Influence

It has been a busy week after being away for a couple days for Thanksgiving.  I enjoyed a special time with friend Keith and his family, coming home several pounds heavier after enjoying some fantastic meals with them.  It is always a joy to get together with the family there. 

I finished reading the books of Acts and Romans and am working my way through Corinthians presently.  It is interesting to see how the Apostle Paul ministered with all kinds of corrupting pressures around him but through the power of the Holy Spirit was able to keep from being influenced by those pressures, while at the same time making a BIG impact.  Corinth was notorious for immorality, Athens for polytheism and Ephesus for idolatry but in spite of the influences around him, Paul kept his focus and left behind young churches in both Corinth and Ephesus.

It is easy today to look at the world around us and get discouraged, but I suspect that is just what the enemy desires.  I have been listening to Chip Ingram as he has been focusing on the Holy Spirit recently, and recognizing how easy it is for me to pursue my plans and desires ahead of “tuning in” to the Holy Spirit. I am reminded of Paul’s warning to the Ephesians; “So be careful how you live.  Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”  (Ephesians 5:15-17)  To accomplish that we sure need to know His Word and be in tune with His Holy Spirit!

The weather forecast for Saturday is great, so I plan to wrap up my outside/yard work, clean up the last of the leaves, drain the irrigation system and what I anticipate will be the final mowing for this year.  Our rainfall has dramatically diminished this fall so the grass has slowed growing, which hopefully will mean that I can slide through the month of December without another cutting.

I trust that you each have a wonderful weekend!

Chuck