Have you ever felt alone? And I don't mean alone, but I mean really alone. Not physically alone, but spiritually isolated. That's what I'm trying to say. Like, you're the only one who gets it. The only one who cares. The only one still standing. And have you ever looked back around your life and realized that People you thought would be there forever, they're gone. Friends you trusted, they've disappointed you. Leaders you respected, they've let you down.

Well, if you have, then you understand exactly what the Apostle Paul was feeling when he wrote his letter from a Roman dungeon.

Welcome to the Pristine Grace Podcast. I'm your host, Brandon Kraft, and I am really glad you're with me tonight. This is a show where I discuss Christian living, the gospel, Bible subjects, and anything that suits my fancy at the time. And I can venture into all kinds of different subjects, so stick around. You're going to hear some interesting things from me. And if you're new here, I'd love for you to subscribe. I am on YouTube and 4K video, if you can believe that. I'm also on Sermon Audio, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

A little bit about me, I've been maintaining my website pristinegrace.org since the late 90s, and I've written extensively there, and I've been involved with internet publishing for a very long time now. And today I wanted to talk about something that doesn't get addressed much in Christian circles. We're going to talk about loneliness in ministry, about disappointment with other believers, and about what it feels like when people you counted on aren't there anymore. And we're going to talk about why you need friends, real friends, gospel friends, people who stick with you through thick and thin.

All right, I'm going to do show and tell now. I'm going to show you some of the books that I can recommend. I can't remember where I got these. I think I got these through graceebooks.com on their store. You might be able to find them on Amazon. But for those of you who don't know me very well, I attend churches here in Ashland, Kentucky. I attend both 13th Street Baptist Church and I also attend Hurricane Road Grace Church. And for those who don't know, both those churches used to be the same church, but Hurricane Road formed back in the early 2000s when they split off from 13th Street Baptist Church.

Now I'm not going to get into the details why all that happened. But Henry Mahan was really the one, the main leader of 13th Street Baptist Church back in the day. I think it was in the mid-50s, 1955-1956, when 13th Street Baptist Church was formed. It came out of Pollard Baptist Church. For those of you in the Ashton area, that's right off of Blackburn. And back in the 50s, that was a Southern Baptist Church. And there was a revival going on throughout the United States at that time. The doctrines of grace are the understanding that God's sovereignty is crucial to understanding salvation, that salvation belongs to God from beginning to end, that salvation is not based on anything performed by the creature, but is based 100% upon what Christ has done.

that theology was gaining popularity during that time. There was a return back to the days of Charles Spurgeon and John Gill and the Reformed leaders from the 19th century. And Henry Mahan had just recently discovered this teaching through the preaching of Ralph Barnard, who came to Ashland, Kentucky and was doing revival meetings wherever he could find an audience. And Henry heard one sermon from him and he was hooked. But anyway, Henry went on to become a faithful pastor and a faithful preacher and a faithful teacher of God's Word. And in my opinion, he may be probably one of the most prolific teachers of the 20th century, even though he wasn't widely known outside of certain circles. But he was prolific in his writing. He was exceptionally gifted. And he preached thousands of sermons that are absolutely wonderful, and you can find them all on my website at pristinegrace.org. And I have most of his short articles on there as well.

Now what I have here are some books. These are the works of Henry Mahan. And if you want a good taste of what Henry Mahan sounded like, at least what his written word was like, you can go to pristinegrace.org. And most of these articles, they were short little articles that could be found in the church bulletins. And it's still a popular thing to put little short articles in church bulletins today. But Henry's are cut above the rest, in my opinion. Just absolutely wonderful. And somebody has taken the time to compile all of them into two books called Precept Upon Precept, Volume 1. See if you can get that. It's not coming up. There we go. Precept Upon Precept, Volume 1. And Precept Upon Precept, Volume 2. I absolutely love these books. You don't need to have them in hard copy because almost all of them are available online and you can get them on my website.

