My husband recently preached a message in school chapel about friends. The message was directed towards teens, but it really spoke to my heart and I wanted to share some of the truths he taught.

"Relationships are the substance of life."

There are three main relationships that you have in your life.

1. You and God
2. You and your spouse
3. You and your friends

The third relationship is the one that influences you the most.

"You attract what you are not what you want."

"Friendship is the glue that holds all relationships together."---Dr. Jack Hyles

There are two questions that you need to ask yourself.

Am I the right kind of friend?

Do I have the right kind of friends?

2 Samuel 13:1-39 is the story of Amnon and his "friend" Jonadab.  Amnon loved his sister Tamar and Jonadab gave him the idea to play sick and call for his sister to come to him and wait on him.  While he was laying there he told Amnon that he could then do what he wanted to with her.  Amnon did just that and committed an immoral act with his own sister.

1. Do you help your friends build proper relationships? Vs.5
   
   -Jonadab told Amnon to lie to his dad.

2. Do you flatter your friends with words that you do not mean or with false sympathy? Vs.4

3. Do you help your friends feel better about themselves? Vs.15
   
   -Does your friend ever say "No" to you.  If they are always agreeing to do something wrong with you or talking bad about someone with you then they are not a true friend.  Do your friends feel dirty when they walk away from you because they have sinned when they were with you?

4. Do you help your friends when they are in Trouble? Vs. 28
   
   -Absalom had Amnon killed and where was his "friend" Jonadab? He was no where to be found when Amnon really needed him.

5. Do your friends respect your parents? Vs.32
   
     -Jonadab seemed rude when he went to David and told him that his son was dead. He did not respect him at all. 

6. Do you help build the family members of your friends?

 ** All of these are simple truths but do we live them.   The friends that you have tell a lot about you.  What kind of friend are you?  

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