Friends   Opening prayer:  Join together in prayer thanking our Heavenly Father for the lessons found in His Word regarding the kind of friend we should be and about the greatest friend we have in Jesus. Lesson Bible Verse: John 15: 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Hymntime: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/w/a/f/wafwhij.htm WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. ________________________________________________ Opening Discussion: 1. Do you have any friends? Allow the children to answer as they wish. 2. Do you have things in common with your friends? Let the children answer what those things are. 3. Do you think you are a good friend? 4. What makes someone a good friend? 5. Is Jesus your friend? 6. Are you a friend to Jesus? 7. Do we learn from the Bible about the topic of friends and friendship?   8. Read the following selected Bible passage and verses: 12 This is my commandment, that ye love one another,  as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15 Job 19:21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. ___________________________________________ 9. Does Jesus have friends this day?  Fill in the blank to this verse:  Ye are my ________, if ye do whatsoever I __________ you. 10. Did Job pray for his friends?   (vs. 42:10) 11.  What does it mean to show yourself as friendly as we read in Proverbs 18:24? 12. How can you show yourself friendly to others? Take turns answering. ____________________________________ Words That Sail In the air from my lips, are spoken words that sail like ships... Ships that sail from ear to ear. Words of peace and of hope, Intertwine just like a rope; Words to my friends I love so dear. As each moment passes by, I dream of what's beyond the sky; Whispering words to my Heavenly King. There is nothing better to be than myself for all to see, that truthful words mean everything. New beginnings can start right now, for those who solemnly make a vow to speak Words of Truth and stop the lies. Before this day comes to an end, I'll carefully word this message to send... Giving thanks to our Lord of Life for you ...my dear friend. Julie Pisacane © ________________________________________________ Close With Prayer.