Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
Who are some of the people that you spend a lot of time with during the week? For most people, the closest relationships that you will ever have is with others who you work alongside of during the week. Stronger relationships can develop there, than with their own spouse and families. Even when children go off to school, they can develop close relationships with certain classmates because they spend so much time together during the day. But there are severe warnings throughout the scriptures about the company that you keep. Some people might work on an assembly line with others, and are constantly visiting as they work, but they might be a complete unbeliever without any moral conscience or fear of God whatsoever. Their speech might be filled up with wickedness, boasting about all of the evil things that they did over the weekend. But this type of atmosphere does not promote Godliness at all, and can be extremely dangerous to one’s own soul.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
You have to be very careful who you are going to spend a lot of time with during your day, because if they are not a Godly and upright influence in your life, then all they are is bad company.
Proverbs 13:20 (KJB) He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
People tend to take on the attributes of those who they spend a lot of their time with, and there is no closer relationship that will be more beneficial in your life than seeking after the Lord Jesus Christ with all of your heart. But just like any other relationship, to have that type of closeness with Him requires the dedication of your time. But for the most part, many people are going to give their time and attention to worldly relationships rather than God, and will do so without even caring if they are a good influence in their life or not. They actually love personal contact with others more than God! Many people will pray the Lord’s prayer and call upon God the Father, but they really don’t have a genuine relationship with Him at all. If they were to actually add up the hours that they spend seeking after God, versus the time they spend with worldly friends, they would pale in comparison. Not everybody who claims to be a Christian is really a child of God, because in order for God to be a Father unto us, we need to be capable of separating ourselves from the world.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (KJB) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
A companion is someone who you spend a lot of your time with during the week and develop a close bond and camaraderie, but you had better be wary about who you are companions with. Our scripture teaches that the companion of fools shall be destroyed, which is exactly what happened to Lot’s wife. Her heart was towards her companions in Sodom and Gomorrah, even more so than her own husband, and when she chose them over God, He destroyed her. Abraham kept separate from the world and was blessed by God. Noah kept separate from the world and was blessed by God. Moses kept separate from the world and was blessed by God. Even the disciples came out from the world to be with the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere that He went. Obviously Jesus spent a lot of time with sinners but it was for the purpose of converting them to the faith. He was influencing them, rather than the other way around. The more that you surround yourself with people who are rebellious and impenitent, the more that their wicked deeds can rub off on you. Keep separate!
Proverbs 4:14-15 (KJB) Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Proverbs 14:7 (KJB) Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
Psalms 1:1 (KJB) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
A Christian is supposed to be a light to others, not to follow after those who are filled up with the works of darkness. The wicked are going to hang out with the wicked, because they are on the same highway together. But wisdom teaches us that we need to get off that highway, separate from their company, and join up with those who are on the narrow path of Christ Jesus.
Matthew 7:13-14 (KJB) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
2 Timothy 2:22 (KJB) Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
How many times did your parents warn you not to hang out with the wrong crowd? Being around the wrong group of people can cause you to compromise your own ethics and personal values. This is because the way that they live their lives has a certain influence on the way that you live yours. Just be forewarned that if you are incapable of turning away from those who are outside the teachings of our faith, then you are bound to become just like them. Our friendship must be with the Lord Jesus Christ, above and beyond all others, because His Divine consequences will come upon all those, who choose to join up with,….
……Bad Company
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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