Most people want to have friends. We enjoy socializing and being around other people because that’s just part of being human. God made us that way. We like to laugh with friends, feel the love of family, and care for others. This can be a mixed blessing. Too often it becomes more important to have friends than to influence people by honoring God, and that’s when we begin   to stumble down a slippery slope and fall into sin.

“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” (Romans 12:1-2).

Sometimes it’s difficult for even the most devout Christian to avoid stumbling, but it’s in those times that we need to turn to Jesus for strength to overcome temptation. The important question to ask is if it’s more important to join the world and win friends, or to stand firm on God’s Word and influence people to come to know Jesus as their Savior?

I don’t know why it is that the lure of the world is so appealing. Any pleasure found in living in opposition to Jesus is temporary and can never fully satisfy or bring lasting joy. Even those who have been raised and nurtured in a Christian home sometimes feel that having friends is more important than serving God.

The pull of the world brings temptations that many people just can’t resist. Jesus told a parable about a young man who was raised in a well to do family, but that wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to chase his dreams. He asked his father for the money he would inherit and off he went to make new friends and enjoy the so called pleasures of life. His dream became a nightmare.

“And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living” (Luke 15:13).

This prodigal son found that his money bought friends and all the wild living he could desire. When the money was gone so were his fair weather friends. He spent time and money winning friends, but his influence on people left a lot to be desired. When famine came upon the land he found himself in dire straits. He had no friends and no money, but he did find work feeding swine.

Now, for a Jewish man this was sinking as low as he could sink. He was so hungry that he was even tempted to eat the swine’s food. The story has a happy ending because this young man repented of his wild ways and returned to the safety of his father’s house. No good comes from being so enamored by the world that you will do anything to win worldly friends.

If you are rebelling and living a sin-filled life, now is the time to repent and return to the safety of walking close to Jesus. He is a true friend who will never leave you nor forsake you.

Christians should be concerned with influencing people. Many people who have accepted Christ for salvation face rejection by family and, in many cases they face death because of their faith. By living by Biblical standards your way of life can be a positive influence on other people. When Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem He faced these same problems.

He never compromised and because of that He changed lives, healed disease, and raised the dead. He also faced anger and scorn from the religious establishment that accused Him of everything from being a drunkard to blasphemy.

“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!” ( Luke 7:33-34)

Jesus won friends among the people who were considered outcasts of society by loving them and seeking their friendship, but unlike the prodigal son Jesus did not let these sinners influence Him but He influenced them. Even a few Pharisees to come to faith. He loved everyone and He still does, but it’s up to each individual to accept or reject Him.

Most of the religious leaders hardened their hearts against Him, but because of His way of life, today we are still being influenced by His example. We can look to Jesus for guidance in whatever we may face.

The need to be strong in our faith and not become a part of the world is not new. Satan sets his traps to ensnare us and pull us away from God just as he always has. In recent times the news media has been quick to proclaim the failures of Christians, or I should say those who claim to be Christians.

Some high profile preachers have been caught up in the lust of the flesh and their names make headline news. They found friends in worldly people and their influence is certainly not good. The secular world likes to point fingers and group all Christians into the same category, but many Christians live their lives so that Christ shines through.

These are the ones who represent Christ and honor Him. They don’t allow anger to control them and they reject sin in their lives. Like Jesus they may have friends who are worldly, but they don’t allow the world to get a hold of them.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12).

These blessed people live among the wolves of the world, but let God’s light shine before men for all to see. They may be missionaries in a foreign land or the Sunday school teacher who shares God’s truth with a new generation of Christians who need to learn to embrace Christ rather than sin. Are you one of these people who unashamedly live for Christ? If so, then you   are the influence that this dark and fallen world needs.

We should always be on our guard so that the things of this world don’t stumble us. Moral standards as set by Hollywood are not acceptable for Christians. People who don’t know Christ cannot understand how important He is to a believer.

Have you repented from sin and through Christ turned away from addiction or various activities that are opposed to God? so then the worldly people around you, both friends and family, will try to draw you back into the sinful life you left behind.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

Bible study and solid Christian friends are important to keep us walking close to Jesus. When people try to draw you back into sin, stand firm on God’s Word. This is when influencing people becomes more important than winning friends. The Holy Spirit lives within you and will guide you and give you the strength to resist temptation.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).

Jesus loves you and laid down His life for you. He is your strength when you’re tempted to enter into sin. On the night of His arrest Jesus knew what He was about to face and He knew what His disciples would face. He prayed a beautiful prayer and asked God the Father to protect them from the evil of this world.

“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-16).

Jesus didn’t pray that these men would be taken out of the world because they would be the ones to take the gospel to the world. If they had been removed from this life or lived as hermits in a monastery the Gospel would have been lost. By living in this world the men whom Jesus had chosen were able to influence generation after generation of people to come to a saving faith in Christ.

They faced persecution, temptation, and most were martyred, but they were strong in their faith and their influence is a blessing to us today. When Jesus prayed for them, He also prayed for those of us who believe because of those first disciples.

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:20).

That’s me. Jesus prayed for me. I believe in Him because I heard about Him, read my Bible, and understand its truth. Do you? Since I believe and want to honor Him, my desire is to introduce others to Jesus and also to strengthen other Christians in their walk with the Lord. That means I try to win friends, but I don’t join in sin. If I see a fellow Christian walking down the wrong path, then I need to influence them to return to Jesus. I also need to keep studying my Bible to be sure that I’m following the narrow road that He wants me to walk upon.

Are you winning friends or influencing people?

Be sure that winning friends isn’t more important than influencing people. That is, influencing people to come to Jesus.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

All original Scripture is “theopneustos” (God breathed).

