RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 6 July 2013 BE HIS FRIEND By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

RCCG Open Heavens Devotional Saturday 6 July 2013 

BE HIS FRIEND 

By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Memorise: doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father 1 have made known unto you.” John 15:15

Read: Genesis 18:17-18

Bible in one year:  Psalm 40-42

Key  point: God wants to upgrade you to the level of friendship but it will take your cooperation and willingness

The God we serve is not only a God of choice and promise but also a friendly and loving God. Genesis 18:17 says, 

“And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” 

By this, God meant that because of his friendship with Abraham, it has become difficult for Him to hide certain future events from him. As high as God is, yet is He not ashamed to make the works of His hands His friends. Our Lord Jesus Christ also exhibited the same character. In John 15:1 5, Jesus declared: 

“Hence forth i call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father 1 have made known unto you.” 

In other words, when you newly give your life to Christ, He may keep some secrets from you until He tries you out and sees you are ready and worthy of being trusted with divine secrets. In the Kingdom, a child is seen as no different from a servant until he grows into maturity (Galatians 4:1-2). If you are wise and move on from being a child who may or may not obey Him, to being His bond servant—who would always obey Him you will begin to earn His trust and confidence. Then, He will start to share some secrets with you, and would wait to see how you handle such privileged information. When He has tested your level of commitment, love and loyalty and He is satisfied, He will upgrade the relationship by making you a friend. Abraham was a friend of God and Christ’s disciples were also elevated to become His friends. From that moment onwards, He told them virtually everything the Father revealed to Him. At what level are you operating? Becoming His friend has nothing to do with the number of years spent in the Kingdom. There are believers of 5, 10, and 20 years or more who are still children and hence like servants. They have not been able to upgrade their relationship to friendship status; yet, there are converts of six months or one year of whom the Lord is almost finding it difficult to do without. They are already operating as His friends, enjoying lots of divine secrets. Locate yourself where you are and rnove up.