Anna-thology

Last night went awesome - here are my notes. Oh, and I included some pictures - they were well received!

Fatal Friendships


I.) Intro:
A.) How many of you have friends?
1) I’ve had many friendships.
(kindergarten, grade school, jr. high, high school, college, young adult
life)
B.) Some good. Some bad. How do you tell the difference?
C.) Friendships come in different forms. (not as simple as good and bad influences)
D.) Two basic kinds of friendships – horizontal and vertical.
1.) Vertical – same place in life. (can be good or bad.)
2.) Horizontal – someone is pulling someone. (up or down – works both ways.)

C.) Did you know friendships can be fatal? Yes. In several ways.
a. Fatal friendships will leave you stressed and not blessed.
1. You will be worn out from the experience. (physically, emotionally, spiritually)
b. Fatal friendships distract you from real friends and significant relationships. (easily made jealous)
c. Fatal friends encourage you towards self-destruction to appease their own sin and guilt. (drinking, stealing, lying, self-mutilation, drugs or promiscuity)
d. Fatal friendships make it awkward and eventually impossible to have an intimate relationship with God.
e. Fatal friends are in it for what they can get out of you and will eventually betray you for their own needs. (Judas in the garden with Jesus)
f. Fatal friends will bail on you when you are at the bottom. (Judas couldn’t stay to see the result of his betrayal)

CI.) How do I know if my friendship is fatal? (warning signs)
a. Are you compromising a value to be with them?
b. Do you feel guilty after you spend time with them?
c. Are you too busy with your friends to spend time with God?
d. Do your friends distract you from worship or even church activities?
e. Are you comfortable talking about God with them?
f. All of these are warning signs. Some friendships just take tweaking.

IV.) Characteristics of a healthy friendship
1) Healthy friendships upbuild you or even challenge you. (three men in the furnace - Daniel) Positive vertical or at least horizontal.
2) Healthy friends are there for you in a bind. (Proverbs 18:24)
3) A true friend delights in your growth and isn’t intimidated by it. (Deserae – after my rededication)
4) A true friend will stand the test of time.
5) Should honor God (especially in what you do together)

V.) It’s ok to have different friends.
a) they fill different roles in your life (most of you don’t need to abandon people)
1) some will be vertical – you pulling them up or them pulling you up
2) some will be horizontal – you equally bless each other
b) Just be sure you are spending the most time with the most healthy people in your life.
1) These are the people who will be pouring into your life the most.
i. Realize your time and energy is a limited resource.
2) These people are who you will begin to look like. (look at Rob and I!)
i. Look for people you look up to and want to be more like. (Loralie)
ii. Get refreshed and recharged with these people and then go minister to others.

VI.) JESUS should be your first true friend.
1) He has loved you from the beginning of time – before you were even created. (Isaiah 44:2)
2) He will never forsake you. (Hebrews 14:5b-6)
3) He cares about your life. Give him your issues. (1 Peter 5:7)

Invitation:
1) Have you asked Jesus to be your friend?
2) Do you have some fatal friendships in your life that you need to give up?
I.) (think about what God gave up to be your friend. He could give you back that friendship too)
3) Do you have friendships that need prayer?