And the same goes for the complete works of Henry Mahan. Henry Mahan wrote books, too, and he's most widely known for the books. I can't remember the exact name of the title of the books, but basically, Seeing the Old Testament Through New Testament Eyes. wonderful books. If you're not familiar with his theology, you'll never look again at the Old Testament the same way. Basically, you can't understand the Old Testament unless you understand first the Gospel, which is found in the New Testament. And so Henry Mahan taught that everything in the Old Testament was basically pointing to Christ. There's not a single passage of scripture that doesn't involve him. And all of his writing is just absolutely wonderful. And you can get all of these. I think you might be able to get these on Lulu or Amazon. You'll have to search around for them. But definitely worth it.

All right. So that's enough of show and tell. Let's go ahead and get back on topic now. Now I want to say up front, like I always do, this isn't going to be a quick discussion, so get comfortable. Alright, I keep on saying the same thing from episode to episode. I say go grab yourself a coffee or tea, but maybe you can try some soda too. I don't know. It's late tonight. It's Friday. It's January 23rd. We're about ready to get hit with some snow tomorrow, and I've discovered that I don't like And I want to have many episodes on pristinegrace.org throughout the week. So I'm shooting for about two to three episodes per week and I'm finding that I kind of like the idea of doing back-to-back. recording. So I'm recording in batches after I've prepared my notes for the week. So as you noticed from my last episode, I'm wearing the exact same clothes because I just filmed that 20 minutes ago.

All right. So get yourself something to drink, maybe some Mountain Dew if you want to stay up late at night. And we're going to take our time through this because I think a lot of you are Feeling isolated right now, possibly. Maybe you're feeling disappointed, and you're feeling the weariness of life, of being alone, being all by yourself, and feeling like you've lost friends. And I want you to know you're not alone in feeling alone, okay? Because I've been there. And oftentimes I feel alone myself, even though I'm surrounded by friends and family and I'm loved tremendously.

But let me go ahead and start reading something that Paul wrote in his final letter. And for those of you who don't know, Paul's final letter was his second letter to Timothy. And we're going to look at chapter 4, verses 9 through 18. And I want you to listen to the Apostle Paul's words. And I want you to really listen. I want you to listen to what's between the lines. Because it's something that you might have passed over before and maybe didn't pay attention to. But I want you to focus on the emotion, the emotion of the Apostle Paul.

And just so you know, Paul is going through quite the ordeal because he's sitting alone in a Roman dungeon and he is facing execution. Something which is quite horrifying, even if you're an apostle. Okay. It's kind of scary place to be. And so he's writing to Timothy. He says to Timothy in verses 9 through 18,

Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me, for Demas hath forsaken me. He's forsaken him. Having loved this present world and has departed into Thessalonica, Cruscians to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia, only Luke, only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. Antiochus have I sent to Ephesus, the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus. When thou comest, bring with thee and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. The Lord reward him according to his works, of whom be thou aware also, for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. And I pray that God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Boy, I tell you what, there is so much emotion in that passage, and so much pain in the Apostle Paul's voice. And we're talking about THE Apostle Paul. The Apostle. The man called directly by Christ. The man who wrote half the New Testament. The man who planted churches all over the Roman Empire. This is the man who performed miracles and saw visions and things that couldn't be uttered. And he's sitting alone. He's sitting alone in a dark, damp, dingy prison cell. And he's waiting to be executed. And listen to the disappointment in his words. Demas has forsaken me. Alexander did me much evil. At my first answer, no man stood with me. But all men, all men forsook me. Only Luke is with me. Only Luke. Think about that. This is Paul, and at the end of his life, at his greatest hour of need, only one friend is with him. Where's everybody else? Where are all the people he poured his life into? Of all the people he cared for? Where are all the churches that he planted? Where are all the believers he discipled?

Some have legitimate reasons for being gone. Titus is in Dalmatia. Crescens is in Galatia. They're doing ministry. They're doing the Lord's work. They're serving Christ. But Demas? Demas forsook them. He loved this present world and left. And Alexander, well Alexander did him much evil and actively opposed him. And at his trial, that unjust ungodly trial in that evil Roman Empire, no one stood with him and everyone forsook him. Kind of like Christ in many ways. Christ was forsaken and led outside the gate.

And can you imagine the loneliness in those words of Paul? Can you feel his disappointment? Go back and reread that. See if you can feel that. And then he says to Timothy, come shortly to me. Come quickly. Bring Mark with you. When you come, bring my cloak and my books.

