John Bevere - God's Not Everybody's Friend
- Watch
- Donate
Psalm 25:14. One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Psalm 25:14: «The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.» Everybody say, «the secret.» That word actually means «secrets.» The secrets of the Lord are with those who fear Him. How many of you have secrets? Let me see a show of hands. Put up your hands really high. All right, should I pray for the rest of you for lying now or later? How many of you know all secrets are not bad? Now, how many of you have secrets? Everybody’s going to raise their hand. Okay, thank you.
Who do you share your secrets with—acquaintances or intimate close friends? To make close friends, God is no different. God says, «I share my secrets with My intimate close friends.» By the way, My intimate close friends are those who fear Me. Now I’m going to show you I’m not taking this verse out of context. Look at the New Living Translation: «Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear Him; with them He shares His secrets.» God is not everybody’s friend. I’ll get a little more specific: God is not everybody’s friend in the church.
Now, there are two men called «the friends of God» in the Old Testament. Are there others? Oh, you better believe it! David is a friend of God. Esther is a friend of God. You know I could go on and on—Joseph, Daniel. But these two men’s lives exemplify what it takes to have a relationship of friendship with the Lord. Who is the first one? Who is the first one? Abraham, right? Why is Abraham called the friend of God? Because when Abraham was old, God came to him one night and said, «Abe.» «Yes, Lord.» «Yes, yes, Abe. You know your son, whom you waited for for 25 years, that I gave to you, the one you love more than anything or anyone else? I want you to go on a three-day journey and kill him for Me.»
Hey, we read this; can you imagine the sleepless night? But you know what the Bible says? Early the next morning, Abraham was on his way. Yeah, people say, «Well, you know the Lord’s been dealing with me about this now for three months.» Oh my gosh, you’re bragging about your lack of holy fear! Now, God gives him a three-day journey. Why? It’s easier when you heard the booming voice of God the night before, but what about two and a half days later when you haven’t heard one word from heaven, and you look at the mountain where you’re going to put the most important person or thing to death in your life just because God said to do it and didn’t give you a reason? Abraham goes up there.
Can you imagine the emotions? He is building this altar, hoping for some kind of sign to get out of this. He ties up Isaac, whom he loves so much, lifts up the knife, and is ready to put the most important person or thing to death in his life just because God said to do it. And right when he’s ready to run it through Isaac, an angel appears and says, «Abraham, stop! Because now I know you fear God.» Oh, whoa, whoa! How does the angel know that he fears God? Because he obeyed God instantly, because he obeyed God when it didn’t make sense, because he obeyed God when it hurt, because he obeyed God when he didn’t see a benefit, and because he obeyed God to completion.
Abraham puts down the knife, unties Isaac, lifts his eyes, and sees a ram. Out of his spirit comes, «Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who sees.» Do you understand God just revealed a facet of His personality to Abraham that nobody had ever known before? Because he’s My friend. Okay, you’re not getting this. All of you know me as John Bevere, the preacher. Some of you know me as John Bevere, the author, but there is a lady—and whoa, she’s a lady—she knows me as John Bevere, best friend. She knows me as John Bevere, husband. John Bevere, father. John Bevere, granddaddy. She knows me as John Bevere, athlete. She knows me as John Bevere, lover.
Now, can I say this? None of you will ever know me as John Bevere, lover. That is a facet of my personality reserved for the person who is closest to me on this earth. Amen? God just revealed a facet of His personality to Abraham that nobody had ever known before because he’s My friend. Now, look at the relationship between God and Abraham; it’s amazing. One day, the Lord says, «Should we do what we’re planning on doing to Sodom and Gomorrah without first talking to our friend Abraham?»
So the Lord comes down, sits under a tree, they have a meal, the angels go off, and Abraham and God walk over the cliff. God looks at Abe and goes, «Abe, we’re thinking about blowing up these two cities. What do you think?» Abe goes, «What do you think?» Abraham goes, «Wait, my nephew’s over there! Oh my gosh! Think, think, think! Okay, God, You wouldn’t blow up the cities if there were 50 righteous people, would You? You wouldn’t judge the righteous with the unrighteous, would You?» And the Lord goes, «Excellent idea! Excellent idea! Okay, we will not blow up the cities if there are 50 righteous people. Glad we talked to our friend Abraham.»
Abraham goes, «What if there are 50? Okay, God, wait a minute! Whoa, whoa, how about 45?» The Lord goes, «Another good idea! Okay, we will not blow up the city since there are 45.» Glad we talked to our friend Abraham. Abraham goes, «How about 40? 30? 20? 10?» He figures there’s got to be ten—Lot’s one; all I need is nine others. There are not even ten!
Now listen to what the Bible’s saying. Listen, listen! The people of Sodom are buying, selling, marrying, giving in marriage, planting, harvesting—what is that in today’s vernacular? The economy is great; life is good. And if there is a God, He doesn’t mind a lifestyle. They’re 24 hours away from being obliterated, and they’re clueless. That’s not what’s scary! Can I show you what’s scary? Lot—everybody say, «Lot,» whom the Bible calls righteous. Okay, I’ll put it in today’s terms: 2 Peter calls him righteous—okay, saved, born again. He’s 24 hours away from being obliterated and he’s as clueless as Sodom and Gomorrah. It takes two angels of mercy, two messengers of mercy—because Abraham prayed, thank God Abraham prayed—to get him out.
So here are two righteous men, two saved men, two born again men. I’m going to put in today’s vernacular: one righteous, saved, born again man knows what God’s going to do before he does it and helps God decide how He’s going to do it. The other righteous, saved, born again man is as clueless as the world. Why? Because this righteous, saved, born again man fears God; therefore, God shares His secrets with him. This other righteous, saved, born again man does not fear God; he only knows God by how He answers his prayers.
See, if you look at Moses, he’s the other one. God said, «I trust Moses; he’s My friend.» «Speak to him face to face like a man speaks to his friend.» The Bible says that Israel knew His acts; Moses knew His ways. What does it mean? Israel knew God by His acts. Israel knew God by how God, excuse me, Israel knew God by how He answered their prayers. On the other hand, Moses knew many times what God was going to do before He did it and even helped God decide how to do it. And twice, he changed God’s mind. The Bible says the Lord relented because of what Moses said to Him.