Page 148 - The Prosperous Way _ (APRIL 2024 v3)

THE PROSPEROUS WAY

1) Become a Friend That’s Fit for a King

The Bible describes a kind of friend that is fit for a king: "One who loves
a pure heart and speaks with grace will have the king as a friend"
(Proverbs 22:11). To love a pure heart simply means to sincerely want to
purify your own heart. How can one purify the heart? A pure heart is
the outcome of fully submitting to the cleansing water of the Word.
Therefore, loving a pure heart means doing your best to live out your
life by the light of the Word.

Here are a few Scriptures that illustrate this concept:
• Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth, so
that you have sincere love for each other, love one another
deeply, from the heart (1 Peter 1:22)
Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth (John 17:17)
• You are already clean because of the word I have spoken (John
15:3)
 I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your
precepts (Psalm 119:63)

So, we can see that a person who seeks to have a pure heart reads the
Bible on a regular basis and is receptive to being changed by the
Scriptures. Does this describe you? Then you are on your way to being
a friend that’s fit for a king!

2) Speak the Truth in Love

The second part of being a friend that is fit for a king is knowing how to
communicate with your friend. "One who loves a pure heart and who
speaks with grace will have the king for a friend." (Proverbs 22:11). This
entails speaking to your friend in a kind and respectful manner.
Ephesians 4:15 describes this trait as the ability to "speak the truth in
love". This attribute is demonstrated in the wife of “noble character” in
Proverbs 31, who is described as follows: "She opens her mouth with
wisdom. And on her mouth is the law of kindness" (Proverbs 31:26
NKJV).

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