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.

WATCH YOUR CONFESSIONS

MEMORY VERSE: Say unto them, as truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you. Numbers 14:28

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lev 4,Ps 1-2, Prov 19, Col 2

If anyone tells you that once you give your life to Christ there will be no problems they are telling you a big lie. Jesus told us in John 16:33 that we should expect challenges. Psalm 34:19 buttresses this point by saying that the righteous will have many challenges. Do you know that as a Christian, if everything is going on sweet and nice at all times with no challenges once in a while you should be worried? Oh yes you should be worried because it could be that enemy does not see you as a threat to his kingdom. If you are a threat to the kingdom of darkness, the enemy would want to challenge you once in a while. Anyone who will amount to something in life will face challenges or opposition. If God has got big plans for you, expect the enemy to challenge you or shake you a little. The bigger the plan of God for your life, the bigger the challenges or opposition you might face but do not entertain fear because the Holy One of Israel has already said that no weapon that is formed against you will prosper, and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn, Isaiah 54:17.

During these challenges watch your confessions because whatever God hears you say is what He will do. Your confessions will decide if you will overcome the challenges or not. How you answer during adversity will determine the end result of the adversity. Moses and the children of Israel faced a big challenge or opposition in Exodus 14:9-31. Before them was the red sea, behind them was the host of the Egyptians, to the sides were mountains. When everyone began to scream and cry, Moses told them ‘fear not and hold your peace, the Egyptian you see today, you shall see them no more’. Moses confessed victory and at the end of the day all the host of Egyptians perished in the red sea. When David stood before Goliath, instead of saying I am doomed or I am finished, he told Goliath I will cut of your head, 1 Samuel 17:46. I bet Goliath must have been shocked by this statement because the tiny fellow who was promising to cut his head had no sword. Actually all he had on him was a little sling and stones but guess what before the evening of that day David cut of Goliath’s head!

Not too long ago I had a major challenge at work and it seemed that I was going to be sacked. I was suspended from work and while I was at home, people would call to check on me. I told them ‘  I will not be sacked’. I told them it is written in the bible Christ in me the hope of glory not shame, Colossians 1:27. I kept on confessing that I will return to work and by the special grace of God, God gave me my job back.

KEYWORD: How you respond in adversity will determine the outcome.