 Matthew 22: 36 – 40  Proverbs 22: 24 – 25  2 Corinthians 6: 14 – 15  2 Corinthians 12: 9 – 10  James 3: 5 – 6  Colossians 3: 1 – 3

 When you go somewhere new (school, community, church, etc.) what type of person do you first connect with?  What type of person would you like to connect with?  What type of person are you?

 What do you do when the group you want to hang out with doesn’t want to hang out with you?  Is it worth compromising my beliefs to hang out with a group?  What is generally your purpose for connecting with someone?  What are you doing when you’re not with your friends?

 What do you usually expect from your friends when you hang out?  Do expectations drag a friendship down or lift it up?  What if my motive for starting a relationship was about the other person, not about me?  How can we show the other person they are worth being friends with?

 What’s the difference between a “fake” friend and a “real” friend?  We need to stop reinforcing the belief that they are worthless.  It starts with your relationship with God.  Matthew 22: 36 – 40  Video (0.19 seconds in) Video

 Sometimes we’re lonely because friends treat us poorly and they misjudge us and label us.  Other times we can be lonely because we build walls instead of bridges, our own insecurities.

 Friends of the heart vs friends of the road  Can count on  Even if they move away they stay in touch  Loyalty  Trust (keeps secrets)  Honesty  Time  Listen  Give good advice  Knows how to provide space (freedom)  Speaks the truth, even when it hurts  Forgives  Celebrates a success  Prays for you

 What is peer pressure?  It usually starts innocent.  How do you recognize it before it becomes too late?  How do you step out of it once you see you are being affected by your choice?

 What if you loose your friends?  The people we hang around with affect our worldview/actions/beliefs.  Video (2:30 – 4:51 and 7:20 – 9:27) Video  Proverbs 22: 24 – 25, 17: 17, and 14:  2 Corinthians 6: 14 – 15

 Are you putting people in your life that are going to encourage you, or are they going to discourage you?  Will you be like Daniel (chapter 1)?

 Do you compare yourselves with your friends?  What would you change about yourself to be accepted?  Romans 12: 3  See yourself clearly, as God sees you.  1 Samuel 16: 7, Genesis 1: 27, Matthew 10: 30

 World says:  Your value comes from the outside.  God says:  You’re a unique creation made in my image.  World says:  Value comes from how you perform or what you can do.  God says:  My grace is sufficient for you, 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

 There will be disappointments in life, the question is how are we going to deal with those disappointments.  Maybe God is using our failures to focus us on what matters most, God is trying to get our attention.  When we see ourselves in light of what God says about us, we can look out on people who are doing/performing well and say praise God because they are contributing to the body of Christ.

 How do we remain competitive without allowing that competition to affect our ability to know people and love them for who they are?  Video (1:40 – 4:02 and 6:37 – 8:35) Video

 Video (0:19 – 0:54) Video  Do people define who you are?  Do you feel worthless when people talk behind your back?  James 3: 3 – 6

 Take an honest look at your own life.  By truthful, not negative about your social hang-ups.  Have realistic expectations of what the relationship will be like and what they can lead to.  Focus on being a good friend, not getting a good friend  Pray and ask God to bring a true friend into your life.

 What people say about us and how people label us, does not determine our destiny.  How we view ourselves really affects to way we live and our worldview of everything around us.  Colossians 3: 1 – 3  If you just knew what I have done in life, you would know that God won’t forgive me.  Psalm 103: 11 – 13 and 139: 14

 Have I ever labeled people in ways that can cause pain in their life? Matthew 7: 12  Video (1:51 – 3:05, 5:22 – 7: 36 and 10:21 – 12:54) Video

 Friends by Sean McDowell,  Real Relationships by Les and Leslie Parrott,

 What are some things I can do to be an encouragement to others and not bring them down?  Can I have a friendship with someone who does not believe what I believe?  Are there positives/negatives?  evangelism.html evangelism.html  unbelievers.html unbelievers.html

 What is a good way to start a conversation about my faith?  Should I try to convince my friend that my belief is right?  What ways can I share my faith with my friends that are indirect?

 If your friend is interested in what you believe but doesn’t want it form themselves, how should I respond?