WATCH YOUR ASSOCIATION

MEMORY VERSE: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 26, Ps 33, Eccl 9, Titus 1

There are several reasons why you - a heaven bound believer needs to watch your association or the circle of friends you keep. The type of friends you keep speaks a lot about your personality. Amos 3:3 says can two walk together except they agree? The elders have a saying ,' show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. Lazy people make friends with fellow lazy people whilst hardworking people make friends with hardworking people like them. People who smoke or use drugs always get along with fellow smokers or drug users because they speak the same language and if care is not taken they might have the same end.

One of the reasons why you need to watch your association is because bad company spoils good morals. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. It is easier for a fellow who is on the ground to pull down the fellow who is standing than the fellow who is standing to pull up a fellow who is on the ground. It is easier for an unbeliever to make a believer backslide than for a believer to make an unbeliever receive salvation. Bad company always spoils good morals. If your friends are the type that abuse their husbands very soon you will begin to do that. If your friends are the type that beat up their wives, God help your wife. If the type of friends you keep are the ones that make dirty jokes, unconsciously you will join them and before you know it you too will start making dirty jokes.

Another reason why you need to watch your association is because your association determines your future. A wise man once said, ‘show me your friends and I will show you your future’. Proverbs 13:20 says he who walks with the wise shall be wise. When you see a fellow whose circle of friends fears the Lord, you are looking at a fellow who will inherit glory. 

ACTION POINT: I saw this somewhere and I think it is very valuable . Write down the names of 7 people who influences your life or people whose counsel you listen to. Look at the 7 people carefully because you are looking at your future.

NB: The single greatest influence on your life is the people you allow to influence you – your life will never be better than the average of the people you associate with.