How To Have Successful Friendships

The older I get the more I realize how important friends are. How important it is to
keep in contact with your friends. Frankly, I don't know how you can have any
successful relationships unless you nourish and work on those friendships. Also
important is that we need to be a friend first...we can't depend on others to take these
steps. The bible has much to say about successful friendships and also things that
could cause your friendships to fail.

Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?
Proverbs 20:6 (NKJV)

Now when 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. Saul took
him that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house anymore.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his
own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to
David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
1 Sam 18:1-4 (NKJV)

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 (NKJV)

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who
sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)

A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
Proverbs 16:28 (NKJV)

He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.
Proverbs 17:9 (NKJV)

A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a
castle.   Proverbs 18:19 (NKJV)

Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, Is the man who deceives his
neighbor, And says, "I was only joking!" Proverbs 26:18-19 (NKJV)

The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them
astray.   Proverbs 12:26 (NKJV)

Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his
ways And set a snare for your soul.   Proverbs 22:24-25 (NKJV)

For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the
upright.   Proverbs 3:32 (NKJV)

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1 John 3:16 (NKJV)

Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained
angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them--those who are mistreated--since you yourselves are in
the body also. Hebrews 13:1-3 (NKJV)

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived,
it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:14-17 (NKJV)

         See also Loneliness, Loving Others