Choosing Your Circle of Friends
Brother Richie Juatco: Living in a time when technology makes it easy for people all around the world to connect—ironically there are some that have observed that there’s a “loneliness epidemic” happening.
[On-screen news graphic]
IB IN BUSINESS
‘Loneliness epidemic’ hits Gen Z hardest: 1 in 4 are lonely at work
Brother Richie: And people have even coined this generation of young people as the “loneliest generation.”
[On-screen graphic]
Gen Z is the loneliest generation — and it’s their parents’ fault
Brother Richie: Are you someone who feels that some of your relationships with people are not really meaningful? Stay with us in this episode of The Message.
[On-screen logo graphic]
THE MESSAGE
[Show open]
[On-screen text graphic]
Brother Richie Juatco
Minister of the gospel
Brother Richie: Hello! I’m Brother Richie Juatco, and with me here in our studios, in the San Francisco Bay area, is Brother Bernard Daos. Hi Brother Bernard.
Brother Bernard Daos: Hello, Brother Richie.
[On-screen text graphic]
Brother Bernard Daos
Minister of the gospel
Brother Bernard: Having meaningful relationships, or being able to interact face-to-face with others, is a very important aspect of life. However, some are simply relying on social media interactions, and maybe [they] feel there aren’t real-life people that really understand and connect with them.
Is it important to have friends?
Brother Richie: Well, because of that, is being part of a community or group of people—or simply having friends—is that important? And if so, how should one go about selecting people to make the right connections, Brother Bernard?
Brother Bernard: Well, Brother Richie, let’s address the first question. Here in the Book of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, this is what it tells us:
Having someone work with you is better than being by yourself all the time. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work. If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, you will have trouble, because there is no one to help you stand up.
[Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Unlocked Dynamic Bibble]
Brother Bernard: According to what we read: “Having someone work with you is better than being by yourself all the time.” So, the Bible makes clear the importance of having a friend. It teaches that it is better than being all by yourself. So even though technology [helps] us in being more independent, we should not think that being alone is better than being with friends. No one is completely self-sufficient; everyone relies on others.
Brother Richie: Now, Brother Bernard, some might think that, well, they are not totally isolated. There are people around them, but they don’t feel like they’re better off because of it.
Brother Bernard: Well, remember, Brother Richie, the verse did not simply mention people around us, but rather that it’s better to have a friend with you. Therefore, being part of a community or a group is advantageous if we’re with real friends.
What is a true friend?
Brother Richie: So, what is a “real” friend, a true friend?
Brother Bernard: Well, Brother Richie, let’s get the biblical definition as recorded here in the Book of Proverbs 17:17, here is what it states:
A friend loves at all times. He is there to help when trouble comes.
[Proverbs 17:17 New International Reader’s Version]
Brother Bernard: So, according to the Bible, a real friend will “help when trouble comes.” That’s why we read in the verse earlier, “If you fall down, [a friend] can help you get up again.” And although there are more people populating the earth now, more than ever before, that does not correlate to people automatically having more genuine friends. So, we can see that that is what is currently happening. For example, people might be part of an online community or group, but they might not actually feel any real connection.
[On-screen text graphic]
Choosing Your Circle Of Friends
Brother Richie: So, Brother Bernard, what about those that they might feel like, the people around them, they seem friendly enough, yet they can’t picture them coming out to help when troubles come? Some might even feel embarrassed to expect others to actually help them with their problems.
Brother Bernard: That’s right, Brother Richie. But since a true friend helps when trouble comes, what kind of help can a real friend always provide? Let’s turn to the Book of Proverbs 27:9, for the answer:
Perfume and incense bring joy to your heart. And a friend is sweeter when he gives you honest advice.
[Proverbs 27:9 New International Reader’s Version]
Brother Bernard: We see here that giving honest advice is what makes a friend sweeter or better to have in life. This is someone that the Bible says is better to have than being by yourself.
[On-screen text graphic]
Brother Richie Juatco
Minister of the gospel
Brother Richie: That is so true! And even for those that are watching, [they] can probably agree that those types of friends are the ones we want around. They even correct us if we make mistakes. They are the ones who disagree with us if we’re doing something, saying something, thinking something wrong, that’s going to lead us down the wrong path. These are the friends who will actually tell us the uncomfortable truth.
[On-screen text graphic]
Brother Bernard Daos
Minister of the gospel
How should you choose your friends?
