Today we're going to see how being equipped for godly friendship has to be anchored in confidence and trust in the Lord whom you proclaim that you believe in.

That's very important. Listen to me very carefully. There is no doubt in my mind that early childhood influences our character and development. There is no doubt about that. Look, there is little doubt in anybody's mind that early upbringing impacts our emotional stability. There can be little doubt that parents' instability affects a child's

emotional health. On that, everybody agrees. We know that the family is the basic laboratory

for learning and developing biblical self-worth, true self-worth.

It is the laboratory in which we learn skills for interpersonal relationship.

There is no doubt about that.

Nobody disagrees on that.

But I want you to listen to what I'm going to tell you.

And I want you to hear me carefully.

The essence of godly friendship is not who you know,

but who you are. Godly friendship does not depend upon meeting the right people, but being the right people. Friendship does not depend upon who your daddy is, but who your heavenly father is.

But here's the core of the problem.

Most people don't like who they are.

We are so desperate for people to like us, we will almost do anything for approval.

We are so desperate for acceptance that we try to become the persons that we want to be,

not the person we are.

Hear me right.

The wonderful truth about the gospel is this, that we can be equipped for godly friendship regardless of your family

background. We can be equipped for godly friendship regardless of your education process. You can

be equipped for godly friendship, not by taking a crash course on the personal relationship now,

not by taking a crash course on developing self-esteem, not by taking a crash course on developing self-esteem,

not by taking a crash course on being who you are not, not on taking a crash course on

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