Okay. Paul, he needs a friend. He needs companionship. And he needs someone to sit with him in that dark, damp cell and remind him that he's not forgotten.

Now, before we go any further, let me say something important. Yeah, Christ is our greatest friend, okay? The Lord is always with us, and yes, we're never truly alone because God is with us. And Paul acknowledges that. He says, notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. All right. The Lord stood with him. And when everyone else left him, the Lord was there.

But notice, Paul still asks Timothy to come. He still wants Mark brought to him. And he still asks for his cloak and his books. Because he's human. Because we, as people, we're human and we're embodied creatures. We need physical presence, okay? We need human friendship and we need people we can talk to and lean on and share life with.

All right, God created us for community, for fellowship, and for friendship. And when we don't have it, we feel it deeply.

Now, I want to talk about this from my own experience because I've been there, maybe not in a Roman dungeon awaiting execution, but I've sat in some dark places and I felt the sting of betrayal. And I have lost friends. And I've been disappointed by believers, yes, believers, to the right of me and to the left of me. And almost every man I've ever held in high esteem, I don't care who they are, they have let me down in some way. I'm talking about pastors I've respected, teachers I've admired, and leaders I've looked up to, and they've all disappointed me at some point.

And I suppose I've done the same to others as well. No, right? Either unintentionally or through some misunderstanding. And I'm sure there are people who feel let down by, by me. And I just got to say, I'm human. Okay. We're all human and we're all flawed and we're all sinners saved by grace who still struggle with sin.

And ministry, whether it's formal ministry or just serving the Lord faithfully wherever you are, ministry is hard. It's lonely and it's disappointing. You pour yourself out for people and they leave. You invest in relationships and they end. And you trust people and they betray you. And after a while you start to wonder if it's even worth it. If you should just withdraw. If you should just stop expecting anything from anyone.

But that's not the answer because we need friends. We really do.

Let me tell you about some of my friends because I want you to see that even in the disappointment, even in the loss, God provides. I have a dear, dear friend in Minnesota and we've never actually met face to face, believe it or not. But we do talk, we talk regularly. I talked to him for a few minutes today and he calls me up regularly and I call him up not as often as he calls me. And he's been a constant source of encouragement for me. And I have another dear friend in St. Louis, someone I can call when I'm down, someone who understands what I'm going through. And I've got a couple of friends here in Ashland that I talk to regularly on a weekly or daily basis. And there's even a new one that I've recently met online, believe it or not, here in Ashland. And I consider him to be a friend and a dear brother. And I have other companions scattered all over this world who continually provide encouragement, who remind me why this work matters, who push me to keep going.

And of course I've got my son who I absolutely adore and we have a great relationship and we're friends and I've got my mom and dad and my mom is such a great encouragement to me and I love them and they love me. And of course though I've got my wife. And I can't imagine getting through life without her by my side. She's always been there and she's always providing the encouragement I need to get up and keep going another day. And she's been my biggest cheerleader for the work I do on my website. And she's the one who's telling me how important it is to keep going, to keep trying to help others that the world and especially the churches have forgotten.

And these are my people. These are my people. These are my friends. These are my companions in the gospel. And like Paul calling out to Timothy, when I'm down, I reach out to them. Come shortly to me, Paul says. And it's not always physical, but maybe through a phone call or a text message or maybe a conversation. Because I need them. I really do.

Now, Scripture has a lot to say about friendship, and I want to show you some of it. Proverbs chapter 17, verse 17 says, A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. A friend loves at all times. Not just when it's easy, not just when it's convenient, but all times. And a brother, he's born for adversity, for the hard times, for the dark places. All right, your brothers and sisters in Christ, they're there for the hardest times, for the moments when everyone else has left. And that's what real friendship looks like. It's not fair weather companionship. And it's not convenience-based relationship. It's love that endures through difficulty.

Proverbs chapter 18 verse 24 says, a man that hath friends must show himself friendly. And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. There's a friend that sticks closer than a brother, closer than family, closer than blood relation. That's the kind of friend Paul had in Luke. Only Luke is with me. When everyone else was gone, Luke was there. Luke stayed. Luke stuck around. And that's the kind of friend we all need, don't you think?