Brother Bernard: That’s why, Brother Richie, since it’s clear that having real friends in life is important, how should one go about selecting or choosing the right people to make the right connections [with] so that they can build a beneficial community?
Brother Richie: That’s a great question. Let’s start off with the people to beware of. What kind of people should we not choose as friends? Well, for that, we’ll turn to what’s recorded in I Corinthians, 15:33-34. It says this:
But don’t be deceived by what the world promotes! The reality is that unhealthy friends and associates corrupt good character. Be sensible, do what’s right and healthy because it is right and healthy, …
[I Corinthians 15:33-34 The Remedy New Testament]
Brother Richie: Here the Bible mentions that there are people that are regarded as “unhealthy friends and associates.” Why are they described as unhealthy? Because what they advise and encourage is “what the world promotes!”
Brother Bernard: Wait a second, Brother Richie. What’s so wrong about that, promoting what the world promotes?
Brother Richie: Well, the Bible says that they are going to “corrupt good character.” That’s why what’s the warning and instruction of the Bible? It teaches us that we should not, it says, “don’t be deceived…Be sensible, and do what is right and healthy.”
Friends are valuable. We understand that. We should know that. So, we need to choose our friends wisely. Not everyone is who they seem to be. Social media is evidence of that. If we associate ourselves with the wrong type of people or unhealthy friends, the biblical truth is, it will corrupt good character.
Brother Bernard: Well, of course, Brother Richie, we don’t want to corrupt good character. So, for that not to happen, Who should be the first One that we make sure is our friend?
Brother Richie: We’ll get our answer here, Psalm 25:14, and this is what it says:
The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
[Psalm 25:14 English Standard Version]
Brother Richie: The Bible teaches that we can actually have a friendship with the Lord God. So, we should all strive to have God as our friend before anyone else. But who will be able to have Him as a friend? The Bible says that, “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him.” Now, we should understand that the fear mentioned here is not the type of fear where we want to escape from God, but rather it is a holy fear, high respect, which would have us show Him reverence or admiration.
Brother Bernard: Well, Brother Richie, I think all of us would want to have God as our friend. So, is there an example of someone who was God’s friend, and how did they achieve that?
Brother Richie: Well, we can read that in what’s recorded in James 2:23. This is the example that the Bible gives us. It says:
And so it happened just as the Scriptures say, that Abraham trusted God, and the Lord declared him good in God’s sight, and he was even called “the friend of God.”
[James 2:23 The Living Bible]
Brother Richie: The Bible calls Abraham “the friend of God.” Why did God declare him as a friend? Well, the Scripture explains that “Abraham trusted God.” Therefore, for us to also be considered [God’s] friend, we too should prove our trust and reverent fear of God by learning His teachings and following them. Having God as a friend, not just saying it, but proving it, and actually having God regard us as His friend, [should] be our priority, because if He is the One who helps us when troubles come, then we have nothing to worry about.
Having Christ as our friend
Brother Richie: Now, for us living today in the Christian Era, Whom else should we make sure is our friend and how can we go about making sure of this?
[On-screen text graphic]
Choosing Your Circle Of Friends
Brother Bernard: Well, let’s continue to read from the Book of John, this time, 15:13-14. Please listen to this:
The greatest love you can show is to give your life for your friends. You are my friends if you obey my commandments.
[John 15:13-14 God’s Word Translation]
Brother Bernard: The One speaking in the verse I read is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Now take note, the Lord Jesus taught that, “The greatest love you can show is to give your life for your friends.” And we know that Jesus Christ not only taught this biblical truth but also demonstrated it by sacrificing His life Himself.
So, although many might claim that they are the friends that Christ sacrificed and died for, simply because they believe in Him, they accepted Him as Lord and Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself specifies who are the friends that He gave His life for and what is the condition in order to be included in that group of friends. He said, “You are my friends if you obey my commandments.”
Brother Richie: So, having the Lord Jesus Christ as a friend, as well as the Lord God, should be the goal of all that want the benefit and help of a true friend. Now, notice proving trust and holy fear in God is following His commands. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ also required a person to obey His commands to be His friend.
Brother Bernard: Well, wait a second, Brother Richie. Would there ever be a conflict in obeying God’s commandments and also obeying the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Brother Richie: Absolutely not. There is no conflict there. Why are we so sure? Well, let’s read the explanation of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is the one that makes it clear why there’s no conflict. We’ll read here in John 12:49:
For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.
