Influence

Influence
I am borrowing a lot of this from Pastor Perry Noble. I read this a few weeks ago and want share some of his blog and add some of my own thoughts as well.
Quote: “Who or what you listen to will ultimately determine what you do.”
That statement came from Pastor Andy Stanley. Everyone of us are influenced by someone or something.

2Chron 24:1-2 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

Joash was influenced by Jehoiada the priest. Joash served the Lord with all his might but now look at what happened later in the same chapter.

2Chron. 24:17-22 Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. 18 Therefore they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. 19 Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the LORD; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.
20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He also has forsaken you.’” 21 So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The LORD look on it, and repay!”

So who or what influences you?

God’s Word – You will not screw up your life by doing what the Bible says. But a lot of people are just hearers and not doers of the Word. Thus their lives are screwed up because they were influenced by someone or something other than the Word of God.

God’s People – You need godly input from others. To quote Andy Stanley again “That the wisest person who has ever lived (Solomon) had tons to say about listening to the advise/counsel of others. Just a few Pro.20:18, 24:6

And to quote Perry Noble “seek advise from people who love Jesus and will tell us what we need to hear rather that what we want to hear. We can always fin a group of idiots that will affirm our sin and dysfunction because doing so will allow them to justify their lifestyle.”

There are several other ways to be influenced. But these are just a couple of ways. To quote Perry Noble again “Life is to short for us to make bad decision after bad decision… we need one another! Don’t fall for the lie that this is my life and I will do as I want because in reality our decisions always impact other people.

So Who Is Influencing Your Life?

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