May 20, 2007am  Face to face Friendship   Deuteronomy 34:7-12

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

When was the last time a friend called you and asked to get together?  I have a group of friends that go fishing together.  We always go up to the Cranberry River to fish and camp.  We have been planning to get together and go on memorial day.  During the year we stay in contact but there’s no substitute for the time that we get together.  God wants to be your friend.  He wants to get together with you for some quality time.  Moses was a man who knew the Lord face to face.  Do you know the Lord of glory face to face?  You can know him as a friend. 

Scripture Text:     

Deut 34: ^5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab , as the Lord had said. ^6 He buried him  in Moab , in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. ^7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. ^8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

^9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit  of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. ^10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, ^11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. ^12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel .^[1]

God wants to be your friend.  Some examples of God’s friendship with people.

1.  He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

2.  He walked with Enoch who was his friend and took him into heaven.

3.  He met Moses face to face on the mountain.

4.  He walked and strengthened Jesus throughout his life.

5.  He strengthened Samson to enable him to do His work.

6.      He enabled David to kill Goliath the giant.

7.      He walked with the three Hebrew children in the furnace.

8.      He spoke to Daniel in the pit with the lions.

9.      He met Saul on the road to Damascus and changed his life.

10. He wrestled with Jacob and Jacob was changed.

11. He met with Abraham and Sarah and promised them a son and they laughed.

12. He carried the disciples even through their deaths.

13. He spoke to Noah and Noah built the ark before it started to rain.

14. He spoke to Mary to ask her to carry the baby Jesus. 

John 15:13 (NIV) Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

1. Get together with the Lord.  What if you are the one who is receiving the torch?  Then you can pick up the work and experience the presence of God in your life as Joshua did.  Go with the Lord. 

2. Listen to what He says He wants in your life.  Many voices in the world are calling out your name.  I have been helping to coach my daughters’ softball teams.  One of the problems in coaching is getting through to those you are trying to help to play the game.  But, there are others who are trying to tell them what to do too.  Whose voice will you listen to?  Are we listening to the right voices in our lives?  Listen to the voice of the Lord as He speaks through others who are following Him. 

3. Catch the vision.  Have you seen the Lord?  He wants to be your friend.  He stands at the door of your life and says let me in.  He wants to be your friend.