The Daily Word: Tuesday, March 30th, 2021
Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23
Luke 8:40-9:6
Psalm 71:1-24
Proverbs 12:5-7
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers, … you shall not consent to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him…” – Deut. 13:6, 7
A “friend” who tries to lead you away from God is not your friend at all. Look at the stern warning Scripture gives us. Even if your friend is “as your own soul” – the person who is absolutely closest to you out of everyone in the world! – you should not “consent” or “listen to him” if he leads you away from God. Verse 9 goes so far as to say, “…you shall surely hill him.” It doesn’t get more serious than that!
Do you have friends who try and pull you away from Jesus? Who try and pressure and/or convince you to do things that you know aren’t Scriptural and profitable? Don’t consent. Don’t even listen to him! I wouldn’t necessarily advocate for killing him…but it would be wise not to spend time with him. Witnessing to an unbelieving friend is one thing; but allowing a friend who knowingly wants nothing to do with Jesus to pull you from Him is never going to end well!
You become like the people around whom you spend your time. Are you spending time with people who pull you away from Jesus? Or are you spending time with people who lead you closer to the Cross?
Prayer:
Father, give me discernment to know who in my life is a good friend. If there is anyone with whom I shouldn’t be spending time, let me know! I will gladly walk away from any relationship if it means being closer to You. Please send me good friends who will lead me to the Cross, in Jesus’ name!
© Michael D. White, 2021. All rights reserved.