How To...#1 - Be a Friend
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Grace Church By John Demo

How To...#1 - Be a Friend

In our October and November series, we'll be looking at many "How To" topics from God's perspective.

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Grace Church holds a Meet & Greet for those who are newer to Grace Church on the 4th Sunday of each month. Our next Meet & Greet will be held on October 27th following the service in CJ's coffee shop. It is a great opportunity to meet the staff and leadership of Grace Church and learn a little more about the church. It also gives us an opportunity to learn a little about you! Contact Leslie Booher if you have any questions ([email protected]).
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Church Work Days each Saturday in October 9:00 am to Noon.
Come help us prepare the church property for winter! Bring work gloves and hedge trimmers/something to trim bushes. Contact Ryan Hickey ([email protected]) with questions.
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CJ's coffee shop will be open on Wednesday nights 6:00-7:30 pm. This is a great time to invite others and "pull up a chair" to have conversations.
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Saturday, October 5th - Orion Brinckman
Sunday, October 6th - James Yenger, Randy & Kathy Sears
Monday, October 7th - Bret & Cass Ramey, Rick & Deb Abbott
Tuesday, October 8th - Kim Walters
Wednesday, October 9th - Jay Scott, David & Karen Dykhouse
Thursday, October 10th - David Vanderlugt, Emily Golden
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Our Fall series is entitled "How To". Each week a topic will be added to make a complete statement. These topics will be looked at from God's perspective.
There are countless books whose titles begin with the words, "How To." They fall into the self-help or self-improvement category.
The most famous "how to" book is entitled "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.
Talk about what "how to" books you have read. Or if you were to write a "how to" book, what would be the title?
The idea understanding friendship, having friends, and being a friend is the focus for our message today.
There are lots of definitions for the word "friend" and its variations. A friend is someone with whom you share some sort of social and emotional bond. Usually you...
- have things in common
- have spent time with them
- share similar beliefs and values
- trust them
- feel a sense of loyalty and commitment
- have openness and vulnerability
- enjoy being around them

The Bible gives us examples of friends in both the Old and New Testaments. Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, Elijah and Elisha, Apostle Paul and ??
Today's message is entitled, How to Be a Friend.
Virtually all of us want to have friends...something more than a large phone and Facebook contact list.
How do you become a good friend?
The Bible has much to say on this subject and offers many practical examples and principles to teach us and to guide our thinking and behavior.

Our text today is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 [NLT]
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
BSB
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
BSB
1. FOCUS on our friend's overall success in life.
Ecclesiastes 4:9; Philippians 2:3-4

Practical Steps:
PRAY for their success, not just for their struggles.
PAT them on the back and encourage them.
PRAISE their efforts and don't focus as much on their errors.
POINT them toward the Lord and remind them of their potential.
Ecclesiastes 4:9
BSB
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
BSB
Philippians 2:3-4
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3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
BSB
2. FIND a way to help our friend when they are in need.
Ecclesiastes 4:10-11; Luke 10
Ecclesiastes 4:10-11
BSB
10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
BSB
3. FORM a bond of loyalty.
Ecclesiastes 4:12a

Ecclesiastes 4:12
BSB
12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
BSB
4. FOSTER an environment where Jesus can be woven into your relationship.
Ecclesiastes 4:12b

Think about the effort you are making with friends in presenting Christ to them by your lifestyle and your words. We can...
- pray for them
- discuss the issues we face in life
- talk about how our faith in God has helped us
- share an appropriate Bible passage
- invite them to events where they can meet other Christians and hear about God
- pull up a chair and explain God's Story of Jesus and our Story with Jesus
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