I think I have too many friends

April 15, 2008 - email from The Open Scroll email list

Greetings!

Do you ever wonder if you have too many friends? I do. In fact, after giving this matter serious consideration I'm convinced I do have too many friends. Odds are, you do too. Lord convict us and help us repent of this hideous and deceitful sin.

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 4:4

Really? Really! Well, I do NOT want to be found as an enemy of God when the Lord comes for His best friends and leaves everybody else behind for a severe chastening.

The Pope has arrived as the man with a mission and will soon be doing his best imitation of John the Baptist. There won't be much time for this kind of preaching then, so I'm going to do some footwashing alongside the Bridgroom while I can. Take this to heart, won't you!

The following passage begins with a verse numbered with a very timely numbering. In this passage, our very time, even this very week, is particularly referenced as we look to the manifestation of the one Judas foreshadows.

66) As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.
67) So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?"
68) Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.
69) "We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."
70) Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?"
71) Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

John 6:66-71

It is now, in this very season that many of the Lord's disciples will withdraw and not walk with Him anymore. They will be offended at Him. How can this be? Words will be spoken by those who say what they hear Him say. And many will go the way of John 6:66.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

John 13:20

You may be thinking, "Oh Bob, you're being so dramatic. You are such a nice guy. Just say what you want and I won't be offended." Well, some of you will be deeply offended. When you read the next email I send, Lord willing, you might not even read through to the end. I'm going to just put one of the two topics in that mail, and save the other for later. If that message doesn't offend you, maybe the other one will. Those of you who aren't offended, please pray for those who will be and also for the others who aren't. This is our time to wash each other's feet. Just so you know, I'm not trying to offend anyone, obviously we are to "give none offense," but especially not to Him through disobedience.

Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
23) Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

Luke 6:22-23

So, feel free to send your hate mail and your insults. I will try to take that for what it is, as a reason to be glad and leap for joy, and I can always use more of that. But what I'm really looking for is to be found as a friend of His when He comes, and to stand in His presence without shame and remorse. And, I would really like to stand along-side you, to rejoice together with you in His glory knowing that we share in each other's reward!

Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them,
26) If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
27) Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:25-27

This cannot be easy.

4) You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5) Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?
6) But He gives a greater grace Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
7) Submit therefore to God Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9) Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
10) Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

James 4:4-10

Bob Schlenker
TheOpenScroll.com