Saturday, 01 September 2007

  • Friends // Toxic (Part 1)

    As Christians, we should be striving to become closer to God every day. Your friends can be toxic to your relationship with God and the destiny He has in store for you. This is a series about friends and how they impact your God-given destiny.
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    *All the following quotes are from Joel Osteen.

    "Who your friends are and who you choose to associate with will have a great impact on whether or not you fulfill your God-given destiny."

    "You need people in your life speaking vision into you. God has already ordained the right people to come into your life, to speak vision, to challenge you, and to inspire you."

    Who we choose to hang out with greatly influences our relationship with God. If you are constantly around someone who is comfortable with where they are in their Christian walk, and isn't seeking to do better in their life (whether it's gossip, music, prayer, bible studying, compromising, etc.), then something needs to be done about that friendship. You need someone who is going to speak vision into you and help you in your walk. If they are bringing you down or not helping you get higher in your walk, and not challenging you to go further than you are, you don't need them as a friend.

    "Surrounds yourself with people that are gonna help you rise higher; people that are more respectful, more disciplined; people that have a bigger vision than you do."

    If you surround yourself with people who are always in the same spot or sinking, why are you still around them? Yes, you are a positive influence on them, but you need to downsize the time you spend with them. You need to surround yourself with people that are closer to God than you, that are more passionate for Him, that are doing better in their walk than you. You don't always have to be the big dog in the group. You need someone stronger in faith and biblical knowledge than you.

    "It's not the quantity of our friends that matter, it's the quality of our friends that really counts."

    "I would rather have one friend that has his head on straight, that's going places, than 20 friends that are just floating downstream doing what everybody else is doing."

    It's not important how many friends you have. It's important on how those friends influence you and encourage you. I agree with Joel, I would rather have just 1 friend that was more advanced in every area of their Christian walk than me, that could inspire and challenge me, than to have 20 friends who are just doing the same ol' thing and in the same ol' place with God that they were 2 weeks ago; who are just giving into worldly things.

    "You need to surround yourself with people that motivate you to go forward and not people that are constantly tempting you to shrink back." (or stay in the same spot)
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    This series is TO BE CONTINUED... Tomorrow, we are going to be looking at how our friends should be sharpening us; seasonal friends; and biblical friends. Join me next time, and always feel free to state your opinions or concerns. God bless!

    In Christ,
    Rod
    Currently Listening
    The Altar and the Door
    By Casting Crowns
    Prayer for a Friend
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