"Under the Influence"

This is not a post about drinking!!
Question, are you under the influence? Stupid question? Or you might ask (a bit defensively) the influence of what? Is something influencing you right now as you are reading this? Let me go one step further and give you the answer – the answer is yes and I can say that with certainty even though I don’t even know you. Each person reading this is under the influence of something very powerful so much so it influences the way you talk, the way you think, it influences your decisions, your dreams, goals, and even your outlook on life. It Influences you both in a positive way and a negative way. What I am talking about may surprise you– I am not talking about drugs or alcohol but rather your friends. Whether we want to admit it or not each one of us right this moment is under the influence of our friends to some degree or another.

Proverbs tells us...

Pro 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.

“When you choose the company you keep, you choose the messages of life you will hear, which means you choose your future.” Zig Ziglar

The Bible re-enforces this principle time and time again. We are all influenced by the company we keep.

1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."

The righteous should choose his friends carefully – Why ?Because they will influence his life!
We are all under the influence – the influence of our friends. The influence consists of the messages of life we are getting from those we choose to be with. This may be a positive thing or it may be a negative thing What are the messages of life you are getting from your friends? What’s the use, why bother, things will never change, you can’t do that, don’t believe that believe this, and on and on it goes. Dream? Crumbling, complaining, why bother it will never happen - Negative, negative, negative. Are those the messages you get from your friends, then you need some new company. If the messages from your friends are positive, and pointing you to Jesus Christ and His word that is great – keep those friends.

Read a story a long time ago drives home the point …
Somehow an egg from an eagles nest had rolled into a chicken coup and hatched. After the little eaglet came out of the egg he began to listen to the other chickens. He learned from them the messages of life from the perspective of a chicken. As the eaglet began to grow it looked up and could see these majestic looking birds flying overheard. He was told they were eagles but he could never fly like that because he was just a chicken, so he would just peck around in the dust, jump up and down with the other chickens. As he grew he longed to be up there soaring – something in him said there had to be more to this life even though all the messages he was getting from those around him said there wasn’t. One day he decided to try flapping his wings – all the other chickens laughed at him and mockingly flapped theirs to . But as he flapped he began to fly, and suddenly he was up in the air soaring with the other eagles realizing that all along his well meaning but misguided friends had not been telling him the truth.

Maybe you have been wondering is there more to life – wondering about the Bible, Jesus Christ
Your friends think you’re crazy, there is nothing more. Maybe today you need to start flapping your wings of faith. Pick up that bible and dust it off, go to church, talk to someone you know who loves God. Maybe you’ve been told you will not amount to anything so stop trying – but you have a dream, longing to be used by God in a special way. Maybe you need to surround yourself with some new messages of life from some new friends. Remember, "There is a friend who is closer than a brother" his name is Jesus and His message is a life changing message. It is a message of love, forgiveness and freedom from sin, abundant life and becoming a new creation through faith in Jesus Christ. Lies will always enslave, the truth will always set us free. The issues at stake are your future on earth but also your eternal destiny. Make sure you are under the influence of those who are telling you the truth. The truth as it is revealed in the Word of God. We are all under the influence – the only question is WHOSE?

“When you choose the company you keep, you choose the messages of life you will hear, which means you choose your future.” Zig Ziglar

"Can You Hear Me Now"

Proverbs 1:8-10 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Proverbs has much to say about the family. Much of what is written is a fathers instruction to his child. These three verses present us with one of the challenges of parenting. Teaching our children is one aspect of parenting, getting them to listen is the other. Teaching is of little value if a child has not been taught to listen.
"Can you hear me now?" is not only a good slogan for a cell phone company, it is a reminder to parents that we need to be asking that of our children as they go though the different stages of life. Can they hear me now? Who has their heart?
One of the responsibilities parents have in bringing up their children is to bring them early on in their lives to the place where they will listen to instruction. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. Part of that foolishness manifests itself in an unwillingness to listen. 1:7
It is not just hearing us as parents, that's not enough. If their ears work properly they can hear you. But are they listening to you? That is a different story altogether.
Bringing a child to the place where they will listen takes place in the first five years of their lives. These are the most important years in child rearing. I am sure many teachers in our schools would agree that far to many children come to school that first year who can hear but will not listen. How do I know if they are listening to me? One word - Obedience. Do they obey you. Do you have their heart?
Why is this important - obviously there are several good reasons but let me give you two found in vs 8-10.
1. Listening ears dress your child up so they look good to others. graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. These are things that make a child look good to others. There is something to be admired when you see a well behaved child. It makes you smile. On the other hand, there is little smiling done when you are around a disobedient child.
2. You are not the only voice in your child's life. if sinners entice you
Parents we need to bring our children to the place where they listen to us because the voices in this world are powerful, enticing, destructive and appeal very much to the sinful heart resident in every child. The world wants our children. We need to be prepared to fight for our children. Part of that battle is a battle for their hEARts. Bring them to the place where they will listen to you, and teach them the life changing Word of God. Teach them...
God loves them.
Their heart is sinful.
Jesus died for their sin and rose again.
If they come to Jesus by grace alone through faith alone they can be saved
Saved people have a new heart.
Saved people know and listen to God's Word.
May these truths and many others be taught early to our children so that when sinners entice them they will say NO, my heart belongs to Jesus. "My son, Can you hear me now?" "Listen to the instruction of your father and do not forsake the law of your mother."

Cross references:

1. Proverbs 1:8 : Proverbs 6:20; Psalm 34:11; Eph 6:1, 2
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Proverbs 1:9 : Proverbs 4:9; Proverbs 3:22
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Proverbs 1:9 : Gen 41:42; Dan 5:29
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Proverbs 1:10 : Proverbs 16:29
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2 Timothy 3:14-15 "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."