But you know what? Even Luke, as faithful as he was, even Luke was still just a man. Even Luke had limits. Even Luke couldn't ultimately save Paul or secure his eternity. And that brings me to the greatest friend any of us will ever have. And the friend who doesn't just stick with us, he actually died for us. And Jesus Christ, well, he's the ultimate friend. And I want you to see what he said about friendship and what he did to prove his friendship. John chapter 15 verses 13 through 15 say, greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends. If you do whatever I command you, henceforth I call you not servants. For the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth, but I have called you friends. For all things that I have heard of my father, I have made known unto you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. And that's exactly what Jesus did. He didn't just stand by us. He didn't just stay with us. He died for us. And he laid down his life willingly, intentionally, out of love. Just stay there for a moment and think about it, would ya?

While we were still sinners, while we were enemies of God, while we were rebels and traitors, Christ died for us. He died for his people, for his chosen elect. Romans 5-6-8 say, For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

While we were yet sinners, not after we got cleaned up, not after we cleaned up our act, not after we proved ourselves worthy, not after we became his friends through our own effort. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. That's a friendship that's at a level that I can barely comprehend. That's love beyond measure. That's incomprehensible for me.

And notice what Jesus says in John 15. He says, I have called you friends. Not servants, not slaves, not subjects, friends. He's brought us into intimacy with him. He's shared everything with us. All that he heard from the Father, he's made known to us. He says that. And that's friendship. That's real friendship. The kind that holds nothing back.

Now, let me show you what this friendship cost him. Because it wasn't cheap. It wasn't easy. It cost him everything. 1 Peter 2, verse 24 says, "...who his own self bear are our sins in his body on the tree." That we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. He bore our sins in his own body on the tree. That's what a friend he is. He took our guilt. He carried our shame. He carried my shame. He suffered my punishment.

In Isaiah chapter 53 verses 5 and 6 say, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace, that's what fell on him. That's what he endured as our friend. the wrath of God and the weight of sin, the agony, the absolute excruciating agony of the cross. And he did it willingly. He out of love, out of love, not because he had to, he did it out of love because he calls us friends.

And think about what that means. When Paul sat in that dungeon and everyone has had forsaken him, Christ didn't forsake him. Christ had already proven his friendship at the cross. And when you feel alone, when everyone else has left, when you're disappointed and hurt to the bone and wondering if anyone even cares, Christ has already demonstrated that he cares. He gave his blood for you. And that's not just words. That's not just sentiment. That's sacrifice. That's substitution. That's a friend laying down his life.

And not just his life in some abstract sense, his blood, that lifeblood that flowed from his veins, that blood was shed when the nails pierced his hands and feet. And it's the blood that poured from his side when that spear was thrust in and it came out mixed with water. That blood was given for you, it was given for his friends, it was given for me. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7 says, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. We have redemption through his blood. That's how we're brought back. That's how we're forgiven. That's how we're reconciled to God. Through the blood of Jesus. The blood of the ultimate friend who proved his love by laying down his life. And because he shed his blood for us, we're not just friends. We're redeemed friends. We're forgiven friends. We're friends who have been brought near to God.

Colossians chapter one, verses 19 and 20 say, for please the father that in him should all fullness dwell, having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him. I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven, Peace through the blood of his cross. That's how peace is made between God and his people. Through the blood, through the sacrifice, through the death of the ultimate friend.

Now let me bring this home because this matters for how we handle disappointment with friends as well. When friends let us down, when friends in your church let you down, when your pastor lets you down, and they will, When friends forsake us, and they do, we have a friend who promised never to forsake us. And that friend proved his love, not with words, but with blood. Not with promises, but with his sacrifice. Not with good intentions, but with his very life. And that's the friend that we have in Jesus. And I love that song, by the way. Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus. And because we have him, we can handle the disappointment of friendship. Okay. We can risk relationship. We can open our hearts and we can invest in people because even if they let us down and when they let us down, we still have the friend who died for us. The friend.

Now, let me talk about what happens when we don't have friends because It can be tough when we try to do it all along. We get weary. We get discouraged and we get cynical and we start to doubt. We lose perspective and we become vulnerable to temptation.

Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verses 9 through 12 say,
two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, they have heat, but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

All right. Two are better than one. Why? Well, it's because they have a good reward for their labor. They work together. Okay. They accomplish more together. They get a lot more done. And if one of them falls, the other one lifts him up. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, there's nobody there to help him up. And if two lie together, well, they've got heat, but how can one be warm all by himself? There's no comfort in isolation and there's no warmth and loneliness. And if one is attacked, two can withstand. They can defend themselves. A three-fold cord is not broken quickly. And we need each other. We really do. Not just for companionship, but also for strength, for encouragement, for help when we fall. And ministry, well, guess what? It's just full of failures. It's just full of failing, full of falling. And it's full of moments when we need someone to lift us up, full of cold nights when we need warmth. It's full of attacks when we need someone standing with us.

Now I want to address something because some of you are thinking, but I've been hurt by friends. I've been betrayed by people I trusted. Why should I risk that again? And I understand that and Paul understood it too. Remember what he said? Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. Demas forsook me. All men forsook me. Those are his words. All men forsook me. Paul knew about betrayal. He knew about disappointment and he knew what it felt like to be let down.

But notice he didn't stop reaching out. He didn't close himself off. He didn't become cynical and isolated. He called for Timothy. He asked for Mark. And he valued Luke who was there with him. Because he knew that the risk of being hurt again was worth it for the blessing of true friendship. And he knew something else. He knew that His ultimate security wasn't in friendship, it was in Christ. As in the friend who had already proved his love at the cross.

And look what he says right after acknowledging that everyone forsook him. Quote, notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. The Lord stood with me. When everyone else left, the Lord remained. The friend who shed his blood didn't abandon him. And verse 18, And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory forever and ever. The Lord will deliver me. The Lord will preserve me. To him be the glory. That's where Paul's ultimate confidence was, not in human friends, but in his divine friend and the friend who loves him enough to die for him. And that's where ours needs to be too.

Because human friends will fail us, and they'll disappoint us, and they'll let us down. Not because they're evil, necessarily, but because, well, they're human, okay? Because they're sinners, like we are. Like we all are. And Christ never, he never fails, he never disappoints, and he never lets us down. He's already proven his love for his people, he's already given us his blood, and he's already laid down his life.

Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5 says, Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I will never leave you nor forsake you. That's Christ's promise. That's the guarantee from the friend who died for us. And human friends can leave. Human friends can forsake, but Christ never will. Because He's already paid the ultimate price of friendship, and He's already demonstrated His commitment with His blood.

And when we understand that, when we really grasp that Christ is our rock steady, He's our rock steady friend who proved His love at Calvary, then we can risk friendship. We can open ourselves up to others. We can invest in relationships. And we can build deep friendships. Because even if those friendships end, and some will, and even if those people disappoint us, and they will, we still have Christ. We still have the friend who gave his blood and that's enough.

Now let me talk about what makes a good friend because not all friendships are created equal. Paul valued certain qualities in his friends. He valued loyalty. Luke stayed when others left. And he valued usefulness in ministry. Mark is profitable to me for the ministry. And he valued trustworthiness. He could ask Timothy to bring his cloak and his books and he knows it's gonna happen. And those are the kind of friends we need, not just people to hang out with, okay? Not just somebody to watch movies with on Friday night. Not just people who agree with us and everything.

And that's what I love about my friend Greg. He tells me when he thinks I'm off my rocker. And I need to hear that from time to time because I do get off my rocker from time to time. And I need people around me who are loyal and useful and trustworthy and people who will stand with us in hard times. Okay, we need that. We need people who will serve alongside us and people who do what they say they'll do. And I need that. I need to be that kind of friend to others. We all do.

Proverbs chapter 27 verse 6 says, Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. A faithful friend will wound you when necessary, will tell you the truth even when it hurts, will correct you when you're wrong. But an enemy will kiss you, will flatter you, will tell you what you need to hear. And I'm reminded just now of how Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.

We need friends who love us enough to tell us the truth, who care more about our spiritual health than our temporary comfort. And we need to be willing to receive that from them. To listen when they correct us and to hear when they challenge us. And just because they challenge us doesn't mean that they're right. You don't have to agree with every challenge. But listen to them. And that's real friendship. It's iron sharpening iron and truth spoken in love.