[John 12:49 New King James Version]
Brother Richie: Following Christ’s commands will never conflict with God’s commands. Now, we want to make clear, it is not because Christ is God, but rather because Christ’s commands are what God, the Father, the One who sent Him, they’re what God had Him teach. Christ is the One that made that clear. He is the One that said that, “I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father…gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.”
So, obeying God’s commands, taught by Jesus Christ, would make us true friends of them both, and that would be the most meaningful [relationship] a person could have.
Brother Bernard: And that is what we hope for, but what is the great benefit of having that meaningful relationship, of being a true friend of God?
Brother Richie: We can see what would happen if God was really our friend. The Bible is the one that makes clear, the Bible is the truth. We’ll read here in Psalm 1:1-2. Here it reads:
Blessed is the person who obeys the law of the LORD. They don’t follow the advice of evil people. They don’t make a habit of doing what sinners do. They don’t join those who make fun of the LORD and his law. Instead, the law of the LORD gives them joy. They think about his law day and night.
[Psalm 1:1-2 New International Reader’s Version]
[On-screen text graphic]
Brother Richie Juatco
Minister of the gospel
Brother Richie: The biblical truth is that obeying God’s law would lead to blessings. Having God as a friend means having Him in our lives. And this is why we, here in the Church Of Christ, share with you God’s law.
Brother Bernard: Now, Brother Richie, for all of our friends and loved ones, what do we have to be aware of if we truly want God in our life?
Brother Richie: Well, we need to make sure, as what we read, we “don’t follow the advice of evil people” and we “don’t join those who make fun of the LORD and his law.” Again, we really need to be wise and sensible in choosing our friends carefully. Real friends, in this life, actually help us obey God’s law. They don’t help us break His law, they don’t make fun of His law.
Now, having those right friends [who] will help us obey God’s law—building a community of friends like that will enhance our relationship with God and would lead to His blessings.
[On-screen text graphic]
Brother Bernard Daos
Minister of the gospel
Brother Bernard: So, to those watching this episode, there is a reason why we address you as our friends. Because we really do care for you. And our hope is that whatever your situation is, you are able to live with God in your life, which is the reason we bring to you this biblical message.
Brother Richie: Now, if you are someone who feels some of your relationships with people are not really meaningful, test the effectiveness of God’s words by learning them with us here in the Church Of Christ and apply them to your life, to see just how good God is to His people.
[On-screen text graphic]
Choosing Your Circle Of Friends
Brother Richie: Now, you might be wondering why we care so much if people are with or without God. Why is that? Why do we put so much effort [into] sharing the actual written message of God so that people can learn to be with Him?
Brother Bernard: For the answer to why we care so much, let’s read here in the Book of Jude 1:23. This is what it tells us:
Some people are turning away from God and they are doing bad things. If they turn away completely, God will punish them in the fire. So you must try to stop those people. Then you will save them, because you will pull them out of the fire.
[Jude 1:23 Easy English Bible]
Brother Bernard: The biblical truth is that the people of the world “are turning away from God.” And although everyone has the freedom to make their own decision, we in the Church Of Christ strive to follow the biblical instruction that states, “you must try to stop those people” from completely turning away from God.
Why? What’s the consequence of completely turning away from God? The Bible teaches, “God will punish them in the fire.” So, this is why we care so much, and we put so much effort and time into sharing with you the actual written message of God.
Brother Richie: On behalf of all of us here at The Message, we would like to thank you for joining us today in our study of God’s message.
Brother Bernard: But before we go, please join us for a short prayer.
Our loving God and Father in Heaven, we thank You so much for the blessing You have given unto us, for teaching us to obey Your commandments, Your teachings, so that we can have You as our friend, so that even in times of trouble, and even in times where we fall down, You will always be there right by our side.
This is why we continue to pray, Dear Father, for all of our loved ones, our friends who joined us today in our program, because we want them too to be friends with You, dear God, and that’s why we continue to share with them what we have found inside the true Church Of Christ.
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, thank You, Lord Jesus, we know that You are teaching us the way that we can be close to God. So, please always mediate our prayers, and bring all of us, especially our loved ones, close to our God in heaven.
Almighty God, as we return to You in our prayer, we thank You for allowing this program to reach all of our friends and loved ones. May they truly feel the love and concern of the Church Administration, in sharing this message with all people.
Please forgive us for our sins and our mistakes. We ask all this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
[Show close]
