Trigger Warning: sexual assault.
We spent a week learning about godly friends, the need to pray for them and how to be one. Today, we look at the opposite of such relationships - ungodly friendships.
The Bible teaches us to pay attention to the quality of friends we keep. Proverbs 18:24 - One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Nowhere is this issue of ruinous friends better displayed than in the relationship between Amnon and Jonadab (2 Samuel 13).
Amnon was David's first son and thus the royal prince of the kingdom. As his father had married a number of women, he had a large family with many brothers and sisters. One such sibling was Tamar and sadly, he had an ungodly desire for her. 2 Samuel 13:1-2 - In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David. 2 Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.
For the average person, falling in love with a sibling, albeit one with a different mother, would never come to mind. However, Amnon dwelled on this evil idea till it became an obsession. He confided in Jonadab who was not only his friend and adviser, but was also a cousin. Instead of discouraging such thoughts, Jonadab concocted a plan to get Tamar to the prince's room. Amnon followed the plan and when alone with his sister, he raped her. Tamar's life was shattered and her brother, Absalom, murdered Amnon in revenge. The consequences didn't end there, however. Absalom resented his father for not punishing Amnon, leading Him to depose David, violently assault his father's concubines in public and ultimately dying in battle against his father's troops.
Had Amnon put God's word before the counsel of an evil friend, he would not have abused and assaulted his own sister. After all, the word states in Leviticus 18:9 - Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere. Instead, he listened to someone who encouraged his evil desires and that led to family dysfunction and death.
Another person with ungodly friends was Rehoboam. He became king after the death of his father, King Solomon. When he ascended to the throne, the people pleaded with him to reduce the taxes (1 Kings 12:4). He sought the wisdom of his late father's advisers who encouraged him to treat the peoples request favorably. He then opted to also get the opinion of his friends, young men who were inexperienced in statecraft. They encouraged him to mock the people and threaten to increase their taxes.
The Bible tells us in 1 Kings 12:13 - But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors. This choice to follow his friends' advice was a contributing factor to the kingdom splitting into two. Ten tribes went on their own to establish the Kingdom of Israel leaving Rehoboam to lead his tribe, Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin in the Kingdom of Judah.
God does not want us to have ungodly friends because like Jonadab and Rehoboam's friends they lack godly wisdom. Having such people in one's life is a surefire way to experience defeat, ruin, and possibly death. We must pray for godly friends filled with the fear of the Lord, His wisdom and His word. These are the friends we need to stick by us through the good and bad times. These kinds become like family and value our physical and spiritual interests.
Father, transform the lives of Your people. Turn things around for them. Say to the evil prince oppressing them that its time is up. Take the turban from its head. Lift the lowly. Declare that their time has come (Ezekiel 21:25).
IJMN, Amen.
From M22 - Abba Father I pray for couples waiting on the fruit of the womb. I pray that you bless them with healthy beautiful babies that they will nourish and nurture in your ways. I pray as they wait on you, you help them to continually serve and honor you. I pray that you put an end to failed IVFs, miscarriages and difficult adoption processes IjMN Amen
From M22 - Abba Father I pray for countries ravaged by war and bloodshed. I pray that you put an end to these negative events. I pray that you touch the hearts and minds of warring parties to settle things in a way that benefits citizens. I pray that you help them rebuild and restore everything they have lost beyond their expectations IJMN Amen
From M22 - Abba Father I pray for my siblings that you continue to strengthen, renew and transform them for your purpose and glory. I pray that you continue to open up their hearts to you. I pray that you continue to order their steps as they navigate this month. I pray that you bless the work of their hands and perfect them in every way IjMN Amen
From JIR - Please Lord bless my auntie B with the peace, love and comfort she needs at this time. Please surround her with friends, family and facility members who have love and compassion for her, who have her best interest at heart and who are helping her to get better. Please Lord place Your healing hand on her and remove all things ailing her body. Please bless her to recover so that she may walk and talk again. Please bless my aunt’s biological family to step in and care for her the way she deserves to be cared for and get her the proper medical treatments she needs to recover. IJMN. Amen.