And you know where we learn that model? From Christ. He loved his disciples to tell them hard, he loved them enough to tell them hard truths, to correct them, to challenge them. But he did it as their friend, as the one who had proven his love by what he was about to do for them on the cross.

Now I want to address those of you who feel like you don't have these kind of friends. Like you're isolated, like you're serving alone, like you're living all alone. No companionship. Well first I want to tell you I understand. I've been there and I know how painful it is. But I want to encourage you to keep reaching out, to keep building relationships, to keep investing in people. And yeah, you might get hurt. And yeah, people will probably disappoint you. But the alternative, which is isolation and loneliness and trying to do everything all by yourself, well, that's worse.

Look for believers who share your values. Look for believers who love the gospel, who understand grace, who know they're saved by the blood of Christ and not by their own performance. And when you find them, invest in those relationships. Call them up. Give them a ring on the phone. Message with them. Text them. Encourage them. Meet with them when you can and share your life with them. Because those friendships, those gospel friendships, they're worth their weight in gold.

And remember, Christ is always with you even when you feel alone. And when everyone else is gone, He's there. He's the friend who proved His love with His blood And he's the one who hasn't left. And he's promised never to forsake you. Matthew chapter 28 verse 20 says, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world. Amen. I am with you always. That's Jesus speaking. That's the promise from the friend who died for you. Always. Not sometimes. Not when it's convenient. Always. Even until the end of the world. So you're never truly alone and you're never abandoned. You're never forsaken because the ultimate friend, the one who gave his blood, he's with you. He's always there.

Now, let me speak to those of you who have friends, who have people standing with you, who have companions in the gospel. Don't take them for granted. Value them. Invest in them and be faithful to them. Call them. Check on them. Encourage them and stand with them when they're going through hard times. Because they need you just as much as you need them. And remember, you're representing Christ to them. You're showing them what a faithful friendship looks like. You're being the friend who sticks closer than a brother. And that's a sacred trust. And don't take it lightly.

And if you've been that friend who's forsaken someone, who's let someone down, who's walked away when things got hard, it's not too late. Reach out and apologize. Restore the relationship if you can. Because we all need friends, and we all need to be friends.

Now, let me go ahead and close with this. Paul sat in that dungeon, disappointed by many, but he wasn't destroyed. He called for his friends, but he rested. He rested in the Lord. And THE friend who had already proven his love at the cross, And that's the balance we need to strike. We need friends. We really do. But our ultimate confidence is in Christ and the friend who gave his blood for us. And he's the friend who never fails. He never leaves. And he loved us enough to die for us and rose again to give us life. And because he's our friend, because he proved it with his blood, well, we can risk friendship with others. We can open our hearts to them and we can build community and we can invest in relationships. Because even if those relationships end, even if those friends disappoint, we still have him. We have the friend who laid down his life, the friend who shed his blood, the friend who calls us his own. And he's enough.

But I gotta say how precious it is to have friends in the gospel, to have people who understand, to have people who stand with you, people who encourage you to keep going, and people who remind you of the friend who died for you. And if you have those friends, thank God for them. Thank God for them today. And call them and tell them how much they mean to you. And if you don't have those friends, well, ask God to bring them to you. And start reaching out. Start building relationships. And start investing in people. Because you need friends. And somewhere out there, someone needs you to be their friend. And all the while, remember, you have the greatest friend. the one who proved his love, not with words, but with blood, the one who laid down his life so you could have eternal life. And that friend's name is Jesus. And he's your friend forever.

That's about all I have for you today. I hope it's encouraged you. I hope it's reminded you that you're not alone, even when you feel alone. Okay. And I hope it's helped you see that the ultimate friend has already demonstrated his love at the cross. And here's the thing, if you're struggling with loneliness or you need to talk, or you need a friend, I'm here. I'm here. There's a contact form on my website at pristinegrace.org. I'd love to hear from you. I'd love to be your friend and I'd love to talk to you and I'd pray. I'm happy to pray with you. I'm happy to do everything that a friend can do even over the internet. I've got friends in Africa, believe it or not. Yeah. Reach out to me and That's about all I've got, so grace and peace to you. Good night.