X-Ray: Pergamum, Day 1

Yesturday I had a Homer Simpson moment.  You know when he realizes he did something stupid and he says, "D'oh!!"  I was watching a show on Netflix and some language was being used that I find inapproapriate.  I let it go and my wife walked into the room and commented about it.  After a moment, I came to the conclusion, "Yeah. She's right.  Time to shut it off."

During church our pastor was talking about influence.  He was saying that we influence others by what we are influenced by.  That pastor is me.  I  remember what i said, but the problem was, I wasn't living it out. 

Do you ever catch yourself in moments like that?  I know I shouldn't be watching this or doing that or saying something inapproapriate.  It doesn't matter what you know.  What is matters is what you do with what you know.  Thank God for do overs.

The disciples had a moment like that.  They said something that Jesus did not like.  He even rebuked them for saying it.  Read about it in Luke 9:51-56 or click to view http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A51-56&version=NIV (Click back arrow on web browser to return)

Really?  Call down fire on them?  What they were saying was, "They should be killed. Eliminated."  Jesus had been teaching them about love and mercy and this is what the disciples come away with.  This was the disciples "D'oh!!" moment.  Open mouth insert foot moment. 

But the good news it, they moved on.  Jesus gave them a second chance.  They would need a lot more when this journey was over and Jesus was full of fresh starts.

Be careful who is influencing you.  And when someone points out a dangerous influence, listen to them.  Think about it.  And start over fresh.

As you close:  Ask God if there is anything in your life that is bad influence.  We become blind to those influences and we need His help to discover them.

God Bless!