On today's podcast, we'll be learning about what it means to be a friend who loves well.

Think about your dearest friends.

What role have they played in your life in the best and in the worst times?

Does your heart fill with thankfulness as you acknowledge what a good gift God has given

you and them? May we pinpoint exactly what it means to intentionally love our friends well today.

May we be filled with the love of Jesus and grace of God to go out of the way to love and minister to those special people

in our lives today. Welcome to the First 15 podcast. Good friends are one of God's greatest gifts.

Not one of us is meant to go through life alone and without help. God longs to

use you as his hands and feet to those he has placed in your midst. He longs to make you a friend

as he is a friend to us in order to bless others and extend the reach of his kingdom. 1st Samuel 181 through 3 tells us of the powerful friendship of David and Jonathan.

Scripture says, as soon as he had finished speaking to Saul,

the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David,

and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

And Saul took him that day, and he would not let him return to his father's house.

Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul.

Jonathan was an incredible example of God's heart for friendship.

Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne of Israel.

Behind Saul's pursuit of killing David was his desire to make Jonathan king.

But instead of seeking earthly success, Jonathan humbled himself before David and served him,

thereby serving his heavenly father as well.

Jonathan chose friendship over worldly power.

As a result, David became Israel's greatest king and ushered in the lineage of Christ.

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