God wants to be our friend

Many people have difficulty with the third concept found in the title of this book, the fact that God can be a friend. Some consider God an impersonal force, while others think of Him as a harsh task master who is just waiting for them to step out of line so He can punish them. Both extremes demonstrate a lack of a Biblical concept of God. While it is true that God is powerful and just, He is also a God of mercy and loving kindness. When Christ was on earth, He was often said to be moved with compassion to act. God the Father also showed His compassion for mankind by sending Christ to earth to save a lost world from their sin. God befriends nations and individuals. He was America’s friend throughout all of her early history. He allowed us to establish a land based on freedom and Biblical principles. He blessed us with victory in battle and economic prosperity. As has been mentioned in other chapters of the book, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” God is the friend to any nation that will follow His word and His ways. God also wants to be the friend of each person on Earth. Luke 19:10 says; “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost. The way to become the friend of God is to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. In Acts 4:12 we read; “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and once we have invited Him into our hearts He will not only be our Lord and Savior, but also our best friend. The old hymn says “What a friend we have in Jesus”. When Jesus was talking to His disciples there seemed to be a problem with how they were treating each other. Jesus said in John 15:14 “You are my friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” Jesus wants us to get to know Him through talking to Him in prayer, and allowing Him to talk to us through His Word the Bible. Do you know Jesus Christ personally? Do you have in intimate relationship with God the Son?
Just as America has turned its back on its powerful friend, many people are turning their backs on the salvation that is freely offered through faith in Jesus Christ. God has led you to read this book, and He desires you to receive Him and become His friend today. The author of Hebrews 2:3 asks this question, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.”