MORNING DEW: 02/12/2018
TOPIC: DAVID, THE MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART
TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 20:11-17
“Then Jonathan told David, “Come, let’s go into the field.” So the two of them went into the field. Jonathan told David, “The LORD God of Israel is my witness that I’ll carefully question my father by tomorrow or the next day. And if the response is favorable for David, will I not then send word to you and let you know? But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD strike me dead if I don’t let you know and send you away so you may go safely. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father. If I remain alive, don’t fail to
show me the LORD’s gracious love so that I don’t die. And don’t stop showing your gracious love to my family forever, not even when the LORD eliminates each of David’s enemies from the surface of the earth.” Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: “May the LORD punish any violation of this covenant by the hand of David’s enemies.” Jonathan made David vow again out of his love for him, because he loved him as himself.”
JONATHAN, A GODLY FRIEND
Jonathan was a good friend of David. He helped David in so many ways.
He told David; “But if my father intends to harm you, may the LORD strike me dead if I don’t let you know and send you away so you may go safely. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.” (1 Samuel 20:13).
Wow, what a friend!
Can we have friends like Jonathan? Your friend carry your heart and you carry your friend’s heart as well. Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.
Amnon, the son of David, had a bad friend called Jonadab, who caused Amnon to sleep with his own sister, Tamar (incest which was a great sin in Israel).
“But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.” (2 Samuel 13:3).
Look at the word used to describe Jonadab, “subtle.”
This is the same word used to describe the serpent in Genesis 3:1, which means “wise,” the kind of wisdom the devil possesses, the worldly type of wisdom which is foolish in the sight of God.
The deception caused Amnon’s life (2 Samuel 13:28-29).
YOU NEED A GODLY FRIEND
As a Christian your friend should be a God fearing Christian, not a lukewarm Christian, church goer or an unbeliever, unless you have plans of winning them for Christ, and even with that, you need to be careful.
Jonathan was a God fearing friend. He had never betrayed David. He had never sabotaged David. He had never blackmailed David. He was a genuine friend, no hypocritical behaviour.
Beloved, who is your friend? What is he telling you to do? Who gives you counsel?
Let’s consider some facts about a godly friend.
A godly friend:
- Is loyal
- Gives good counsel
- Builds up
- Encourages
- Is not greedy
- Is not selfish
- Is not destructive
- Like spiritual activities such as Bible studies, fasting and prayers, studying of the Bible, etc, which he encourages his friends to do same.
Are you a good friend or a bad friend?
Keep it up if you are a good friend, and if you are a bad friend you can make amends now if not destruction will be your portion.
BE A GOOD FRIEND NOW!
Have a blessed Sunday!
…to be continued…
Prayer: Help me amend my ways Lord, and keep me by your side, in Jesus’ Name!
Amen!
Rev. John Wundengba
020 9 422 159
