1 00:00:30,099 --> 00:00:32,899 Romans, chapter 14 and Galatians, chapter 5. 2 00:00:33,379 --> 00:00:34,659 I had another message. 3 00:00:34,659 --> 00:00:38,059 I was planning on preaching tonight and yesterday and today I 4 00:00:38,059 --> 00:00:40,499 just felt like God was leading me toward this. 5 00:00:40,499 --> 00:00:43,899 And I hadn't spent as much time on this as I did the others. 6 00:00:43,899 --> 00:00:46,739 But I'm just trying to follow leadership of the Holy Spirit. 7 00:00:47,539 --> 00:00:50,819 And I want to speak to you tonight on one word. 8 00:00:50,899 --> 00:00:54,939 And I want you to think about it and maybe underline it a little 9 00:00:54,939 --> 00:00:55,779 bit in mind. 10 00:00:56,649 --> 00:00:59,049 And it's a very, very powerful word. 11 00:00:59,529 --> 00:01:04,089 But I think so many times we don't recognize and we don't realize 12 00:01:04,569 --> 00:01:05,609 the power of it. 13 00:01:06,249 --> 00:01:10,009 And it's not even in the Bible, but yet you'll find it in 14 00:01:10,009 --> 00:01:12,889 picture and principles all through the Scriptures from Genesis 15 00:01:12,889 --> 00:01:13,609 to Revelation. 16 00:01:14,169 --> 00:01:15,009 Here's the word. 17 00:01:15,009 --> 00:01:16,849 If you're taking notes, just write it down. 18 00:01:16,849 --> 00:01:18,409 It's very simple to remember. 19 00:01:19,449 --> 00:01:20,169 Influence. 20 00:01:22,899 --> 00:01:27,619 Can anybody dare imagine how they could measure influence? 21 00:01:28,659 --> 00:01:34,059 The power of influence in your life, in my life, in the lives of 22 00:01:34,059 --> 00:01:38,179 other people, Positive or negative influence through history, 23 00:01:38,979 --> 00:01:40,179 influence through the church. 24 00:01:40,179 --> 00:01:41,699 We could go on and on and on. 25 00:01:42,419 --> 00:01:43,619 But here's a principle. 26 00:01:43,939 --> 00:01:48,379 In Romans, chapter 14, verse number seven, it says, for none of 27 00:01:48,379 --> 00:01:57,199 us, none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 28 00:01:57,279 --> 00:01:57,999 What does that mean? 29 00:01:57,999 --> 00:01:59,519 It just simply means influence. 30 00:02:00,239 --> 00:02:03,919 It means our decisions, our directions, our thoughts, our looks, 31 00:02:04,159 --> 00:02:05,759 our life, our path. 32 00:02:06,079 --> 00:02:08,959 All the things I'll share more in just a moment. 33 00:02:09,279 --> 00:02:10,559 But it affects other people. 34 00:02:11,279 --> 00:02:13,199 A lot of times we say, well, yeah, I know that. 35 00:02:13,199 --> 00:02:13,839 But we forget. 36 00:02:15,209 --> 00:02:17,049 We get this idea, hey, it's my business. 37 00:02:17,049 --> 00:02:18,809 What I do is nobody else's business. 38 00:02:18,969 --> 00:02:22,689 Well, I understand that in some ways, in certain contexts, I 39 00:02:22,689 --> 00:02:23,529 understand that. 40 00:02:24,089 --> 00:02:27,529 But maturity in our Christian life, we begin to stop and think 41 00:02:27,529 --> 00:02:32,569 a little bit more about what I do or don't do or what I say or don't 42 00:02:32,569 --> 00:02:36,969 say is going to affect somebody. 43 00:02:38,649 --> 00:02:42,059 A lot of times it affects people you don't even know that you 44 00:02:42,059 --> 00:02:43,059 don't know are watching. 45 00:02:45,379 --> 00:02:48,779 It may affect a teenager, it may affect a child, it may affect 46 00:02:48,779 --> 00:02:49,379 an adult. 47 00:02:50,339 --> 00:02:53,339 It may have an influence in such a way that you'll never know 48 00:02:53,339 --> 00:02:57,299 till you get to heaven to find out how much more influence you had 49 00:02:57,459 --> 00:02:58,899 that you didn't think you have. 50 00:02:59,779 --> 00:03:03,219 Most of us, probably tonight, if we'd be honest, would say, well, 51 00:03:03,219 --> 00:03:05,699 I don't know that I've had that much influence. 52 00:03:06,099 --> 00:03:06,839 Well, because. 53 00:03:06,909 --> 00:03:09,709 Be careful about saying that, because one of the goals in our life 54 00:03:09,709 --> 00:03:11,789 is to have as much influence as we can. 55 00:03:14,029 --> 00:03:17,829 That ought to be one of our ultimate purpose, is to glorify Christ 56 00:03:17,829 --> 00:03:18,909 in all that we do. 57 00:03:19,789 --> 00:03:22,189 But also Jesus said, you're the light of the world. 58 00:03:22,189 --> 00:03:23,429 You're the salt of the earth. 59 00:03:23,429 --> 00:03:28,669 Follow me, represent me, because I want you to have influence 60 00:03:30,109 --> 00:03:32,509 with everybody and everywhere you go. 61 00:03:33,619 --> 00:03:37,779 None of us liveth to himself or dieth to himself. 62 00:03:38,739 --> 00:03:42,099 Now go to the book of Galatians, just a few pages over 63 00:03:42,099 --> 00:03:42,619 in your Bible. 64 00:03:42,619 --> 00:03:47,059 To Galatians, chapter number five and verse seven. 65 00:03:48,499 --> 00:03:52,939 And this is Paul was writing to the church at Galatia, and they'd 66 00:03:52,939 --> 00:03:56,219 come a long ways, but then they began to turn back and things 67 00:03:56,219 --> 00:03:58,179 began to change, and not in a good way. 68 00:03:59,469 --> 00:04:02,269 And Paul had to write a letter to him to straighten things out. 69 00:04:02,269 --> 00:04:02,869 And he did. 70 00:04:02,869 --> 00:04:05,629 And the church got things right and the priorities right. 71 00:04:07,629 --> 00:04:11,069 But it says in verse number seven of Galatians, chapter five, 72 00:04:12,029 --> 00:04:13,469 you did run well. 73 00:04:13,949 --> 00:04:15,389 He didn't say, you're running well. 74 00:04:15,389 --> 00:04:16,829 He said, you did run well. 75 00:04:19,149 --> 00:04:22,989 Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? 76 00:04:22,989 --> 00:04:24,189 Who's influenced you? 77 00:04:24,189 --> 00:04:24,449 What's. 78 00:04:24,599 --> 00:04:25,319 What happened? 79 00:04:26,039 --> 00:04:29,559 Who Are you listening to this? 80 00:04:29,559 --> 00:04:32,279 Persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 81 00:04:33,399 --> 00:04:37,999 Verse number nine says, a little leaven, leaveneth the whole 82 00:04:37,999 --> 00:04:38,319 lump. 83 00:04:38,319 --> 00:04:41,079 I don't know a lot about baking and bread and all that stuff, 84 00:04:41,079 --> 00:04:45,239 but you know, in the Bible, God always wanted them to have unleavened 85 00:04:45,239 --> 00:04:50,239 bread because leaven would cause the bread or the yeast to rise, 86 00:04:50,239 --> 00:04:52,199 which was always a picture of pride. 87 00:04:55,239 --> 00:04:55,639 Pride. 88 00:04:57,159 --> 00:04:58,599 I've eaten unleavened bread. 89 00:04:58,599 --> 00:05:00,199 I don't particularly care for it. 90 00:05:01,799 --> 00:05:05,119 I guess it depends on who's baking it and if they put a lot of 91 00:05:05,119 --> 00:05:07,079 cinnamon and sugar in it, maybe, I don't know. 92 00:05:09,799 --> 00:05:13,279 But it says, a little leaveneth, a little leaven, leaveneth 93 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:13,799 the whole lump. 94 00:05:13,799 --> 00:05:15,239 It spreads, it affects everything. 95 00:05:16,439 --> 00:05:19,819 And the Bible speaks a lot of that through throughout the Scriptures, 96 00:05:21,099 --> 00:05:22,219 sometimes in our life. 97 00:05:23,099 --> 00:05:23,579 A little. 98 00:05:23,579 --> 00:05:25,619 There's no really such thing as a little sin. 99 00:05:25,619 --> 00:05:27,419 But I want you to get the thought here. 100 00:05:27,579 --> 00:05:31,379 A little sin, a little leaven, a little thing that we think is no 101 00:05:31,379 --> 00:05:36,059 big deal can become a big deal very quickly in a church. 