But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. 2 Kings 21:9
Every person leads someone. Some people lead many more people, while others lead only a few. Each person has some influence on someone else. This influence can help lead a person correctly or incorrectly, down a right or wrong path in life. Being an influencer can be done on purpose with focus or done without purposeful intention. Just being around others causes some influence on how they think and act in life.
Manasseh led the Israelites astray away from the commands of God to the point of doing more evil than even the nations God had destroyed before them.
Looking specifically at the churches in America, many believe that they are doing good. However, many in those same churches are leading others astray away from God more and more all the time.
Inside the church one can see that divorce, living together outside of marriage, sexual immorality, drunkenness, murder of babies, and many more sins are just as prevalent, if not more so, than outside the church walls. People are leading more and more into sin and evil ways against God, than for God. Their influence is changing to be against God, rather than for God.
And, sadly, this is done in the name of God as if God accepts all of this.
Believers are to stand out as different, separate from the world and its ways of sin and death. They are to be holy in all that they think, say and do, influencing others to turn from evil ways and live for God. No believer should be influence by the world and its ways, but be the one to influence the world.
No matter where you live or what you do, there are people who you are having an influence on. Just as the world tries to influence you for evil, you must seek to influence the world for God and His holy ways of living.
Every action you do and word you speak is being seen and heard by those in the world. Those words and actions need to be those of Jesus, which will lead people to God, not away from God.
Ask yourself if what you are saying or doing is leading people to or away from God.
Today, I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will guide you in living holy and separate from the world; that you will lead others in the ways of God; and that you will turn from all sin to live a holy life for God.
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom
