John 15:15 (NIV) 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.

In life, you meet a lot of people and you make a good number of friends. Some of your friends are really not friends at all (like your 700 friends on Facebook), some of them are casual friends, and some of them are closer friends. Then there are the very few who are in your inner circle. Those friends are the ones that you do life with and the ones that you know the best and who know you the best. When you are with your inner circle friends, all guards are down and you are totally relaxed around them. When you are with them, you don't feel like you have to entertain them or that you even have to keep talking all the time. There are no awkward silences around your closest friends.

That's how Jesus expects us to be with Him. Unfortunately, there are not a whole lot of people that are in Jesus' inner circle. It's not because He doesn't let them in, but because they just don't want to go in, don't know how to go in, or are afraid to go in. The ones that don't want to go in are those that are satisfied with a little religion and are not interested in an intimate relationship. The ones that don't know how to go in are the ones that have never taken the time to get to know Jesus on an intimate level. They do love Him somewhat, but usually just go to Him when they are in need. The ones that are afraid to go in are the ones that are afraid of commitment and of having to surrender things that they know are wrong and that they'd have to stop doing or being involved in.

Then there are the inner circle friends of Jesus. Those are the people who are so very grateful for what Jesus has done for them. They are the ones that have spent time with Him and have learned about the beauty and the awesomeness of His presence. They are the ones that are totally at home with Jesus and abide with Him all day long, speaking to him along the way, but also being happy to not speak and just be with Him. It's Jesus' inner circle and that is where the abundant life that Jesus talked about in John 10:10 is found. Anyone can join but too few do. Join Jesus' inner circle for unspeakable joy, perfect peace and for a blessed and satisfied soul. He is waiting for you to make Him your closest friend.

Pastor Joey Vazquez