Be Someone Of Influence.

Be someone who makes someone else look forward to tomorrow.

As you interact with others today, ask yourself. . . What is it like being on the other side of me? How does my presence impact those around me? Are my words and countenance uplifting and encouraging or sharp and critical? Speak power and life into those you meet through words of hope. We never know the trials others have walked through. But we can encourage them to want a tomorrow. We can all be that someone for others!

Now, what does the Holy Bible Preach about Positive Influence?

Do not be deceived: evil company
corrupts good habits. Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. - (1 Corinthians 15:33–34—NIV).

What is the lifespan of influence?
Great men have influenced an era, a generation, or an age. What is the potential lifespan of the influence of a common man? Our text implies that your influence has the potential to be eternal.

Influence is the ability to produce an effect upon others. We all go through life receiving influence from and giving influence to others.
That Apostle Paul reminds us that both good and bad influences are operating all around us.
There is much truth taught in the first verse. It is common sense that you take on the character of those with whom you chose to associate. "Evil company" is descriptive of poor choice in friends, associates, and favorite haunts. Surprisingly, most people do not evaluate the quality of friends they expose themselves to, nor do they become missional about choosing better associates.

Proverbs 13:20 states, "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be
destroyed.", does the words in this Scripture mean anything to you? Also, we can find out in Proverbs 22 : 24 - 25 which says, " do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared."  Poor choices in associations lead to gradual forsaking of our "good habits."

The second verse refers to the eternal influence possible for the average Christian. An average Christian to me is one who does not bear fruit. Jesus made this know in John 15: 1- 17 “ 1, I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire
and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s
commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear
fruit, fruit that will last and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
17 This is my command: Love
each other."

Paul challenges you to soberly awake from insensible, spiritual slumber and recognize the ignorance around you. There are people around you who spend their days burning daylight without the least thought of preparation for life after death and the eternal
consequences of unpardoned sin.
If a Christian provides the message of God’s grace offered through His Son’s death on Calvary and the Holy Spirit causes it to take root in a new convert’s heart, then that Christian has had an influence for not just an era, or a generation,
or an age, but for eternity!

Do you jealously guard your heart from evil influence that will woo you away from complete obedience to God? Are you careful in your choice of friends and associates? Have you grasped and taken ownership of your role as an influence for God upon this generation?

Are you daily begging God to use you to influence someone else to glorify God? Then ask yourself this question, Whom can I have a positive influence today? Prepare your mind for that and never look back.

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