102 00:05:36,059 --> 00:05:38,579 A little leaven can leaven us a whole lump. 103 00:05:38,579 --> 00:05:40,859 I know you don't want to think of your church as a lump. 104 00:05:42,139 --> 00:05:46,039 We think of the church as a bride and as a body and as a building, 105 00:05:46,999 --> 00:05:48,359 but we affect each other. 106 00:05:49,079 --> 00:05:52,519 And sometimes, if you could picture the church, if this church 107 00:05:52,519 --> 00:05:56,199 was filled tonight and you could get this thought in your mind, 108 00:05:56,199 --> 00:06:00,239 it was like a big loaf of bread and there was leaven, and it 109 00:06:00,239 --> 00:06:01,799 started to swell in pride. 110 00:06:03,079 --> 00:06:06,639 I'm Talking about influence, it's not a deep sermon, not a lot 111 00:06:06,639 --> 00:06:09,799 of points, but the principle, you find it all through the Bible. 112 00:06:11,409 --> 00:06:17,049 In fact, God kept over and over and over again to try to teach 113 00:06:17,049 --> 00:06:21,009 and to tell his people to live a separated life. 114 00:06:21,809 --> 00:06:22,209 Why? 115 00:06:23,249 --> 00:06:26,049 I mean, over and over again, come out from among them, don't marry 116 00:06:26,049 --> 00:06:30,729 unsaved people, don't follow their plans, don't follow their ideas, 117 00:06:30,729 --> 00:06:33,889 don't get caught up with their clothes and their music. 118 00:06:34,289 --> 00:06:36,249 But they wouldn't follow. 119 00:06:36,249 --> 00:06:36,969 They didn't believe it. 120 00:06:36,969 --> 00:06:37,249 They. 121 00:06:37,309 --> 00:06:38,509 They thought, we can handle it. 122 00:06:39,309 --> 00:06:42,469 And the reason God went over and over and over again in the Bible 123 00:06:42,469 --> 00:06:45,309 and still applied in the New Testament and to the day in which 124 00:06:45,309 --> 00:06:48,589 we live, that we're to live a separated life, not an isolated life, 125 00:06:49,069 --> 00:06:52,589 but a separated life is because of the power of influence. 126 00:06:53,869 --> 00:06:58,349 God knows if we get too much involved in the world and the world 127 00:06:58,349 --> 00:07:03,269 starts getting into us, it'll influence our thinking, it'll influence 128 00:07:03,269 --> 00:07:03,869 our life. 129 00:07:05,209 --> 00:07:08,209 And some of us old guys say, well, that doesn't bother me. 130 00:07:08,209 --> 00:07:11,169 Well, it can influence our children or our grandchildren or 131 00:07:11,169 --> 00:07:12,329 our great grandchildren. 132 00:07:15,449 --> 00:07:18,489 Influence a little leaven. 133 00:07:18,489 --> 00:07:19,609 Leaveneth the whole lump. 134 00:07:21,209 --> 00:07:26,329 I heard somebody say many years ago, speaking of our lives, 135 00:07:27,769 --> 00:07:33,159 that you are every one of us, you are either a blot or a blessing, 136 00:07:33,799 --> 00:07:34,999 but never a blank. 137 00:07:39,799 --> 00:07:45,239 You're either a blot or a blessing, but never a blank. 138 00:07:46,519 --> 00:07:51,799 Because when you think, well, I'm not going to say anything, then 139 00:07:51,799 --> 00:07:53,959 you're going to have influence. 140 00:07:53,959 --> 00:07:56,639 When you don't speak up when you should, or you don't stand up 141 00:07:56,639 --> 00:08:02,499 when you should, we think, well, I'll just be a blank. 142 00:08:02,499 --> 00:08:05,139 No, you'll never be a blank. 143 00:08:07,219 --> 00:08:09,539 People watch what we do, they watch what we don't do. 144 00:08:09,859 --> 00:08:12,939 Our children watch what we say, they listen to what we don't 145 00:08:12,939 --> 00:08:13,219 say. 146 00:08:16,179 --> 00:08:20,779 Who can measure the power of influence, whether it be good or 147 00:08:20,779 --> 00:08:21,139 bad? 148 00:08:22,339 --> 00:08:26,999 I think it's one of the most powerful words in all the English 149 00:08:26,999 --> 00:08:27,479 language. 150 00:08:30,359 --> 00:08:32,839 Train up a child in the way he should go. 151 00:08:33,879 --> 00:08:35,159 What does that mean? 152 00:08:36,119 --> 00:08:38,039 Well, I've heard a lot of great sermons on it. 153 00:08:38,039 --> 00:08:39,879 It doesn't mean your children be perfect. 154 00:08:39,959 --> 00:08:42,359 It says, turn up a child in the way should go, and when he's 155 00:08:42,359 --> 00:08:43,439 old, he'll not depart from. 156 00:08:44,719 --> 00:08:50,609 Doesn't mean that they'll never do wrong, but it does mean 157 00:08:51,729 --> 00:08:53,089 they'll be influenced a lot. 158 00:08:53,089 --> 00:08:55,769 If you train up a child, you're going to have an influence 159 00:08:55,769 --> 00:08:57,329 that they will never escape. 160 00:08:58,529 --> 00:08:59,169 Amen. 161 00:09:00,129 --> 00:09:02,049 Does anybody have a Kleenex up here? 162 00:09:02,449 --> 00:09:03,329 Let me get one. 163 00:09:04,369 --> 00:09:05,809 I haven't coughed all day. 164 00:09:05,969 --> 00:09:06,729 Well, not all. 165 00:09:06,729 --> 00:09:07,569 I shouldn't say that. 166 00:09:07,649 --> 00:09:09,809 Last couple hours, I go, well, that's good. 167 00:09:10,289 --> 00:09:11,729 And my wife said, do you have. 168 00:09:11,729 --> 00:09:12,369 Start coughing? 169 00:09:12,369 --> 00:09:14,249 Do you have a handkerchief? 170 00:09:14,249 --> 00:09:16,529 I said, well, yeah, right there, sticking right up. 171 00:09:19,989 --> 00:09:21,349 Would you like to see me use that? 172 00:09:24,709 --> 00:09:25,429 Excuse me. 173 00:09:27,109 --> 00:09:28,149 Train up a child. 174 00:09:29,109 --> 00:09:30,509 That's a whole sermon. 175 00:09:30,509 --> 00:09:33,989 And we need a lot of sermons on how to train up a child. 176 00:09:35,029 --> 00:09:38,069 Most of the time, children are being raised today by television 177 00:09:39,029 --> 00:09:42,879 and by the Internet and by Facebook. 178 00:09:44,239 --> 00:09:45,199 That's who's raising. 179 00:09:45,199 --> 00:09:46,959 That's the training up of most children. 180 00:09:47,119 --> 00:09:49,519 Now, obviously, that would not be very. 181 00:09:49,599 --> 00:09:52,439 A lot of that going on in this church because of the kind of church 182 00:09:52,439 --> 00:09:52,879 it is. 183 00:09:53,839 --> 00:09:56,679 You have men and women here that take God seriously, they take 184 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:02,319 their family seriously, and they try to train up a child in the 185 00:10:02,319 --> 00:10:03,199 way he should go. 186 00:10:06,159 --> 00:10:11,849 The home life may be among the top influences of all. 187 00:10:13,289 --> 00:10:14,409 Would you agree with that? 188 00:10:14,809 --> 00:10:19,689 The way you were raised, how you were raised, the kind of dad 189 00:10:19,689 --> 00:10:22,729 you had, the kind of mom you had, the kind of discipline you had, 190 00:10:23,769 --> 00:10:25,929 what you were allowed to do, what you were not allowed to do. 191 00:10:25,929 --> 00:10:26,849 About 18 years. 192 00:10:26,849 --> 00:10:27,227 17. 193 00:10:27,311 --> 00:10:28,089 18 years. 194 00:10:28,489 --> 00:10:29,529 A lot of influence. 195 00:10:31,689 --> 00:10:36,819 Children grew up and they say, well, I don't know why that was wrong. 196 00:10:36,819 --> 00:10:38,339 Nobody ever explained it to me. 197 00:10:38,339 --> 00:10:40,019 So I'm gonna go out and find out for myself. 198 00:10:40,899 --> 00:10:44,819 You see, it's one thing to tell your kids right or wrong, but 199 00:10:44,899 --> 00:10:46,659 another thing to explain it to them. 200 00:10:47,299 --> 00:10:47,699 Why? 201 00:10:48,419 --> 00:10:49,379 Why is it wrong? 202 00:10:49,379 --> 00:10:50,259 What does it hurt? 203 00:10:50,899 --> 00:10:52,419 What does the Bible have to say? 204 00:10:52,819 --> 00:10:56,379 Well, I'm getting off my subject tonight, but I'm talking 205 00:10:56,379 --> 00:10:57,219 about influence. 