Friends have great impact upon our lives. They become a part of us, as we do them.

Friendships can be catalysts to our success or our failure. Obviously, the people with whom we form those special relationships should be chosen carefully. Perhaps that is why we find little gems of instruction in the Holy Bible for even this very personal task.

1. Friends share their hopes and dreams

Judges 7:13 - Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed."

Even when our dreams seem ridiculous - too high, too lofty, even completely out of our reach - a friend will encourage us to reach for them.

This man Gideon overheard talking to his friend was a warrior, a man of battle! He might have been a bit embarrassed about sharing such a foolish-sounding dream with just anyone ... but he knew he could tell his friend. His friend would not laugh or ridicule, but help him interpret the dream and achieve its purpose.

2. Friends are loyal

2 Samuel 3:8 - Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said and he answered, "Am I a dog's headon Judah's side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!

True friends stand beside each other, no matter the situation; they protect your reputation; they "have your back." It is to be hoped loyal friends receive that same kind of loyalty in return

3. Friends know one another intimately

Job 29:4 - Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God's intimate friendship blessed my house,

The word "intimate" means close; near; cherished. Friends should be all of those things. Job knew God intimately. He was close to Him, and he cherished that relationship. God was his friend.

We make an extra effort to spend time with those we desire to know better. We learn their likes and dislikes, their favorite foods and preferred lifestyles, where they were born and what kind of childhood they had. We find out what they hope to accomplish in life what their goals are.

That's how intimate (close) friendships are born. And just as God's intimate friendship blessed Job's house, that kind of friendship will bless ours, as well.

4. Friends pray for one another

Job 42:10 - After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.

Job prayed for his friends (who, incidentally, hadn't even been very good friends!), and God blessed Job as part of the answer to that prayer. He blesses our friends when we pray for them, too - and the blessing extends to both parties.

5. Friends love in good times and bad

Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Fair-weather friends disappear when the sky grows cloudy, when the rain and wind buffet your life. But not a real friend ... an intimate friend. That friend will help you weather the storm. He will share his umbrella if he has one, and if not, he'll stand in the rain or seek shelter with you.

When the rains are gone, the sun is shining, and blessings are coming your way, a friend will be glad for you, not jealous or envious. He will bask in your sunshine and rejoice in your prosperity.

6. Friends are not easily offended

Proverbs 22:24 - Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered...

It sounds humorous, phrased so bluntly. But it isn't so humorous when your "friend" loses his cool at the drop of a hat. Uncontrolled tempers make for uncomfortable - even dangerous - relationships. We all get angry at times that's human nature. We all have some degree of "temper." One should be wary, however, of the individual whose temper is quick and uncontrolled.

7. Friends forgive

Luke 5:20 - When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

There will be times when even the best of friends don't see eye to eye. And it is still true that we often hurt the ones we love the most - simply because love provides the most power to hurt. But a friend is willing to overlook a hurtful mistake and forgive, if we approach him in genuine sorrow for our misdeed.

8. Friends stay in touch

3 John 1:14 - I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.

I have friends who live across the country from me ... thousands of miles separate us. We don't see each other often, but the cord of friendship is not broken, because we communicate. We talk on the phone. We send birthday cards and Christmas greetings. We e-mail. We keep up with what's going on in each others' lives.

"The road to a friend's house is never long." That's an old quote, but still holds true - especially in today's society, where we have so many communication devices available to us. There is no excuse for true friends to lose contact with each other.

9. Friends encourage one another

Jude 1:20 - But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

A friend always encourages you. When your faith is low, a real friend shares his or her faith. When you're weak, you can borrow from your friend's strength. When you're down, that close friend will make every effort to be up - even if it's not easy for him - and will extend a hand to raise you to his level.

10. Friends worship together

Psalm 55:12-14 - If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

Worshiping together in no way means we should not associate with people of other faiths. It simply means that our closest friends will love our God as much as we do. We may not worship under the same roof, or in the same manner. But we will love the same God. We should be able to walk in the sweetness of a relationship in which there is no need to tread carefully when the topic of conversation comes around to our best Friend ... the Friend who sticks closer than a brother ... Jesus Christ!

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