Tuesday Night Bible Study — “Be Strong: Influence”

Following supper tonight, we continued our daily theme of being a strong influence.  Blogger Michael Stout led the Bible study for Group 1 and Group 2 campers, while compadre Katie Hall led the Group 3 girls and Nick Paden led the Group 3 boys:

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Influence:

noun: The capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others

verb: To affect; to sway; to move or impel a person to some action

We must realize that influence is a two-way street:

1. We have an influence on those we associate with with our actions, our words, and our attitude
2. We are influenced by the actions, words, and attitudes of those we associate with

This can be a very good thing, or it can be a very bad thing, depending on who we associate with:

1. If we do the right thing, say the right things, and have a proper attitude, we will be a positive influence to our friends
2. If we have friends that do the right thing, say the right things, and have a proper attitude, they will be a positive influence to us

BUT, THE CONVERSE…

1.  If we aren’t doing the right things, saying the right things, and have a bad attitude, we will be a very negative influence to our friends
2. If we have friends that aren’t doing the right things, saying the right things, and have a bad attitude, they will be a negative influence to us

Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

Be a Strong Influence to Others Through Your Obedience to God

1. Obey – to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of; to heed or conform to a command or authority
2. John 15:14 – Jesus said, “Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
3. John 14:15 – “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”
4. II John 1:6 – To love God means “that we walk according to His commandments”
5. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

Be a Strong Influence to Others by Serving God, Not Yourself

1. Glorify God, not yourself
   1. I Peter 2:11,12 – Abstain from fleshly lusts, but rather glorify God by your good works
2. Make your service true and honest, not just to be seen of men
   1. Luke 18:9-14 – Don’t serve God just to be seen of men, like the Pharisee
   2. Matthew 23:5-7 – Scribes and Pharisees did their works to be seen of men, love upper rooms, love chief seats, like to be called Rabbi in the markets
   3. Matthew 6:1-7 – Don’t give alms and pray to be seen and heard of men

Be a Strong Influence to Others with Your Humility, NOT Pride

Pride – a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in conduct

1. Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
2. Proverbs 29:23 – “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”
3. Humble – to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; to make meek
4. Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
5. I Peter 5:5 – “…be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
6. James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.”
7. Luke 14:11 – “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
8. Abase – to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble;
9. Philippians 2:5-11 – Jesus humbled Himself, took on the form of a servant, and died on the cross for each and every one of us
10. Mark 9:35 – “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
11. Matthew 18:1-4 – We should be humble like a little child

Don’t Think You Can’t Be Influenced to Sin

1. ALL have sinned
   1. Romans 3:23; I John 1:8-10 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”
   2. I Corinthians 10:12,13 – “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
   3. Mark 14:27-31 – Even the apostle Peter was adamant that he would not deny Christ, but he denied Christ three times
2. Beware of sin
   1. Deuteronomy 4:23 – “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which He made with you…”
   2. I Peter 5:8 – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Don’t Think You Can’t Be Influenced by Evil Friends

1. Evil friends DO influence us
   1. I Corinthians 15:33 – “Be not deceived: evil communications [companionships] corrupt good manners [morals].”
   2. Proverbs 13:20 – “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”
   3. Proverbs 6:27,28 – If we play with fire, we are going to get burned
   4. I Thessalonians 5:22 – “Abstain from every form of evil.”
   5. Proverbs 8:13 – “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate.”

Don’t Think You Can’t Be Influenced by Worldly Riches

1. I Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
2. Luke 18:18-25 – The rich young ruler was sorrowful when Jesus told him to sell his belongings and give to the poor in order to inherit eternal life
3. Matthew 26:14-16 – Judas betrayed Jesus for a mere 30 pieces of silver

Conclusion

Don’t let evil influence you:

1. We ARE influenced by sin
2. We ARE influenced by evil friends
3. We ARE influenced by worldly riches

Be a good, strong influence to others:

1. Be obedient to God
2. Serve God, not yourself
3. Be humble, not proud

I Timothy 4:12 – “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Romans 12:1,2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Philippians 4:8,19 – “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

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