206 00:10:58,259 --> 00:11:00,819 My grandfather had a huge influence on my life. 207 00:11:02,529 --> 00:11:05,489 And every time I think of him, he's been in heaven for a long time. 208 00:11:05,489 --> 00:11:06,689 I preached his funeral. 209 00:11:08,209 --> 00:11:10,529 His wife died when my mother was nine. 210 00:11:10,529 --> 00:11:14,609 So I never knew my grandmother on my mother's side. 211 00:11:15,569 --> 00:11:18,169 But every time I close my eyes, I think for a moment about 212 00:11:18,169 --> 00:11:18,529 Grand. 213 00:11:18,529 --> 00:11:19,529 We called him Granddaddy. 214 00:11:19,529 --> 00:11:22,849 We didn't call him grand or Grandee or grand or Grand Pappy or. 215 00:11:23,009 --> 00:11:27,929 It was Granddaddy that every time I close my eyes, I see him sitting 216 00:11:27,929 --> 00:11:29,039 in a room with. 217 00:11:29,109 --> 00:11:30,109 We lived in his house. 218 00:11:30,109 --> 00:11:32,069 It was a very, very small house. 219 00:11:33,509 --> 00:11:38,909 And every night I would peek around and see him. 220 00:11:38,909 --> 00:11:42,709 And I could see him sitting in a little recliner, very small. 221 00:11:44,309 --> 00:11:48,429 And boy, it was worn completely out from the way he sat 222 00:11:48,429 --> 00:11:48,589 in. 223 00:11:48,589 --> 00:11:51,189 He sat in it all the time, reading his Bible. 224 00:11:51,909 --> 00:11:55,759 I never saw my dad read his Bible or my mother. 225 00:11:56,399 --> 00:11:57,999 I wasn't saved till I was 14. 226 00:11:58,159 --> 00:12:00,879 I didn't really read the Bible until after that. 227 00:12:02,079 --> 00:12:06,639 But I saw my granddaddy get up and go to church most of the time 228 00:12:06,639 --> 00:12:07,359 by himself. 229 00:12:07,999 --> 00:12:10,879 There was four kids, my mother, my father and four kids. 230 00:12:11,919 --> 00:12:14,799 But always watched him reading the Bible and he had influence. 231 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:17,799 He was a hard worker and he always told the truth. 232 00:12:17,799 --> 00:12:19,959 I never heard him say a cuss word or a wrong word. 233 00:12:19,959 --> 00:12:21,319 I never see him being modest. 234 00:12:21,319 --> 00:12:22,599 He never told a dirty joke. 235 00:12:22,599 --> 00:12:24,449 He never drank a beer, he never smoked a cigarette. 236 00:12:25,799 --> 00:12:27,039 I'm sure he had his problems. 237 00:12:27,039 --> 00:12:28,119 There's no perfect people. 238 00:12:29,079 --> 00:12:31,479 But in my mind he was perfect. 239 00:12:32,119 --> 00:12:33,719 I couldn't find a fault in him. 240 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:37,079 He had influence on me. 241 00:12:37,799 --> 00:12:41,879 We are all products of influence before we're saved. 242 00:12:41,879 --> 00:12:44,519 And then we have people and whole different sometimes people 243 00:12:44,519 --> 00:12:46,439 that influence us after we're saved. 244 00:12:47,159 --> 00:12:49,239 Did your life change when you got saved? 245 00:12:50,289 --> 00:12:52,449 You'd been influenced one way pretty much. 246 00:12:53,489 --> 00:12:55,249 And then you got saved and new people. 247 00:12:57,009 --> 00:12:59,769 Church was different, the Bible was different, the music was 248 00:12:59,769 --> 00:13:00,009 different. 249 00:13:00,009 --> 00:13:01,969 And things started influencing you. 250 00:13:04,289 --> 00:13:08,929 When I was 14, saved and called at 15, my whole life changed. 251 00:13:08,929 --> 00:13:11,729 But I wanted to be like my preacher. 252 00:13:13,089 --> 00:13:16,649 I told you many times I was saved at 14, called at 15 and went 253 00:13:16,649 --> 00:13:17,809 to Bible College at 16. 254 00:13:17,889 --> 00:13:18,369 That was. 255 00:13:18,549 --> 00:13:23,869 That was a world that I wanted to be a preacher and I wanted to 256 00:13:23,869 --> 00:13:27,349 pattern my life and I wanted to be just like my preacher, my pastor 257 00:13:27,349 --> 00:13:32,509 who's still living 87 years old and we call and talk to each 258 00:13:32,509 --> 00:13:32,949 other a lot. 259 00:13:32,949 --> 00:13:35,509 And he had so much influence on me. 260 00:13:36,229 --> 00:13:37,909 I mean, he went way out of his way. 261 00:13:37,909 --> 00:13:41,909 I was his first preacher boy out of his church in Jacksonville. 262 00:13:42,229 --> 00:13:45,189 He picked me up every day in high school. 263 00:13:45,189 --> 00:13:46,749 Picked me up at the end of the day at 3 o'. 264 00:13:46,749 --> 00:13:47,029 Clock. 265 00:13:49,829 --> 00:13:50,789 He said, you ready to go? 266 00:13:51,829 --> 00:13:52,669 I said, where are we going? 267 00:13:52,669 --> 00:13:53,469 He said, we're going to visit. 268 00:13:53,469 --> 00:13:56,829 We're going to try to lead people to Christ, invite people to 269 00:13:56,829 --> 00:13:59,029 church and visit the sick and on and on and on. 270 00:14:00,069 --> 00:14:01,589 He had influence on me. 271 00:14:03,269 --> 00:14:07,509 The exact modern English word influence does not frequently appear 272 00:14:07,589 --> 00:14:10,349 in standard scriptural translations. 273 00:14:10,349 --> 00:14:14,159 But the Bible speaks extensively of about this concept 274 00:14:14,159 --> 00:14:14,999 of influence. 275 00:14:14,999 --> 00:14:20,639 The power of actions and reactions and words and associations 276 00:14:20,799 --> 00:14:22,399 that shape our lives. 277 00:14:23,839 --> 00:14:25,119 I just listed a few. 278 00:14:25,119 --> 00:14:28,519 Think about the influence that just God, your father has had in 279 00:14:28,519 --> 00:14:28,959 your life. 280 00:14:31,039 --> 00:14:31,439 Christ. 281 00:14:32,399 --> 00:14:35,359 The first time you really realized and understood and pictured 282 00:14:35,359 --> 00:14:38,359 and heard the sermons of Christ hanging on a cross. 283 00:14:38,359 --> 00:14:39,629 The Bible says his. 284 00:14:40,339 --> 00:14:44,059 His visage was so marred that you couldn't tell he was human. 285 00:14:44,059 --> 00:14:47,979 It didn't look like human, it looked like flesh, just raw flesh 286 00:14:47,979 --> 00:14:48,979 hanging on a cross. 287 00:14:49,139 --> 00:14:50,819 We've seen pictures and paintings. 288 00:14:51,939 --> 00:14:58,619 It's nothing like the way it was his influence that he would die 289 00:14:58,619 --> 00:15:03,539 such a cruel death for me for what I did wrong. 290 00:15:03,779 --> 00:15:07,149 He got the punishment and I got to go free. 291 00:15:07,629 --> 00:15:09,389 That had an influence on my life. 292 00:15:11,389 --> 00:15:14,189 The Holy Spirit has had an influence on my life. 293 00:15:14,989 --> 00:15:16,029 Has he yours? 294 00:15:18,429 --> 00:15:20,229 I know I've already said this several times. 295 00:15:20,229 --> 00:15:20,869 McCracken. 296 00:15:20,869 --> 00:15:24,549 Brother McCracken did such a marvelous job on the subject of the 297 00:15:24,549 --> 00:15:25,189 Holy Spirit. 298 00:15:25,189 --> 00:15:28,589 But, boy, you talk about being filled with the Spirit and the influence 299 00:15:28,589 --> 00:15:30,749 the Spirit of God can have in our lives. 300 00:15:31,169 --> 00:15:34,009 But so many people don't know anything about the Holy Spirit or 301 00:15:34,009 --> 00:15:35,209 being filled with the Holy Spirit. 302 00:15:35,209 --> 00:15:37,409 And so they don't have a lot of influence. 303 00:15:37,729 --> 00:15:41,729 The Holy Spirit doesn't grab us by the hair of our head. 304 00:15:42,129 --> 00:15:44,529 He doesn't snatch us up and say, listen to me. 305 00:15:45,969 --> 00:15:50,609 But he waits to be asked to be in control. 