| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “The influence of a mentor” Our Bible verse for today: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) Our thoughts for today: “Choose your mentors well” For many years, I have had a ministry working with young men who have serious problems with drug and alcohol abuse. Most often they’re in jail, prison, or a rehab center, and they’re desperately trying to break free from addiction and reestablish some sort of a normal life. The good news for them is that there can be victory over substance abuse, and a person can go on to rebuild and live a great life. Two of the Bible verses I often share with them are from Old Testament prophets. One is from Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you – this is the Lord’s declaration – plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” The second is from the prophet Joel in Joel 2:25, “I will restore to you the years the swarming locust has eaten.” And then one from Jesus in the New Testament in John 10:10, “I have come so they may have life, and have it to the full.” There is hope for the recovering addict, but there are two essential steps they must take. The first is to give their life over fully to Jesus, and the second is to choose good friends and mentors. It’s a well-proven fact of human nature that over time we become like those we associate with. If you hang around with bank robbers, you too will probably end up robbing banks. If your surround yourself with those who use profanity, soon you too will be cursing. If you associate with drug users, it’s just a matter of time before you will be using too. We become like those we associate with. But those are negative examples. The opposite is true too. If you spend a lot of time with people who love to fish – who talk about fishing, who go fishing, and who encourage you to fish with them, before long you will be out there fishing too. If you hang around with people who are active in church, soon you probably will be too. One of the strategies I encourage those young men in jail, prison, and rehab to employ as they work to stay clean and to rebuild their lives, is to find people who already have the kind of life they would like to have, and then spend lots of time with those people. Because, over time we become like those we associate with. This is why it’s so important to choose good friends and mentors. Tomorrow we will look at a Biblical example of a young man who chose his friends and mentors poorly, and who paid a terrible price for it. God bless, Pastor Jim |
| Copyright © 2022 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. |
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Oak Hill Baptist Church 