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Have you ever planted a garden? When I was a child, I loved carrots and decided to plant some. I took my allowance and bought a packet of seeds. I chose a place that was out of the way and very shady so I would not run over the garden with my bicycle. (I also didn’t want to get overheated while tending my garden).

I dug a small line in the dirt and threw in the seeds. Then, I waited. I checked them every couple of days and was thrilled when they began to grow! I got frustrated that they didn’t grow faster. Finally, I decided it was time to harvest my crop of five or six puny plants. The carrots were odd shapes because they grew around rocks and tried to push their way through hard ground.

The lack of sunshine, little water, and no tender loving care didn’t help them at all. So I gave up on planting seeds. That’s the way it is with many Christians today. Very little effort is put into cultivating and spreading God’s Word. We might throw out a quick, “That’s a sin and God doesn’t like it” and then wonder why we don’t win more souls for Christ.

When Jesus walked this earth there were many farmers among the Jewish people. They understood farming and about soil, so they could easily relate to the parable Jesus told about a farmer who sowed seeds on various types of soil

“And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold” (Matthew 13:3-8).

There was nothing wrong with the seeds, but the soil hadn’t been prepared.

We don’t have to wonder what this parable means. Jesus explained it so we can easily understand it. There are four specific soils mentioned but only one actually leads to salvation. The first ground mentioned is the way side. This ground points to those who hear the gospel yet they don’t understand it and are blinded to the truth.

“When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side” (Matthew 13:19).

Void of understanding, these people are easy prey for the enemy (fowls). Satan steals the seeds that fall onto these people and blinds them to the truth. Although they heard the truth they remain lost.

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Then Jesus explained the stony ground.

“But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended” (Matthew 13:20-21).

These folks heard the Word of God and received it joyously. They were enthusiastic about the gospel and experienced that mountain top of joy. Then times get tough. They enter a valley and fall away from the truth because their roots aren’t deep in God’s truth. Maybe they move on to embrace the next thing that comes along … yoga, contemplative prayer; they join a cult or any number of non-Christian activities. The apostle John warned us of such people:

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19).

Many who hear the gospel are thrilled but have never gone through a true conversion from death to life. They heard the truth and seemed to have accepted it but they had no roots set in faith. They allow life’s troubles to move them away from the truth of the gospel. They never truly believed. Some seeds fell among thorns.

“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” Matthew 13:22.

These folks heard the word but the world got in their way. They were deceitfully seduced by wealth.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).

It isn’t the fact that a person is rich that makes it so difficult to have saving faith in Christ, but the love of that money can be stronger than the desire to follow Christ.

“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 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.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

It’s the love of money that is the root of all evil. Look at the Hollywood scene and see what people will do to become rich. Even those who claim to be Christians seem to have no problem starring in movies that show no Christian fruit…they love money more than God.

Temptations in life are the thorns that choke out God’s truth. If your faith isn’t solid these temptations will not allow the seeds to grow. Finally there’s the fourth soil. This is the one that brings the joy of salvation:

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23).

This is the only soil classified as good ground in Jesus’ parable. The soil was ready to receive the seed that was planted and now the person is bearing fruit. That born again Christian is now planting seeds that can change other people’s lives.

As I was studying this parable I thought about the farmer sowing the seeds. Was he doing all he could to prepare the soil? Thorns and stones can be removed from the ground and the shallow soil can be enriched. My grandfather always planted a beautiful garden. It flourished every year and produced a bountiful harvest. Unlike me when I planted my carrots, Grandpa worked at it by cultivating the soil.

He weeded, hoed, fertilized, watered, and generally made sure the soil was ready to receive the seeds. It takes work to prepare soil for planting, but it also takes time to prepare the one planting seeds. My grandfather spent time studying gardening books and he understood how to plant the seeds.

Today I am happy to say that my granddaughter is learning to plant a garden. She is learning about preparing the soil and what the plants need in order to take root and grow. She is also learning about Jesus and His love for her. As she grows in her faith she will learn to prepare people around her to hear God’s truth and plant seeds in them that will fall on well-prepared soil that is ready to receive the gospel.

The seeds planted in you need to grow so you will bear fruit. Every Christian needs to study and learn more about the gospel then share it with others. If someone asks you a question you need to have an answer.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

If you know someone who fits the first three soils, then you need to prepare that person to accept the seeds of Christian faith that you sow. Prepare the soil by showing Christian love. It isn’t always easy, but the fruit of the harvest is worth the preparation. Prepare yourself to answer questions and defend your faith by studying God’s Word. Live your life so others see Christ living in you … that makes planting seeds easier.

The question to ask is this: If you are a professing Christian today, which soil are you? You need to be sure that you are the fourth soil. Don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” ( Corinthians 5:17).

Has your life changed since you accepted Christ? It’s a good idea to do some self-evaluation to be absolutely certain where you will spend eternity.

[Jesus said,] “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand” (Matthew 7:2).

Only the foolish ignore His warnings. Jesus Christ is the One and only Savior and Lord and our only hope for everlasting life. Satan is the god of this world and if you aren’t born again he will take away the seeds that fell on the way side. It’s his intent to persuade you through evil means to reject Jesus Christ and His Word.

Three of the soils in Jesus’ parable above are owned by Satan. He convinces many people that they are on good solid ground when in fact they are not rooted in Christian truth. Don’t fall for his traps. Don’t allow anyone to convince you that there are many ways to the Father, that good people will not go to hell, or that all roads lead to heaven.

Those beliefs are all lies that exist on the first three soils. Born-again believers in Christ are firmly planted on the fourth soil—the only ground where salvation is found. When sowing seeds be sure to prepare the soil, but also be sure to prepare yourself to sow those seeds.

God bless you all,

Ron and Nathele Graham