306 00:15:53,489 --> 00:15:56,049 Anybody been influenced by this? 307 00:15:57,979 --> 00:15:58,539 Mm. 308 00:16:00,379 --> 00:16:04,859 We can't imagine people around the world who got received Christ 309 00:16:04,859 --> 00:16:07,139 and got saved, but they still have never seen a Bible. 310 00:16:07,139 --> 00:16:09,739 And the only thing they get is a little bit from a missionary. 311 00:16:10,219 --> 00:16:12,219 They can't buy them, they can't afford them. 312 00:16:12,859 --> 00:16:14,779 They're not allowed in a lot of places. 313 00:16:16,139 --> 00:16:20,059 Can you imagine your life without a Bible? 314 00:16:22,389 --> 00:16:23,989 Most of us certainly can't do that. 315 00:16:23,989 --> 00:16:27,349 But most every church, there's people on Sunday mornings. 316 00:16:27,349 --> 00:16:28,469 I can't find my Bible. 317 00:16:28,469 --> 00:16:29,989 I hadn't seen it since last Sunday. 318 00:16:31,109 --> 00:16:32,309 Oh, but I believe it. 319 00:16:33,029 --> 00:16:34,069 It's the word of God. 320 00:16:34,069 --> 00:16:34,709 It's true. 321 00:16:36,629 --> 00:16:39,109 Has the Bible had much influence in your life? 322 00:16:39,589 --> 00:16:41,669 Do you want it to have more influence in your life? 323 00:16:45,029 --> 00:16:45,669 Sunday school? 324 00:16:45,669 --> 00:16:46,029 Do you. 325 00:16:46,029 --> 00:16:49,769 I guess most of you probably know in most modern churches, Sunday 326 00:16:49,769 --> 00:16:51,249 school has been wiped out. 327 00:16:52,849 --> 00:16:56,209 It's ridiculous and a waste of time. 328 00:16:56,769 --> 00:16:59,489 And if you have any Sunday school, it's for the little kiddies. 329 00:17:00,929 --> 00:17:03,889 And most people today don't have a desire, they don't have a 330 00:17:03,889 --> 00:17:04,369 hunger. 331 00:17:05,489 --> 00:17:08,489 They want to hear an uplifting sermon to make them feel good and 332 00:17:08,489 --> 00:17:08,849 go home. 333 00:17:08,849 --> 00:17:14,369 Till next week, Sunday school become obsolete. 334 00:17:16,969 --> 00:17:19,449 I don't know how long I'll live, but I hope I don't live. 335 00:17:19,849 --> 00:17:23,289 I hope to the day I die, I hope I'll still be able to go to 336 00:17:23,289 --> 00:17:23,929 Sunday school. 337 00:17:25,849 --> 00:17:28,089 No one ever graduates from Sunday school. 338 00:17:31,609 --> 00:17:33,489 I had a man one time, Brother Dawes. 339 00:17:33,489 --> 00:17:35,049 Shelly remembers Brother Dawes. 340 00:17:35,449 --> 00:17:36,249 He was a great. 341 00:17:36,809 --> 00:17:38,329 He was my amen corner. 342 00:17:39,449 --> 00:17:42,689 And he sat on the front row and, boy, he would dress to a hilt. 343 00:17:42,689 --> 00:17:45,349 And he looked like he was 100 years old the whole time. 344 00:17:45,349 --> 00:17:49,709 I Knew him that he'd say, oh, praise God. 345 00:17:49,709 --> 00:17:51,069 I mean, he'd just, he'd get really. 346 00:17:51,069 --> 00:17:52,269 Get preacher fired up. 347 00:17:52,269 --> 00:17:53,709 But he never went to Sunday school. 348 00:17:54,509 --> 00:17:57,909 And I said, brother Dawes, how come you don't come to Sunday school? 349 00:17:57,909 --> 00:17:58,989 He says, I graduated. 350 00:18:01,709 --> 00:18:04,709 I said, well, then why don't you come and teach Sunday school? 351 00:18:04,709 --> 00:18:07,149 He said, oh, I gotta go, I gotta go. 352 00:18:07,309 --> 00:18:08,589 He didn't want to talk about that. 353 00:18:10,139 --> 00:18:13,139 If you already know it all, you've got it all down, then why 354 00:18:13,139 --> 00:18:14,379 don't you teach Sunday school? 355 00:18:18,859 --> 00:18:20,939 Has Satan had any influence in your life? 356 00:18:21,339 --> 00:18:24,699 You say, oh, hoping you wasn't going to go there. 357 00:18:25,499 --> 00:18:27,419 The devil wants to influence you. 358 00:18:28,699 --> 00:18:31,019 He wants to interrupt, he wants to distract. 359 00:18:31,099 --> 00:18:32,779 He wants to divide your attention. 360 00:18:33,819 --> 00:18:36,859 He wants to influence you to be negative and critical. 361 00:18:38,229 --> 00:18:39,429 That's not God doing that. 362 00:18:39,669 --> 00:18:42,709 That's not the spirit of God that does those things. 363 00:18:45,189 --> 00:18:50,229 The Holy Spirit never wanted to lead you to have a sour, bitter, 364 00:18:51,189 --> 00:18:55,029 critical, proud, arrogant spirit. 365 00:18:56,949 --> 00:18:58,229 Amen, Brother Weatherby. 366 00:19:01,909 --> 00:19:04,239 The world, the influence of the world. 367 00:19:06,079 --> 00:19:07,719 You know, we're being influenced by the world. 368 00:19:07,719 --> 00:19:08,359 Most of the time. 369 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:10,239 We're not even consciously aware of it. 370 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:15,119 We go by down the street and see signs and billboards and we hear 371 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:18,759 things on the radio and we see commercials and we hear this and 372 00:19:18,759 --> 00:19:19,439 we see that. 373 00:19:19,439 --> 00:19:24,479 And the world, churches even, have become more worldly than they 374 00:19:24,479 --> 00:19:25,119 used to be. 375 00:19:25,679 --> 00:19:28,479 We've gotten used to the world now it does a lot of things. 376 00:19:28,479 --> 00:19:29,839 Doesn't bother us anymore. 377 00:19:30,199 --> 00:19:30,679 Used to. 378 00:19:32,919 --> 00:19:33,799 Not anymore. 379 00:19:34,999 --> 00:19:37,159 Preachers used to preach against certain things. 380 00:19:37,239 --> 00:19:38,839 They quit doing that a long time ago. 381 00:19:38,839 --> 00:19:39,159 Why? 382 00:19:39,399 --> 00:19:42,799 Because the world has finally taken the edge off and we've gotten 383 00:19:42,799 --> 00:19:47,719 comfortable and we don't want to be thought of as illegalist or 384 00:19:47,879 --> 00:19:53,839 weird or strange or dangerous or culture because we believe in 385 00:19:53,839 --> 00:19:57,449 morality and men ought to be men and women ought to be women and. 386 00:19:58,399 --> 00:20:01,359 And there ought to be moderation in our lives. 387 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:01,919 That's. 388 00:20:04,639 --> 00:20:08,439 And then how many of us have been influenced? 389 00:20:08,439 --> 00:20:10,639 That's the only thing you got to remember tonight, influence. 390 00:20:11,999 --> 00:20:14,679 And I wish we had time here, but I just throw it out because I 391 00:20:14,679 --> 00:20:18,279 know if you had started jotting them down, you'd run out 392 00:20:18,279 --> 00:20:18,799 of paper. 393 00:20:19,199 --> 00:20:21,519 But godly people who've influenced your life. 394 00:20:22,719 --> 00:20:25,199 Amen, man. 395 00:20:25,199 --> 00:20:26,359 I've had people. 396 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,159 I probably forgot the names now, but people. 397 00:20:28,159 --> 00:20:29,879 Men, deacons, Sunday school teachers. 398 00:20:29,879 --> 00:20:35,519 My life before, even as a young teenager, godly people. 399 00:20:36,879 --> 00:20:37,599 I mean, people. 400 00:20:37,599 --> 00:20:43,279 I thought, wow, they must be a prophet or she must be right out 401 00:20:43,279 --> 00:20:43,919 of the Bible. 402 00:20:44,719 --> 00:20:46,319 I felt strange around them. 403 00:20:46,319 --> 00:20:47,759 I thought they were so godly. 404 00:20:50,169 --> 00:20:54,569 Godly people now, while I'm talking about this tonight and just 405 00:20:54,569 --> 00:20:58,889 keep over and over repeating myself in a different way. 406 00:21:00,489 --> 00:21:05,249 Godly people, but also there's ungodly people that can influence 407 00:21:05,249 --> 00:21:06,489 us if we're not careful. 