." [52:48]

"The title friend is a privilege and an honor to have, and everyone is not meant to be your friend." [54:33]

"Your friends should be able to pray for you and seek Heaven on your behalf. If you can't call them and have them pray for you, they're not your friend. True friends are there to support you spiritually and lift you up in prayer."

"The gift of encouragement is one of the most important gifts that you have. When you begin to feel discouraged, it is through encouragement that your spirit fills up and you become uplifted."

"You may not be able to preach or do certain things, but you can always share your testimony with others, especially your friends. It is through sharing what God has done for you that you can overcome and inspire others."

"When you hear about what God has done and what He is doing, it doesn't matter what you're going through. You are reminded that He is the same God, and it brings encouragement and faithfulness to your heart."