HOW TO AVOID THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCE OF FRIENDS PART 7

TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 13:6-8

INTRODUCTION

SEVERAL YEARS AGO I ATTENDED A YOUTH GROUP CHRISTMAS PARTY WHERE THERE WERE ABOUT 25 YOUNG PEOPLE.

AFTER DINNER WE SPLIT UP INTO ABOUT 4 OR 5 TEAMS AND SAT DOWN TO PLAY SOME BIBLE TRIVIA.

DURING THE COURSE OF THE GAME THE COMPETITION WAS FIERCE.

AS WE EACH TOOK OUR TURN I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT I HAD TURNED INTO A DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE.

ONE MOMENT I WAS A MODEL OF SELF-CONTROL AND THE NEXT I WAS AGGRESSIVE AND CARING ONLY ABOUT WINNING.

THAT EVENING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A RELAXING NIGHT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH SOME FRIENDS.

AS I OBSERVED THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT OF THOSE WHO WERE PLAYING I WAS INFLUENCED BY THEIR DESIRE TO WIN AND WHATEVER THEY DID, I WANTED TO DO BETTER.

ALL OF US ARE INFLUENCED TO SOME DEGREE OR ANOTHER BY A FRIEND.

PEER-PRESSURE IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS AFFECTED BY WHETHER WE ARE YOUNG OR OLD, BOYS OR GIRLS, PARENTS OR CHILDREN.

THIS MORNING THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW TO AVOID THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCE OF FRIENDS" AND OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN DEUTERONOMY 13:6-8.

DEUTERONOMY 13:6-8 IF YOUR VERY OWN BROTHER, OR YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER, OR THE WIFE YOU LOVE, OR YOUR CLOSEST FRIEND SECRETLY ENTICES YOU, SAYING, "LET US GO AND WORSHIP OTHER GODS" (GODS THAT NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR FATHERS HAVE KNOWN, 7GODS OF THE PEOPLES AROUND YOU, WHETHER NEAR OR FAR, FROM ONE END OF THE LAND TO THE OTHER), 8DO NOT YIELD TO HIM OR LISTEN TO HIM.

SOMETIMES BEING INFLUENCED BY A FRIEND CAN BE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.

BUT ALL TOO OFTEN AS WE CAN SEE IN OUR TEXT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL TRY TO INFLUENCE YOU IN A NEGATIVE WAY.

THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT FOUR WAYS YOU CAN KEEP FROM BEING INFLUENCED NEGATIVELY.