| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Living with joy” Our Bible verse for today: “For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Philippians 3:18 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Who is influencing you?” This morning, we will continue our thinking from yesterday regarding Paul’s word of caution to choose your friends carefully. Make sure you are surrounding yourself with other strong Christians who are having a good influence on you, rather than those living unbiblical lives and setting a bad example. Bad influences are a guaranteed joy-stealer in the long run. This pertains first to the bad examples we see set for us by unbelievers out there in the world. Of course, we are not to allow ourselves to be influenced by them and we are not to follow their bad example. But this lesson also applies to bad examples set for us by other Christians. This could pertain to Christians who are lazy in the practice of their faith and whose bad example we could allow to influence us. For instance, we notice that Sally only comes to church occasionally. But we like Sally – she seems like such a nice person. If she only comes to church on those Sundays when she feels like it, then I guess it would be okay for me to do that too. Or there’s Jeff and Jenny, such a nice young couple. They’re not married but they do live together. And yet here they are in church every Sunday singing the songs and following along in their Bibles. Maybe living together outside of marriage isn’t so bad after all, even if it is different from what the Bible teaches. If we allow ourselves to be, we can be influenced by bad examples set from Christians as well as from non-Christians. So, we need to be careful whose example we are following. We also need to give careful thought to the example we are setting for others. Other people (especially those younger than us), notice what we do and what we don’t do, and they are influenced by our example be it good or bad. They hear what you profess to believe and they see how you really live, and they are then influenced by your example, be it good or bad. In Philippians 3:20 Paul reminds us that Christians are supposed to constitute a colony of heaven here on earth (our citizenship is in heaven). When people look at us and how we live (how we live individually and how we live in community with other Christians), they should be seeing a glimpse of heaven. Citizens of heaven, currently living on earth, should live as we would in the presence of our Father in heaven. Surrounding ourselves with other Christians helps to remind us of that and it helps us to maintain that standard. Too much time with non-Christians, or with Christians who are not living like children of the King, can have a bad influence on us and it can weaken us in the practice of our own faith. Who are you allowing to influence you? Choose your friends carefully. God bless, Pastor Jim If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
| Copyright © 2024 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571 |
- Comment
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Oak Hill Baptist Church 