Who Influences You?

Verse of the day: Numbers 11:4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?

As we read this account in Numbers, there are details that we were not given in Exodus 16 about the plague, and what instigated Israel’s complaint. Here, we see that those that were intermingled with Israel were the instigators of all the complaining against God. This should resound loudly in our hearts and minds about the importance of who influences us in our Christian life. This was one of the reasons God did not want Israel to intermarry with other ungodly cultures, at that time, and why we are told not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). Over the years, I have heard many excuses in trying to justify being in a relationship with someone, or hanging out with friends, who are not born again believers. Yet, in just about every instance, the relationship ended badly, or the friendship led the Christian down an ungodly path. God’s Word clearly tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’ 34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” I have seen far too many Christians, in an attempt not to offend, or be seen as narrow-minded, or be called intolerant, compromise who they are as a born again believer. Sadly, what happens is we begin to slide down the slippery slope we read about in Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful”. God tells us that we will be blessed, or happy, when we refuse to make the ungodly the source of our advice, guidance, or company. The slide downward begins when we forsake godly wisdom, and prefer the advice of the unsaved, which offers nothing godly that comes from God’s Word or a relationship with, and knowledge of, Christ Jesus. The advice is driven by feelings, and personal experience, that felt good to the one giving the advice, but lacked any integrity or righteousness. The slide continues downward as following ungodly wisdom turns into companionship with the ungodly. The Christian then begins to prefer the company of the unsaved because the advice and lifestyle appeal more to the flesh, becoming more worldly, and “walking the fence”, with one foot in Christianity and the other in the world. There is the danger of now becoming lukewarm in our walk, which God hates (Revelation 3:16). As a lukewarm Christian, we begin making decisions without seeking God’s guidance. We begin to ruin our testimony, and the unsaved friends we choose do not take our faith seriously; and we constantly push the limits of what we can get away with, without any real consequences. Finally, we find ourselves at the bottom of that slippery slope when we have descended to the place where we do not flinch around those that blaspheme the Name of God. Our ways become just as wicked as the unsaved, and we are no longer distinguishable from the lost. This is a sad place for a Christians to end up. Let us follow the command in Ephesians 4:17-19, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” As born again believers, it is best to be the person in Psalm 1:2, which reads, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” This is the Christian who reads, studies, thinks about the Word day and night, and diligently seeks to apply the Word of God to his/her life (Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:22-25). Their primary source of wisdom is God and the Scriptures (James 1:5), and they prefer the advice of those they know to be mature men and women of God (Proverbs 19:20-21). A born again believer, who truly wants the right influence in their life will seek and follow righteous and holy advice, even if it puts them in a position to be scorned or face hardship for the cause of Christ. 1 Peter 3:17 clearly tells us, “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” As God’s children, we must truly consider who, or what, is the influence in our daily lives.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).