JIYS - In the Company Of Friends 09/05/2010

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Bible Study
The friendship of David and Jonathon is a great example. You can read the story of their friendship in the Bible in 1 Samuel 17:57-18:4, 1 Samuel 19:1-7, 1 Samuel 20:1-21, 1 Samuel 23:15-18, 1 Samuel 31:2, 2 Samuel 1:25-26 and 2 Samuel 9:1-7.

Your Friendships
Who do you spend most of your time with? How much of this time do you interact with them (as opposed to just being in the same building or room as them)?

Think about some of these people. What type of person are they? What influence do they have on you? Is it a positive or negative one?

Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve felt a sort of tide pulling you towards being better or worse than you are? What influences you? How can you use this to be the best you – either by watching for warning signs that you might be less than yourself, or by being intentional about being helped to move towards the better you?

Think about people who have a positive influence on you. Who do they encourage you to be? How can you make the most of your the time spent together?

Who has permission to speak into your life – even when it’s uncomfortable to hear? Is this an unspoken arrangement or have you actively given permission? (If you haven’t, perhaps you should.)

What sort of friend are you? Who are you helping to become the best person they could be? How much of yourself do you give into your friends – in terms of time, effort, prayer and so on?
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