Jun. 08, 2025

Guest Pastor Tim Morrow's sermon begins at 19:43 min into the video. The music "God is Good All the Time", "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" , "You are My All in All", "Jesus Your Name", and "Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest)" are licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 licenses.

Proverbial Friendship: A Journey to Spiritual Growth

Are you ready to discover how the friends you choose can either strengthen your spiritual walls or leave you completely vulnerable? Guest Pastor Tim Morrow's powerful message reveals that your closest relationships aren't just social connections—they're the very influences that shape your walk with God. This isn't just about having friends; it's about experiencing the life-changing power of godly friendship that transforms both you and those around you. Your friendships are shaping your spiritual destiny right now. Every day, you're either being pulled toward godliness or away from it by the people closest to you. The question isn't whether you have friends—it's whether your friends are helping you become more like Jesus or making you spiritually vulnerable.

You have the power to surround yourself with people who sharpen your faith like iron sharpens iron. These aren't just casual acquaintances or online influencers who don't even know your name. These are real people in your life who will tell you hard truths when you need them, celebrate your victories, and pull you back when you're drifting from God's path. But here's the beautiful truth: while you're choosing godly friends, you're also called to become that transformative friend for others. You carry the Holy Spirit within you—that's not just a gift for your own benefit, but a source of refreshment and encouragement you can pour into the lives of those around you.

Pastor Morrow’s Key Teachings:

1.    Choosing your influencers wisely is a crucial biblical principle. Proverbs 25:19 warns that placing confidence in an unfaithful person during times of trouble is like having a broken tooth or a dislocated foot. Trusting those who aren't faithful to God can leave you spiritually incapacitated. Pastor Morrow challenges us to consider who our top three influential friends are and whether they are guiding us toward godliness or pulling us away from Jesus Christ. In every aspect of life—during crises, when seeking advice, or making important decisions—it's vital to turn to those who will direct us toward God's wisdom rather than worldly solutions.

2.    Becoming the friend others need is another essential principle. Proverbs 25:14 compares a person who boasts of a gift they don't give to clouds and wind without rain. With the Holy Spirit within us, we should not be like empty clouds. Pastor Morrow emphasizes the importance of being a refreshing presence in others' lives, encouraging them toward Jesus, a biblical worldview, and godliness. This involves celebrating with them, mourning with them, and sometimes saying difficult things out of love to prevent them from drifting away from God.

3.    Embracing faithful wounds is a hallmark of true friendship. Proverbs 27:6 states that "faithful are the wounds of a friend." Genuine friendship requires honesty about areas where we fall short. Pastor Morrow shares that while he may not enjoy hearing hard truths, he recognizes the necessity of having friends who care enough to speak up when he's going astray. This isn't about being critical or judgmental; it's about loving someone enough to help them stay on God's path, even when the conversation is uncomfortable.

4.    Building spiritual walls through self-control is another key aspect. Proverbs 25:28 likens a man without self-control to a city without walls. Friendships significantly impact our ability to maintain self-control and spiritual protection. Pastor Morrow explains that godly friends play a vital role in helping us develop self-control. When surrounded by people who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, their influence strengthens our spiritual defenses, helping us stay aligned with God's will.

Scriptural Foundation:

•    Proverbs 25:19 - "Confidence in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint." This passage warns us about the spiritual danger of relying on people who aren't faithful to God during our most vulnerable moments.

•    Proverbs 25:14 - "Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give." This verse challenges us to actually use our spiritual gifts to benefit our friends rather than just talking about our faith.

•    Proverbs 27:17 - "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." This shows us that godly friendships should make us better, stronger, and sharper in our faith walk.

•    Proverbs 13:20 - "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." This verse makes it clear that our choice of friends will either increase our wisdom or cause us spiritual damage.

•    Proverbs 27:6 - "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." True friends love us enough to tell us difficult truths that help us grow spiritually.

•    Proverbs 25:28 - "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." This passage connects our spiritual defenses to our ability to maintain godly boundaries and self-control.

Your Journey Forward:

-    Evaluate Your Current Circle Write down the names of your three closest friends. Ask yourself honestly: Are they encouraging you toward godliness? Do they share your biblical values? When you're struggling, do they point you toward God's truth or worldly solutions?

-    Seek Godly Friendships If you don't have faithful friends who spur you toward Jesus, start looking for them. Join a small group, volunteer in ministry, or connect with mature believers in your church. Pray specifically for God to bring godly friendships into your life.

-    Become a Faithful Friend Ask God to show you how to be a better friend to others. Practice celebrating others' victories, offering comfort in their struggles, and when necessary, lovingly speaking truth into their lives.

-    Welcome Accountability Give permission to godly friends to speak into your life. Let them know you want to grow spiritually and that you welcome their honest input, even when it's difficult to hear.

-    Strengthen Your Spiritual Walls Recognize that self-control is both a gift of the Holy Spirit and something that grows stronger through godly community. Lean into your faithful friendships as a source of spiritual strength and protection.

Closing Prayer and Reflection:

"Father, thank You for Your word. Thank You for the Proverbs. Thank You that they're so practical in our lives, Lord. Help us to think about that this morning. Thank You ultimately that You're our greatest friend, Jesus. Lord, You're our greatest influencer, but Lord, You've placed us in this world and on this earth, Lord, to fulfill Your plan in the kingdom, Lord. And part of that is having and listening to good friends around us that are godly people that are speaking into our lives. Help us to have that. Help us to listen. Help us, Lord, to listen to the wisdom that's around us. Lord, I pray that You would help us to be good friends to others, godly friends to those that are around us so that we are all exhibiting self-control, so that we're not vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. Lord, You've given us the body of Christ for that. We need each other, Lord. We thank You for that. We thank You for the gift of the body. Thank You for this church. Thank You for this time that we've had together in Your word today. Help us to go out and be salt and light in this world around us. In Jesus' name. Amen."

The friendships you choose today will shape the person you become tomorrow. God hasn't called you to walk this journey alone—He's given you the incredible gift of community. As you step into deeper, more authentic relationships with fellow believers, you're not just gaining friends; you're building spiritual walls that protect your heart and strengthening others to do the same. The question isn't whether you need godly friends—it's whether you're ready to pursue them and become one yourself.