People of Influence

There are a lot of things around us that would love to change our mind. Everywhere we turn we find the opinions of the so called masses. They all seek our attention and hope to distract us from Jesus, the only Truth that really matters. Jesus points out some of those distractions in Mark 8:15.

Mark 8:15
15 - Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

What was Jesus warning us against? It is easy to see that religion has influenced us. I'm not talking about pure religion, I'm talking about the religion of the Pharisees. You know what I mean. The kind of religion that controls you by guilt and law. The leaven (influence) of the Pharisees (religion) will blind you from who God truely is while making you feel that you might actually be on the right path. The truth is that you are in a ditch. And if it's the sabbath none of your fellow patrons are going to be helping you out.

Then there is the leaven of Herod, or as I like to put it "the infulence of the world." We have all seen the effect this has had on society and morality. So many of us are striving to be politically correct that we have compromised the very message of the cross. In many ways we have become or are in fear of becoming salt without flavor.

God did not call us out of darkness to to be influenced by the world or backward religious thinking. The Bible teaches us "not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind." We are to be transformed by God and then to be a people of infuence to all we come in contact with. If you don't believe take a look at what Jesus said:

Matthew 13:33
33 - Another parable He spoke to them:"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

Let me put it this way, "You are in this world but not of it." You are leaven among a world of meal. Make a difference in the way the people around you are developed and change the bland taste of the world with the salt of God's amazing love.

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About The Author: James Laws is Lead Pastor at LifePoint Community Church located in Cleveland, Tennessee. He is leading with a dynamic vision to not just "do church" but to "be the church." Visit their website at www.lifepointchurch.tv