408 00:21:09,289 --> 00:21:11,929 We got to be careful, and the Bible tells us to be careful. 409 00:21:12,729 --> 00:21:13,889 There's certain kind of people. 410 00:21:13,889 --> 00:21:15,609 I wish it wasn't true, but it's true. 411 00:21:15,609 --> 00:21:16,569 It's a fact of life. 412 00:21:16,569 --> 00:21:17,449 It's in the Bible. 413 00:21:18,709 --> 00:21:25,669 We have to be careful because we can get influenced from people 414 00:21:25,909 --> 00:21:28,909 that don't really have all their facts and they don't know the 415 00:21:28,909 --> 00:21:31,269 whole truth and no one's explained it. 416 00:21:32,949 --> 00:21:35,109 So you've got to remember that. 417 00:21:35,109 --> 00:21:36,709 You've got to recognize that. 418 00:21:36,789 --> 00:21:39,589 And if you mature and you grow, it doesn't mean you go around 419 00:21:39,749 --> 00:21:41,429 saying, don't contaminate me. 420 00:21:42,229 --> 00:21:43,709 The Bible doesn't tell us that. 421 00:21:43,709 --> 00:21:45,069 That's just proud arrogance. 422 00:21:45,069 --> 00:21:46,789 And that's like the Pharisees were. 423 00:21:47,659 --> 00:21:49,459 Amen, God. 424 00:21:49,459 --> 00:21:52,339 I pray all the time, God help me to never fall into the rut of 425 00:21:52,339 --> 00:21:53,419 being a Pharisee. 426 00:21:57,339 --> 00:21:59,939 But the Bible makes it clear, and it's going to be important as 427 00:21:59,939 --> 00:22:02,699 how your life turns out or is turning out. 428 00:22:04,219 --> 00:22:07,019 There's some people you can shake hands with and be nice to, 429 00:22:07,019 --> 00:22:10,539 but there's some people that want to influence you in a wrong 430 00:22:10,539 --> 00:22:10,859 way. 431 00:22:14,389 --> 00:22:16,309 You say, oh, Brother Weatherby, I didn't come to hear 432 00:22:16,309 --> 00:22:16,629 that. 433 00:22:17,509 --> 00:22:21,509 Well, neither did I. I wanted to preach another sermon. 434 00:22:22,469 --> 00:22:23,909 I'm just saying we have to grow up. 435 00:22:23,909 --> 00:22:25,349 Doesn't mean we have to be mean to people. 436 00:22:26,549 --> 00:22:29,349 It doesn't mean that we have to mistreat anybody. 437 00:22:30,469 --> 00:22:33,189 Somebody say amen, we know it. 438 00:22:33,269 --> 00:22:34,229 I'm not saying that. 439 00:22:34,789 --> 00:22:37,389 Some of you think I'm saying that and others may be listening 440 00:22:37,389 --> 00:22:37,669 on. 441 00:22:38,239 --> 00:22:39,159 On the live stream was. 442 00:22:39,159 --> 00:22:40,479 I can't believe we just said that. 443 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:42,359 I didn't say what you thought. 444 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:48,079 I said we can be kind and loving and careful and nice and sweet. 445 00:22:48,959 --> 00:22:53,519 But you have to understand that not all people that claim to 446 00:22:53,519 --> 00:22:57,079 be Christians and in any church, not any church, not just 447 00:22:57,079 --> 00:23:02,599 this church, but not everybody's on the same page and 448 00:23:02,599 --> 00:23:03,279 never will be. 449 00:23:04,499 --> 00:23:08,099 That's why you have to be called to be a pastor, because that 450 00:23:08,099 --> 00:23:09,139 comes with the job. 451 00:23:11,059 --> 00:23:13,779 Everybody wouldn't be a pastor if all you had a church full of nice 452 00:23:13,779 --> 00:23:14,099 people. 453 00:23:18,339 --> 00:23:21,539 And if you had a church full of have a nice preacher in the pulpit, 454 00:23:21,539 --> 00:23:22,419 probably helped too. 455 00:23:24,979 --> 00:23:27,699 The church, the influence of the church. 456 00:23:27,859 --> 00:23:30,179 The influence of the Heritage Baptist Church. 457 00:23:30,179 --> 00:23:32,259 You know, I've been here, Shelly, and I've been here five months 458 00:23:33,569 --> 00:23:36,929 you have influenced us in a positive way. 459 00:23:37,809 --> 00:23:39,009 We've learned some things. 460 00:23:39,969 --> 00:23:41,169 You've influenced us. 461 00:23:41,809 --> 00:23:43,449 We're almost through here, and it's not. 462 00:23:43,449 --> 00:23:45,729 We're not just going to walk off in good riddance. 463 00:23:45,729 --> 00:23:47,569 I mean, it's not going to be easy. 464 00:23:47,569 --> 00:23:49,409 Our heart will be broken. 465 00:23:51,009 --> 00:23:56,929 We've gotten attached because we are to influence each other. 466 00:23:58,219 --> 00:24:02,299 You've influenced parents, influence, grandparents, influence, 467 00:24:02,459 --> 00:24:03,819 friends influence. 468 00:24:04,539 --> 00:24:08,299 How many times have you heard the sad story of young people? 469 00:24:08,299 --> 00:24:10,619 And not just young people, sometimes even adults. 470 00:24:10,619 --> 00:24:11,579 What happened to them? 471 00:24:11,659 --> 00:24:13,739 Well, they got mixed up with the wrong friends. 472 00:24:15,099 --> 00:24:16,059 You ever heard that? 473 00:24:16,379 --> 00:24:20,099 I know as parents, we can't choose the friends of our kids. 474 00:24:20,099 --> 00:24:21,099 I understand that. 475 00:24:22,059 --> 00:24:25,259 But we can coach them and we can pray for them, and we can encourage 476 00:24:25,259 --> 00:24:30,339 them in the right direction and do the best we can, because friends 477 00:24:30,419 --> 00:24:32,019 can have powerful influence. 478 00:24:33,059 --> 00:24:37,899 What about boyfriends and girlfriends that can have a lot of 479 00:24:37,899 --> 00:24:38,499 influence? 480 00:24:39,779 --> 00:24:40,339 Mm. 481 00:24:42,259 --> 00:24:42,739 Yeah. 482 00:24:44,819 --> 00:24:47,299 Guys feels like, man, I'm ready to live for God. 483 00:24:47,859 --> 00:24:50,899 He gets involved with a young lady, young girl, that doesn't want 484 00:24:50,899 --> 00:24:56,669 to live for God, and she could have a very negative influence and 485 00:24:56,669 --> 00:24:57,629 vice versa. 486 00:24:57,949 --> 00:25:01,509 A lot of young girls say, I want to marry a preacher one day, 487 00:25:01,509 --> 00:25:03,869 or I want to be a missionary, or I want to teach Sunday school, 488 00:25:03,949 --> 00:25:05,269 or I want to sing in the choir. 489 00:25:05,269 --> 00:25:07,389 And one of these days, I'm going to be the best church member 490 00:25:07,389 --> 00:25:07,949 we got. 491 00:25:08,509 --> 00:25:12,549 And they fall in love with the young man that says, do we have to 492 00:25:12,549 --> 00:25:13,789 go to church every service? 493 00:25:15,629 --> 00:25:16,549 Do we have to do this? 494 00:25:16,549 --> 00:25:17,349 Do we have to do that? 495 00:25:17,349 --> 00:25:18,109 What's wrong with that? 496 00:25:18,109 --> 00:25:18,909 What's wrong with this? 497 00:25:19,439 --> 00:25:20,719 I don't have to drink six cans. 498 00:25:20,719 --> 00:25:21,799 I can just drink one can. 499 00:25:21,799 --> 00:25:22,639 That's not bad. 500 00:25:23,839 --> 00:25:25,119 And that's the way it goes. 501 00:25:26,319 --> 00:25:29,199 And I'm just being general here. 502 00:25:29,839 --> 00:25:31,439 Goes a lot further, doesn't it? 503 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:40,279 After you're married, a husband can have a good influence 504 00:25:40,279 --> 00:25:42,479 or a bad influence on his wife. 505 00:25:42,479 --> 00:25:45,599 A wife, on her husband, a father and a mother. 506 00:25:47,399 --> 00:25:48,359 What about a youth director? 507 00:25:48,999 --> 00:25:50,839 Can a youth director have influence? 508 00:25:51,559 --> 00:25:52,519 Oh, yeah. 509 00:25:53,559 --> 00:25:57,319 That's why we need to pray that God give good youth directors. 510 00:25:58,519 --> 00:26:01,079 They're getting just about as hard to find as good preachers that 511 00:26:01,079 --> 00:26:04,639 believe the Bible and want to preach the book and stay by the stuff. 