Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Your Friends Reflect You

James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

Believe it or not you are likely to become what your friends are. If your friends are worldly and you think you will be able to win them by spending alot of time with them you are sadly mistaken. I have seen this happen in a number of people's lives. I've always heard it said that it is a whole lot easier to pull a person down a mountain than it is to pull them up. They will always pull you down to their level instead of you pulling them up to where you are spiritually speaking. Parents will use the excuse of saying "My son/daughter knows better...he/she just got with the wrong crowd." Be wiling to stand alone. It won't be popular. Peer pressure is great. That is a tool the devil uses to get a good godly person to fall. But you can rest assured that when it seems that you are standing alone...Jesus is standing right there with you!! It may mean you drawing a line and becoming unpopular...but that is okay. God will honor that.

I have seen young people take a stand. My children have taken stands with other family and it hasn't been popular. And they have been mocked...shunned and argued with about those stands...but I tell them they have to take a stand for EVERYTHING godly or they will fall for ANYTHING that's not!! God will help a person take a stand.

We must do our best to win our friends and family...but we won't win them by wavering from our stand and going their way. God tells us we are peculiar people. You can rest assured that when you "hang out" with friends or people that are worldly...then you are grouped in with that crowd as a testimony when you are seen with them. We must stay prayed up as young people and adults to protect ourselves from the wiles of the devil. Everyday there are people who once stood for God and took stands for right that are falling out due to the company they keep. Yes we are to win our friends and lost family but we don't win them by spending alot of time with them because alot of time spent with them will rub them off on us and not us off on them.

Be careful who your companions are!! I don't know about you but I want to make a difference for the cause of Christ...and that won't happen by more and more of the world coming into my life!!

21 comments:

CindyMae said...

Awesome post and so very true. We have to be very careful of who we keep as company.

Sis. Julie said...

sis. cindy....Amen!!

Lyndy said...

Great post. I remember as a child my mother and grandmother telling me the same thing. As a child, I didn't understand it and just had to trust their judgement. As an adult I see how very true this is.

Sis. Julie said...

sis. lyndy....my parents also tried to enforce this rule with me but I always found a way to break it unfortunately. I know that is what helped to shape me into the teenager I ended up being. I was rebellious and did not honor my parents. It was a result of hanging with kids that did not do so either. I sure have learned alot from that experience in how to deal with my own kids friends. Not to mention having the Word of God to help guide me.

Anonymous said...

Mrs Julie I agree 100 percent with this post. I have have many young people end up going the way of the world because of who their friends were. It definitely makes a difference in who people hang out with. I don't know if you have seen yet but I am taking a new direction on my xanga. I am going to be like the youth pastor xanga man. I just feel since I have more young people coming to my xanga site that and after praying about it, I am going to deal with young people on my xanga.

Bro Tim

Sis. Julie said...

Bro. Tim....Amen!! I think that is a great idea. I've noticed that it's mainly young people visiting that site. I pray the Lord uses you in that way.

Theresa's Notes said...

I had some time on my hands and thought I would come and see what you posted about. I'm glad I did. Very good post.

Tori Leslie said...

Really good stuff, thanks for sharing.

TO BECOME said...

Sis. Julie, Great post for young people as well as adults. We are all known by the company we keep.My mother used to say "Birds of a feather flock togather." We each need to be careful who we spend time with because we do tent to become like them. Have a good night. connie from Texas

Sandy said...

How right you are.... I am truly blessed with a group of wonderful friends... They are firm believers in Christ and they help me in so many ways... I thank God for them daily...

Mishel said...

Excellent post! This is something we have tried hard to do with our children--teaching them the blessing of having godly friends. I know even in my own life I've had to be careful with who I am close to. I am thankful the Lord has blessed our entire family with wonderful friends who encourage us in our walk with the Lord.

Sis. Julie said...

just theresa...thank you for stopping back by.

Sis. Julie said...

sis. tori...Praise the Lord. I'm glad to see you stopping by and leaving a comment. I really appreciate it.

Sis. Julie said...

sis. connie....our friends will either help us or harm us in our walk with Christ. Thank God for godly Christian fellowship with other believers!!

Sis. Julie said...

sis. sandy...what a blessing you are able to surround yourselves with good godly friends that can help to encourage you as you strive to walk with Christ.

Courtney, Jer.33:3 said...

My parents are very careful with who us kids hang around with. Their stand has at times not been popular even amongest other Christians. I hope I care enough about my children to do the same.

Sis. Julie said...

courtney...its always a blessing to my heart to know kids whose parents love them enough to protect them from who their kids want to hang out with. I'm sure you will be that way with your kids as well.

Karen said...
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Sis. Julie said...
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Karen said...
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Sis. Julie said...
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