Faithfulness: The Foundation of True Friendship

By Jacalyn Eyre

We all need faithful friends--people who accept us as we are, who seek our best interests, and who stick with us in a crisis. Yet being a faithful friend is more important than finding one. This Fruit of the Spirit Bible study looks at six essential qualities we need to become faithful friends. These qualities help us lay a foundation for lasting relationships.The eight-volume Fruit of the Spirit Bible Studies series not only helps you discover what the Bible says about the vital traits that the Holy Spirit produces in believers, but also moves you beyond reflection and discussion to application. Designed for use in small groups or personal devotions, the interactive format will help you grow in your ability to reflect the character of Jesus.Revised to include:Expanded leader’s notesBetween-studies applicationsSuggestions for prayer

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Jan 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9780310867715

Jacalyn Eyre

Jacalyn Eyre is coauthor (with her husband, Stephen) of the LifeGuide Matthew: Being Discipled by Jesus and is a contributor to the NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups. She and her husband live in Ohio.

Book preview

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Other Studies in the Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study Series

Gentleness: The Strength of Being Tender

Joy: How to Rejoice in Any Situation

Kindness: Reaching Out to Others

Love: Building Healthy Relationships

Patience: The Benefits of Waiting

Peace: Overcoming Anxiety and Conflict

Self-Control: Mastering Our Passions

ZONDERVAN

Faithfulness: The Foundation of True Friendship

Copyright © 1991, 2001 by Jacalyn Eyre

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan

ePub Edition September 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-86771-5

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

ISBN: 978-0-310-55238-3

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. The original purchaser of this product shall have the right to make one print-form copy hereof for such purchaser’s personal use.

Interior design by Melissa Elenbaas

CONTENTS

Title Page

Copyright Page

Fruit of the Spirit Bible Studies

Faithfulness: The Foundation of True Friendship

one   A Commitment to Be There

Ruth 1

two   A Willingness to Forgive

Hosea 2:19–3:5

three   A Promise of Support

Joshua 1:1–9

four   Honoring Our Commitments

Malachi 2:10–16

five    Fulfilling Our Responsibilities

Matthew 25:14–30

six    The Rewards of Faithfulness

Proverbs 3:3–4; 16:6; 20:28; 25:19

Leader’s Notes

About the Publisher

Share Your Thoughts

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT BIBLE STUDIES

Welcome to Fruit of the Spirit Bible Studies. This series was written with one goal in mind—to allow the Spirit of God to use the Word of God to produce his fruit in your life.

To get the most from this series you need to understand a few basic facts:

Fruit of the Spirit Bible Studies are designed to be flexible. You can use them in your quiet times or for group discussion. They are ideal for Sunday school classes, small groups, or neighborhood Bible studies.

The eight guides in this series can be used in any order that is best for you or your group.

Because each guide contains only six studies, you can easily explore more than one fruit of the Spirit. In a Sunday school class, any two guides can be combined for a quarter (twelve weeks), or the entire series can be covered in a year.

Each study deliberately focuses on only one or two passages. That allows you to see each passage in its context, avoiding the temptation of prooftexting and the frustration of Bible hopscotch (jumping from verse to verse). If you would like to look up additional passages, a Bible concordance will give the most help.

The questions help you discover what the Bible says rather than simply telling you what it says. They encourage you to think and to explore options rather than to merely fill in the blanks with one-word answers.

Leader’s notes are provided in the back of the guide. They show how to lead a group discussion, provide additional information on questions, and suggest ways to deal with problems that may come up in the discussion. With such helps, someone with little or no experience can lead an effective study.

SUGGESTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDY

1.  Begin each study with prayer. Ask God to help you understand the passage