512 00:26:04,639 --> 00:26:06,439 It's getting hard to find them, too. 513 00:26:08,679 --> 00:26:12,799 But a good youth director that's sold out to God and not just 514 00:26:12,799 --> 00:26:16,229 gets up and tells a few funny stories, but he teaches the Bible 515 00:26:16,229 --> 00:26:19,709 and he lives the Bible and his wife lives the Bible, and they're 516 00:26:19,709 --> 00:26:23,789 an example of how young men and young women should Dress and 517 00:26:23,789 --> 00:26:27,029 carry themselves and talk and places they should go and they shouldn't. 518 00:26:27,029 --> 00:26:31,109 They're hard to find youth directors like that, but they have 519 00:26:31,109 --> 00:26:31,949 great influence. 520 00:26:34,189 --> 00:26:37,069 Anybody here ever been influenced at youth camp? 521 00:26:39,239 --> 00:26:41,319 My son was called to preach at youth camp. 522 00:26:43,559 --> 00:26:45,159 I've been to a lot of youth camps. 523 00:26:45,799 --> 00:26:50,199 I've talked to a lot of kids that my life totally changed at one 524 00:26:50,199 --> 00:26:51,559 particular year at youth camp. 525 00:26:52,679 --> 00:26:57,279 You ever been influenced by a sermon I don't like? 526 00:26:57,279 --> 00:27:00,839 I haven't liked all the sermons I've preached, not very many. 527 00:27:01,879 --> 00:27:03,079 But I'll tell you one thing. 528 00:27:03,559 --> 00:27:07,909 I've heard a few sermons that changed my life and my ministry. 529 00:27:09,029 --> 00:27:11,709 And I'm thinking one right now that I wasn't really crazy about. 530 00:27:11,709 --> 00:27:13,669 I never really cared for that particular man. 531 00:27:14,629 --> 00:27:18,709 He pastored at one time one of the largest churches in America. 532 00:27:19,349 --> 00:27:21,349 If I called his name, some of you would know him. 533 00:27:21,749 --> 00:27:27,029 But I can think of at least two or maybe three sermons that he 534 00:27:27,029 --> 00:27:31,109 preached that radically changed my life forever. 535 00:27:33,039 --> 00:27:33,519 Forever. 536 00:27:35,519 --> 00:27:39,439 And some of you may not remember the title, but I bet you 537 00:27:39,439 --> 00:27:43,319 could say there was one particular sermon or maybe two or 538 00:27:43,319 --> 00:27:44,239 three or maybe more. 539 00:27:45,039 --> 00:27:51,519 But there's this kind of stick out that influenced you. 540 00:27:52,799 --> 00:27:55,599 By the way, that wouldn't be a bad prayer on your prayer list. 541 00:27:55,839 --> 00:28:00,399 Lord, help my preacher, my pastor, to influence me today through 542 00:28:00,399 --> 00:28:01,719 the preaching of the Word. 543 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:09,359 Has anybody been influenced, good or bad, through going to the 544 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:10,199 wrong college? 545 00:28:12,439 --> 00:28:14,678 Come on, we have to admit it. 546 00:28:15,639 --> 00:28:18,479 I can't even recommend a preacher to go to the college, the 547 00:28:18,479 --> 00:28:19,799 Bible college that I went to. 548 00:28:19,799 --> 00:28:23,879 I would never recommend a preacher, young boy to go to where 549 00:28:23,879 --> 00:28:24,679 I went to school. 550 00:28:26,109 --> 00:28:33,909 And at that time was one of the greatest Bible schools, seminaries 551 00:28:33,909 --> 00:28:34,829 in the whole country. 552 00:28:36,269 --> 00:28:43,669 And at the time I went to that school, seven out of the 10 largest 553 00:28:43,669 --> 00:28:47,469 churches in America were pastored by graduates from that seminary. 554 00:28:48,989 --> 00:28:52,809 I know we don't grade churches by numbers all that, but I'm just 555 00:28:52,809 --> 00:28:54,529 talking about it had a lot of influence. 556 00:28:55,809 --> 00:28:58,849 Would you remember to try to remember to pray for the Norris Bible 557 00:28:58,849 --> 00:28:59,809 Baptist Seminary? 558 00:29:01,569 --> 00:29:02,929 That'll have influence. 559 00:29:05,089 --> 00:29:07,688 Because a lot of kids today say, what do I want to go there for? 560 00:29:07,688 --> 00:29:10,129 I want to go where I can play football and basketball and find 561 00:29:10,129 --> 00:29:13,409 girls and guys and do this and do that and be in the dorm and have 562 00:29:13,409 --> 00:29:13,889 parties. 563 00:29:15,649 --> 00:29:21,189 It's hard to get kids to consider a seminary, to study the 564 00:29:21,189 --> 00:29:23,549 Bible five or six hours a day. 565 00:29:28,429 --> 00:29:32,429 It influenced my life and I like, even though the young people 566 00:29:32,429 --> 00:29:33,949 are not in this building tonight. 567 00:29:33,949 --> 00:29:37,509 But I've always tried, probably should have tried harder 568 00:29:37,509 --> 00:29:41,349 to get Young people to, why don't you just go one time, just 569 00:29:41,349 --> 00:29:45,149 one year, just get a good basic Bible foundation. 570 00:29:45,889 --> 00:29:48,449 Whether you're going to be a preacher or called to do anything, 571 00:29:48,449 --> 00:29:49,569 just go one year. 572 00:29:51,169 --> 00:29:54,529 And a lot of kids growing up on my ministry, not all of them, 573 00:29:54,529 --> 00:29:57,409 but a lot of them did that and they decided to go a second year 574 00:29:57,649 --> 00:29:59,809 and then a third year and then a fourth year. 575 00:30:00,849 --> 00:30:03,809 And some of them are out doing things for God. 576 00:30:05,489 --> 00:30:09,809 But I think still whether a person actually called in the ministry 577 00:30:09,809 --> 00:30:10,969 just to get that other bell. 578 00:30:10,969 --> 00:30:17,859 I mean, what would be wrong with getting a good foundation of 579 00:30:17,859 --> 00:30:18,379 the Bible? 580 00:30:24,619 --> 00:30:27,739 I already mentioned the television has such an influence. 581 00:30:30,939 --> 00:30:33,339 You don't hear this much anymore preaching these days, but 582 00:30:33,339 --> 00:30:34,619 what about pornography? 583 00:30:34,859 --> 00:30:36,939 Has that had any kind of influence on people? 584 00:30:37,909 --> 00:30:40,149 Ladies and gentlemen, there is an addiction in our country. 585 00:30:41,909 --> 00:30:43,269 I haven't gotten to drugs yet. 586 00:30:43,269 --> 00:30:45,909 I'm talking about a major serious. 587 00:30:49,269 --> 00:30:51,269 They don't have to buy magazines anymore. 588 00:30:51,909 --> 00:30:54,149 Just pull out the cell phone. 589 00:30:55,429 --> 00:30:59,269 See anything you want to see, as long as you want to see it, Say, 590 00:30:59,269 --> 00:31:00,789 well, my kids wouldn't do that. 591 00:31:00,789 --> 00:31:01,589 Well, okay. 592 00:31:01,829 --> 00:31:03,069 Or I take their phone away. 593 00:31:03,069 --> 00:31:04,309 Their friend's got phones. 594 00:31:08,709 --> 00:31:10,789 What about the influence of music? 595 00:31:14,149 --> 00:31:15,749 I don't have time to go at all these. 596 00:31:15,749 --> 00:31:21,509 But the kind of music we listen to breaks down inhibitions 597 00:31:21,509 --> 00:31:24,709 and breaks down things that we know better than that. 598 00:31:25,029 --> 00:31:28,309 But we like the tune or we like the beat or we like the sound. 599 00:31:29,349 --> 00:31:33,299 I'm not against new songs and new music in the church. 600 00:31:34,339 --> 00:31:35,859 I don't think there's anything wrong with that. 601 00:31:35,859 --> 00:31:38,739 But they need to make sure that they're right doctrinally and 602 00:31:38,739 --> 00:31:43,619 they glorify Jesus Christ and they speak to the heart and it's 603 00:31:43,619 --> 00:31:46,099 not a show and it's not an entertainment. 604 00:31:46,179 --> 00:31:51,859 Concert, drugs, alcohol, books. 