WHAT CROWD ARE YOU RUNNING WITH?
I have dedicated the year 2002 to reaching the youth of America. There are seven areas that I will be preaching for the Year of the Youth, 2002. They are: having the right God, having the right heroes, having the right guidance, having the right crowd, having the right goals, having the right habits, and having the right obedience.
All of these areas are important in helping a teen be a success in his or her life. But as I preach across our land, the one area I see the most damage in revolves around our young people getting in the wrong crowd. For many of the girls and boys from homes that come to my meetings, the main trouble in their lives was running with the wrong crowd. The wrong crowd at school, activities, church, neighborhood, work or play will influence your decisions. Decisions that have a life-long effect on being a success or not being a success.
Being under the influence of the rock crowd, the movie crowd, the video crowd, the dancing crowd, the drinking crowd, the worldly dress crowd, the rebellion crowd, the hypocrite Church crowd, or the drug crowd can earn you a free room and meals in a jail or reform house. Remember, I Corinthians 15:33 says, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." For some reason it seems we are blind to obvious damage that will always follow getting into one of the damaging crowds.
The Christian girl or guy who wants to obey, live clean, go to an old-fashioned Baptist church, keep manners, be neat, respect adults, listen to God-honoring music, go to places that respect God and keep your character upward will succeed in life for God. So, run with the right crowd, and break off any relationship with the wrong crowd. Down the road you'll be glad you did. Remember if you run with losers, you'll end up being one yourself
I want to encourage moms and dads across America to get a backbone. If courage was a requirement for having kids, most parents wouldn't qualify. Parents need to quit being afraid of setting strict guidelines for who they allow their kids to run with. Parents, if you love your kids, stay with your kids, find out who they run with. Be involved! Your resolve to keep your young person out of the wrong crowd may mean a struggle at times, but it may save you many a sleepless night or a lifetime of regret when your young person has gone off into sin. Forget about people who think you are sheltering your kids; sheltering beats keeping them exposed! Forget about people who say that you think you are better! You may be better! Proverbs 13:20 says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." How important is your crowd? God says if you run in the wrong crowd, it may very well lead to destruction!
Evangelist Jimmie M. Clark
Lexington, NC.