“And it came to pass…that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul…. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul” (1 Sam. 18:1,3).
What a wonderful example of a friend’s love and loyalty! Jonathan’s own father, King Saul, was trying to kill David who had been anointed to take Saul’s place as King of Israel.
But Jonathan remained devoted to his friend, David, even though it meant giving up his own legal right to his father’s throne. Jonathan’s friendship and undying loyalty to David saved David’s life and prepared the way for him to take his rightful place as God’s chosen king for God’s people.
Too many people in the world today know little about the kind of steadfast loyalty and love Jonathan showed to his beloved friend, David. They know even less about the unconditional love of God – the kind of love that abides and endures through changing times and the stormy winds of adversity and uncertainty.
People everywhere long for relationships motivated by such a love. And in the midst of the chaos and unpredictability of the world today, God has made a way through Jesus Christ for each of us to have that kind of a relationship with God Himself!
Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus initiated the greatest friendship man could ever know when He willingly came to the earth and laid down His life to redeem every person from sin and from the clutches of Satan. Jesus’ act of unconditional love proved once and for all His commitment to befriend man.
The Bible says Jesus is the Friend who sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24) and that in Christ, nothing can separate us from His great love (Rom. 8:39). There is no safer place to find a refuge of peace, rest, and tranquility in the midst of life’s storms than with Jesus, your Beloved Friend.
You can begin this relationship with Jesus Christ by accepting Him as your Savior and Lord. And you can continually enjoy communion and fellowship with Him by desiring His matchless companionship and by drawing near to Him through His Word.
To know Jesus better is to trust Him more. The more you know about Jesus and His love for you, the more you will come to rely on His faithfulness and embrace Him as your Beloved Friend.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
Rev. Hagin began preparing for his call to ministry—a ministry that now spans 50 years—at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Tampa, Florida.
In his early years of ministry, Rev. Hagin was an associate pastor and traveling evangelist. Later, he went on to organize and develop RHEMA Bible Training Centers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and in other countries around the world.
Kenneth W. Hagin’s array of responsibilities also includes International Director of RHEMA Ministerial Association International. He hosts the annual A Call to Arms® Men’s Conference, and with his wife, Lynette, cohosts RHEMA Praise, a weekly television program, and Rhema for Today, a weekday radio program broadcast throughout the United States. They also conduct Living Faith Crusades, spreading the message of faith and healing around the world.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. Hagin has expanded his speaking schedule beyond his regular pastoral duties. To fulfill the urgent call of God to prepare the Church for a deeper experience of His Presence, Rev. Hagin delivers messages that reveal key spiritual truths about faith, healing, and other vital subjects. He ministers with a strong healing anointing, and his ministry leads the Body of Christ into a greater experience of the glory of God!
Kenneth W. Hagin and his wife live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of the late Kenneth E. Hagin.