605 00:31:53,539 --> 00:31:57,919 You remember in Acts, chapter 4, verse 13, Peter had preached and 606 00:31:58,159 --> 00:32:01,159 they were kind of arrested and kind of problems and all that earlier 607 00:32:01,159 --> 00:32:05,159 in the Acts, and you remember this verse, they took knowledge of 608 00:32:05,159 --> 00:32:06,959 them that they had been with Jesus. 609 00:32:07,599 --> 00:32:08,479 Think about that. 610 00:32:09,039 --> 00:32:10,719 Hey, you've been hanging around Jesus. 611 00:32:10,719 --> 00:32:11,519 How do you know? 612 00:32:12,079 --> 00:32:13,679 He must have influence on you. 613 00:32:13,759 --> 00:32:15,039 You're talking like him. 614 00:32:15,839 --> 00:32:17,279 You remind me of Jesus. 615 00:32:18,479 --> 00:32:23,129 It was in Acts, chapter four, Influence. 616 00:32:24,489 --> 00:32:25,769 Who has the most. 617 00:32:25,849 --> 00:32:30,009 Who has had the most influence in your life so far? 618 00:32:30,889 --> 00:32:32,249 Could you think of one name? 619 00:32:33,289 --> 00:32:41,689 Probably say, well, mama, daddy, best friend, preacher, somebody 620 00:32:44,089 --> 00:32:48,739 who has had the most influence in your life so far? 621 00:32:49,539 --> 00:32:53,019 Do you think God could still have somebody coming up around you 622 00:32:53,019 --> 00:32:55,619 maybe soon that could have even more influence on you? 623 00:32:58,099 --> 00:33:00,899 And here's the other side of the coin. 624 00:33:00,899 --> 00:33:01,819 And I'm going to have to. 625 00:33:01,819 --> 00:33:04,019 I'm running out of time, as always do. 626 00:33:05,539 --> 00:33:08,179 What kind of influence are you having on other people? 627 00:33:09,779 --> 00:33:12,259 I think I've said enough about the influence on us. 628 00:33:15,149 --> 00:33:19,389 Are you having a good influence on your friends at church, 629 00:33:19,389 --> 00:33:23,069 in your Sunday school class and where you go to work and the 630 00:33:23,069 --> 00:33:24,749 people you work around all day? 631 00:33:27,949 --> 00:33:34,109 Our country is plummeting because of evil influences morally 632 00:33:34,109 --> 00:33:36,749 and religiously and educationally. 633 00:33:42,999 --> 00:33:43,199 Back. 634 00:33:43,199 --> 00:33:46,719 I kind of go back around before I finish up here, something 635 00:33:46,719 --> 00:33:49,159 I wrote down years ago about influence. 636 00:33:49,879 --> 00:33:52,639 It kind of goes back to the thing of children and how they're 637 00:33:52,639 --> 00:33:53,119 influenced. 638 00:33:53,119 --> 00:33:58,439 Because that really, it probably is the most impact because 639 00:33:59,079 --> 00:34:03,199 of the years, you know, from the time they're born to the time 640 00:34:03,199 --> 00:34:03,799 they leave. 641 00:34:05,169 --> 00:34:07,009 I mean, it's a daily influence. 642 00:34:08,849 --> 00:34:16,049 If a child lives with criticism, if he lives with it, he 643 00:34:16,049 --> 00:34:17,489 learns how to condemn other people. 644 00:34:19,089 --> 00:34:20,609 He's learned it from his parents. 645 00:34:22,609 --> 00:34:27,009 If a child lives with hostility, he learns violence. 646 00:34:29,329 --> 00:34:33,049 If a child lives with ridicule, in other words, he's always 647 00:34:33,049 --> 00:34:38,929 told that he's not good and he's bad and he's dumb and on and 648 00:34:38,929 --> 00:34:39,409 on and on. 649 00:34:39,409 --> 00:34:41,289 He just kind of lives with that all the time. 650 00:34:41,689 --> 00:34:46,209 He learns how to be shy and not volunteer and slip to the back 651 00:34:46,209 --> 00:34:50,969 of the row and not make anybody notice them because they've 652 00:34:50,969 --> 00:34:54,649 lived under ridicule for 17 or 18 years. 653 00:34:57,049 --> 00:35:00,249 If a child lives with encouragement, he learns some self 654 00:35:00,249 --> 00:35:00,809 confidence. 655 00:35:01,428 --> 00:35:04,788 If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate. 656 00:35:04,948 --> 00:35:07,748 If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice. 657 00:35:07,908 --> 00:35:11,108 If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself. 658 00:35:11,268 --> 00:35:14,588 If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns 659 00:35:14,588 --> 00:35:15,588 to love other people. 660 00:35:19,188 --> 00:35:20,228 And witnessing. 661 00:35:20,228 --> 00:35:23,148 I didn't spend a lot of time on this, but I should have. 662 00:35:23,148 --> 00:35:26,388 Witnessing has a lot to do with influence. 663 00:35:27,599 --> 00:35:30,479 When you try to witness to people, you're influencing them. 664 00:35:32,319 --> 00:35:38,639 Witnessing is the outflow and the overflow of the inflow. 665 00:35:39,759 --> 00:35:41,439 You can't give out what you don't have. 666 00:35:42,399 --> 00:35:46,079 That's why we don't witness as much as we should, because it's not 667 00:35:46,079 --> 00:35:47,199 flowing into us. 668 00:35:48,079 --> 00:35:59,809 Witnessing is the outflow and the overflow of the inflow influence. 669 00:36:07,329 --> 00:36:09,009 Are you being influenced now? 670 00:36:09,889 --> 00:36:12,129 Do you want to have more influence in your life? 671 00:36:14,289 --> 00:36:17,329 If you want to have any kind of influence, and I already said, 672 00:36:17,409 --> 00:36:18,929 whether you want to or not, you do. 673 00:36:19,089 --> 00:36:20,049 You're not a blank. 674 00:36:22,159 --> 00:36:25,919 You're a blot or a blessing, but you're not a blank. 675 00:36:26,639 --> 00:36:29,359 So if you don't say a word or do anything, you're still having 676 00:36:29,359 --> 00:36:29,999 influence. 677 00:36:31,359 --> 00:36:37,599 People Say, hmm, Christianity must not be that big a deal to them. 678 00:36:40,319 --> 00:36:42,599 But if you want to have influence, if you're going to have 679 00:36:42,599 --> 00:36:45,959 it, you need to want to have it and you need to be consistent. 680 00:36:45,959 --> 00:36:46,479 Amen. 681 00:36:48,369 --> 00:36:50,769 It's hard to have influence when you're on and off, on and off, 682 00:36:50,769 --> 00:36:53,489 on and off like a street light. 683 00:36:55,729 --> 00:36:59,809 And if you're going to have influence, you've got to spend yourself, 684 00:37:01,329 --> 00:37:02,049 not your money. 685 00:37:02,049 --> 00:37:02,609 All the time. 686 00:37:02,688 --> 00:37:04,529 People say, well, spend you think of money. 687 00:37:04,609 --> 00:37:12,169 Paul said, most gladly would I spend and be spent, that others may 688 00:37:12,169 --> 00:37:12,769 know Christ. 689 00:37:14,559 --> 00:37:17,279 It will cost you to have influence, the right kind of influence. 690 00:37:18,319 --> 00:37:19,039 Don't quit. 691 00:37:19,199 --> 00:37:20,399 I wish I had time. 692 00:37:21,039 --> 00:37:26,639 I was thinking this afternoon of the people in the Bible, the power 693 00:37:26,639 --> 00:37:27,439 of influence. 694 00:37:28,399 --> 00:37:32,319 I mean, there was 12 spies sent out to check out the promised 695 00:37:32,319 --> 00:37:33,439 land, right? 696 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:36,399 They come back and take a vote. 697 00:37:38,399 --> 00:37:41,089 Ten said, no way. 698 00:37:42,369 --> 00:37:44,849 Two said, we can do it with God. 699 00:37:46,529 --> 00:37:54,209 Well, the majority ruled, and 1 1/2 to maybe close to 2 million 700 00:37:54,369 --> 00:37:57,809 people were influenced by 10 men. 701 00:37:59,249 --> 00:38:05,089 I can't comprehend leading a million and A half to 2 million people 702 00:38:05,089 --> 00:38:06,319 cross the desert. 703 00:38:07,439 --> 00:38:13,519 But 10 people convinced them, no way we're going to stay right 704 00:38:13,519 --> 00:38:13,839 here. 705 00:38:14,479 --> 00:38:15,999 And they did for 40 years. 