From M22 - Abba Father I pray for couples waiting on the fruit of the womb. I pray that you bless them with healthy beautiful babies that they will nourish and nurture in your ways. I pray as they wait on you, you help them to continually serve and honor you. I pray that you put an end to failed IVFs, miscarriages and difficult adoption processes IjMN Amen
From JIR - I pray for those experiencing war. Please protect them Lord. Please give them the courage, strength and protection they need to withstand the attacks they are facing. Please bless them to pray to You and never give up on their prayers and to know that You are working things out for them. Please Lord cover them under Your wings and give them the strength they need to go on. IJMN. Amen.
From JIR - I pray for those who are oppressed and afflicted. Lord, please bless them with the love, peace, comfort, strength and protection they need to get out of their situation. Please protect them to withstand their surroundings. Please place Your arms underneath them Lord and pull them out of what they may be facing. Please place them on stable ground, Lord, so that they are able to recover and bounce back from their troubles. IJMN. Amen.
Father, thank You for being the God who teaches His people.
Thank You for being Almighty, All knowing, and All Powerful.
Lord, Your word teaches that we are to come before Your throne of grace boldly so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Yet the enemy wants us to think that coming before the Father woh loves us with confidence is a bad thing.
We resist and reject the devil because it is less than nothing per Isaiah 41:24.
And so, God, we come before You this day, to boldly pray for all who are yet to experience godly relationships. They need to encounter You, Lord, so they can recognize the type of friendships You intend for them.
Father, meet people where they are. Set them free from the blindness and deafness the enemy wants them to exist in. Conditions that make godly relationships impossible. Let them come to know You and the love You have them so they expect and give that love to others. IJMN, Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I thank you for how you are teaching me through your Word. Your word is life and evidence of your works in my life and for that I give you all the glory you are worthy to be praised. I pray to study your word further beyond human understanding
PRAYER TIME
El Gibbor. The Mighty Man of War. God of the Heavenly ghost. Head of the Heavenly Armies. Leader of the Angels who violently decimate the demons of hell. The Father of Christ Jesus who went into the strongman's house, arrested it and released the captives. Oh and then He shared the spoils.
God You are so worthy of all my praise and I give it to you with no reservation.
The God who ransoms entire nations for me.
You are worthy of honor and glory.
Yes You are.
The God who said and showed me that I am the apple of His eyes.
The God who has called me a royal diadem in His hand.
My Redeemer. My Vindicator. My Defender.
The One who alerts to what the enemy is trying to do because He has gone ahead and conquered every of the devil's plans.
Lord, I thank You for You. Thank You for even if satan thinks it scored a goal, You quickly prove that it lost the entire war!!
From M22 - Thank you for another fellowship day and for ushering us into a new month. Thank you Father for take care of us and refreshing us every single day. Thank you for renewing us in every aspect of our lives. Thank you for wanting the best for us and giving us the best. We exalt your name Abba. IjMN Amen
Father, I worship You and I thank You for Your mercy upon me.
Thank You for being the God who cares about everything that concerns me.
Thank You for always having the last word where it concerns me.
My King. My Judge. My Lawgiver. My God who is holy forever.
From JIR - “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!”
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 NLT
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions.
Your name stands above them all.
God You are holy and we give You the glory.
Thank You, God!
From JIR - Thank You Jesus for reassuring me that You are always with me. Thank You for Your patience and kindness and for caring so much that not only have You changed me and my old routines but You have now changed my eating and lifestyle habits for the best. I look back at how far You have brought me and it truly is a miracle. You are changing every area of my life for the best so seamlessly with little to no effort from me. I appreciate Your love for me and never want to take it for granted. I want to only do what is pleasing to You Lord. You are my Rock and I will praise You all the days of my life. My Creator, my Lord, my God. Thank You. IJMN. Amen.
The God who endures in His patience for us.
The God who is merciful
Praise be onto You, oh God!
PRAISE TIME