706 00:38:19,279 --> 00:38:20,399 Lot's wife. 707 00:38:21,359 --> 00:38:23,239 You remember Lot's wife, don't you, Lot? 708 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:26,519 Sodom and Gomorrah, all the stuff that was going on because of 709 00:38:26,519 --> 00:38:31,729 the immorality and homosexuality and the angels. 710 00:38:31,729 --> 00:38:33,889 God sent angels there and said, you better get out because 711 00:38:33,889 --> 00:38:35,849 I'm getting ready to burn this to a crisp. 712 00:38:38,569 --> 00:38:40,489 And Lot couldn't get his wife. 713 00:38:40,489 --> 00:38:41,769 He had to drag her out. 714 00:38:43,049 --> 00:38:43,409 Why? 715 00:38:43,409 --> 00:38:44,729 Because she had been influenced. 716 00:38:45,129 --> 00:38:46,888 She kept looking back, do we have to go? 717 00:38:46,888 --> 00:38:47,849 Do we have to go now? 718 00:38:47,929 --> 00:38:49,409 Can't we just go a little ways? 719 00:38:49,409 --> 00:38:50,249 One more night? 720 00:38:52,649 --> 00:38:58,819 She kept looking back, looking back, looking back, he lost his wife, 721 00:39:00,499 --> 00:39:02,299 he lost his son in laws. 722 00:39:02,299 --> 00:39:06,379 They mocked him, they laughed at him because he didn't have any 723 00:39:06,379 --> 00:39:06,739 influence. 724 00:39:06,739 --> 00:39:09,859 Lot lost his influence totally. 725 00:39:11,299 --> 00:39:14,539 In fact, he wanted to give his girls away to a bunch of homosexual 726 00:39:14,539 --> 00:39:14,819 people. 727 00:39:14,979 --> 00:39:16,699 Said, you can do whatever you want to with them. 728 00:39:16,699 --> 00:39:18,899 Just don't mess with these angels. 729 00:39:21,299 --> 00:39:22,499 Yeah, it's in the Bible. 730 00:39:25,099 --> 00:39:26,619 Barnabas, the great encourager. 731 00:39:26,619 --> 00:39:27,739 What an influencer. 732 00:39:30,219 --> 00:39:33,819 Paul wasn't really crazy about taking John Mark on as his assistant. 733 00:39:34,299 --> 00:39:35,899 Barnabas said, I'll take him. 734 00:39:37,339 --> 00:39:39,579 The word Barnabas means encourager. 735 00:39:41,579 --> 00:39:42,579 That was his name. 736 00:39:42,579 --> 00:39:45,339 That's what he was known as, the encourager. 737 00:39:46,539 --> 00:39:53,149 Barnabas took Mark and later on end of life, Paul's life, Paul 738 00:39:53,149 --> 00:39:57,709 said, oh, boy, I sure should have had more influence on Mark because 739 00:39:57,709 --> 00:39:58,429 He turned out great. 740 00:39:58,429 --> 00:39:59,909 And he wrote one of the gospels. 741 00:40:01,029 --> 00:40:07,869 Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Paul and Silas. 742 00:40:07,869 --> 00:40:09,189 Boy, what an influence. 743 00:40:10,149 --> 00:40:11,589 Singing together in prison. 744 00:40:13,509 --> 00:40:14,429 Both of them singing? 745 00:40:14,429 --> 00:40:15,909 Not just one, both of them. 746 00:40:17,679 --> 00:40:19,839 What about Ruth and Naomi? 747 00:40:20,639 --> 00:40:24,799 In the book of Ruth, Naomi was backslidden. 748 00:40:24,879 --> 00:40:29,479 But even in a backslidden condition, she still had so much 749 00:40:29,479 --> 00:40:33,279 influence on Ruth that Ruth's sister said, I'm out here. 750 00:40:33,279 --> 00:40:34,199 Ruth said, not me. 751 00:40:34,199 --> 00:40:35,119 I'm going with her. 752 00:40:35,679 --> 00:40:37,439 And she wasn't even right with God. 753 00:40:39,599 --> 00:40:44,729 She had a better testimony than most people do as a backslider. 754 00:40:48,329 --> 00:40:50,169 I'm talking about influence tonight. 755 00:40:51,129 --> 00:40:54,649 And sometimes your influence may go on for generations. 756 00:40:57,129 --> 00:40:59,089 Did you know you hear this a lot? 757 00:40:59,089 --> 00:41:01,929 I'm sure here, the name J. Frank Norris. 758 00:41:02,889 --> 00:41:06,329 Most of you know who that is, but most people don't realize his 759 00:41:06,329 --> 00:41:06,849 influence. 760 00:41:06,849 --> 00:41:10,819 And he actually is the only real, true, honest to goodness father 761 00:41:10,819 --> 00:41:11,859 of fundamentalism. 762 00:41:12,259 --> 00:41:16,179 He was the first one to say, there's no way I'm going to continue 763 00:41:16,179 --> 00:41:20,539 to support the Southern Baptist colleges that don't believe 764 00:41:20,539 --> 00:41:21,379 in creation. 765 00:41:23,699 --> 00:41:25,259 And he had a list of other things. 766 00:41:25,259 --> 00:41:28,859 And J. Frank Norris said, well, I'm going to start my own school 767 00:41:28,859 --> 00:41:30,739 in Fort Worth, Texas, downtown. 768 00:41:31,939 --> 00:41:35,779 Whether you like him or not, he had influence, and he influenced 769 00:41:35,779 --> 00:41:36,859 me, and I never met him. 770 00:41:36,859 --> 00:41:42,119 He died the year I was born, 1952, not far from where I was raised 771 00:41:42,519 --> 00:41:43,679 in Jacksonville, Florida. 772 00:41:43,679 --> 00:41:44,839 He died in a youth camp. 773 00:41:46,119 --> 00:41:50,719 But he's influenced me because he influenced my pastor and my pastor's 774 00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:52,759 pastor and my pastor's pastor. 775 00:41:53,639 --> 00:41:56,639 You never know how far your influence may go, and you may not 776 00:41:56,639 --> 00:41:57,719 even live to see it. 777 00:42:00,359 --> 00:42:03,999 When you get to heaven, you may be called up for a couple of 778 00:42:03,999 --> 00:42:11,759 rewards you weren't expecting because you had influence on a preacher. 779 00:42:15,519 --> 00:42:16,239 Mm. 780 00:42:17,039 --> 00:42:21,318 A lot of preachers couldn't have made it to first base had they 781 00:42:21,318 --> 00:42:25,119 not had people who influenced them in a positive way. 782 00:42:30,479 --> 00:42:32,639 Let's stand with our heads bowed and eyes closed. 783 00:42:32,639 --> 00:42:34,839 Heavenly Father, we thank you. 784 00:42:34,839 --> 00:42:39,559 I want to thank you, Lord, for the people that you've used in my 785 00:42:39,559 --> 00:42:42,519 life to influence me. 786 00:42:49,559 --> 00:42:51,799 And, Lord, I'd still like to have some influence. 787 00:42:51,879 --> 00:42:57,319 If I have a few days, weeks, months, years, I don't know, I'd 788 00:42:57,319 --> 00:42:59,639 like to still have some influence. 789 00:43:00,999 --> 00:43:03,079 And I believe probably there's people here tonight. 790 00:43:03,079 --> 00:43:05,239 Said, me, too, preacher. 791 00:43:06,519 --> 00:43:07,159 Me too. 792 00:43:08,279 --> 00:43:09,479 I want to make a difference. 793 00:43:11,159 --> 00:43:13,999 I want to have influence on my children, even though they don't 794 00:43:13,999 --> 00:43:16,039 go to church or I don't know if they're saved. 795 00:43:16,039 --> 00:43:18,199 But, Lord, maybe I can still have influence. 796 00:43:18,199 --> 00:43:20,119 My grandchildren, my great grandchildren. 797 00:43:21,879 --> 00:43:27,649 I don't know where you are in your life but maybe God's touched 798 00:43:27,649 --> 00:43:27,969 your heart. 799 00:43:27,969 --> 00:43:34,009 Tonight I'm going to pray and we'll have verse invitation and we'll 800 00:43:34,009 --> 00:43:35,969 not spend a long time if no one comes. 801 00:43:35,969 --> 00:43:40,449 Heavenly Father, I pray you would help us to be touchable tonight. 802 00:43:41,009 --> 00:43:43,809 And maybe we could go to bed tonight thinking a little bit more 803 00:43:43,809 --> 00:43:45,249 about that word influence. 804 00:43:47,009 --> 00:43:51,689 And God, I pray that you would continue to influence our lives so 805 00:43:51,689 --> 00:43:53,319 that we can influence other lives lives. 806 00:43:54,919 --> 00:43:56,759 We pray it all in Jesus name.