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Who Are You Running With? | Making A Difference
Categories: Devotions

Who Are You Running With?

Today’s Passage – Psalms 117 – Psalm 119:88

I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. (Psalm 119:63)

I love the 119th Psalm.  Nearly every verse has some type of reference to the Bible in it.  Each verse contains a word that represents God,s Word.  You will find the words  law, commandments, word, statutes, judgments, etc.; but the whole Psalm has to do with the Bible.  In verse 63 we see the word, precept; another word that is synonymous with God’s Word or Law.

Notice, however, that in this verse the Psalmist declares that his companions: the people he runs with; the men he is associated with, are people that keep God’s precepts; people that fear God.  It is very important that we hang around people who love the Lord and are at least trying to live for Him as best as they can.  Conversely, we need to avoid people who will influence us away from the word of God. The Bible says that “iron sharpeneth iron”, meaning that we have an impact and are impacted by those we rub against.

Who do you run with?  Are you surrounding yourself with companions that fear and obey God? Someone once said that you are or soon will be who you hang around. Why not try to run with a crowd that will bring you closer to the will of God.  We need to be friendly to everybody; we need to love everybody, even our enemies; but we should only be friends with those who are going the same direction that we are going.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. Romans 16:17

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3)

Phil Erickson

Pastor Phil Erickson has been the pastor of Jersey Shore Baptist Church since 2002. Having grown up in Ocean County, Pastor Phil has always had a burden for the south Jersey area. After graduating from Bible College in Longview, Texas, he and his family moved to Galloway Township with the vision of digging in and serving the Lord and the people of Atlantic County. Pastor Phil and Cindy Erickson have been married for 34 years, and have four children and eight grandchildren. His oldest son, Phil Jr., and wife, Katelyn, are serving the Lord at a church in Paradise, TX. His oldest daughter, Melissa, is married to Wesley Clayton who is in the Air Force and is currently stationed in South Carolina. Samantha, his third child is married to Justin Mears and they are both serving the Lord here at the church in Galloway. Hannah is the youngest and is a sophomore at Vision Baptist College while also serving the Lord at Jersey Shore Baptist Church.

View Comments

  • Excellent thought for today! So often people don't understand the damage they are doing to their spiritual life by hanging around the wrong people. Thanks for the sound advice!

  • That's good! For me at least, this is something I need to hear often. Its easy for me to get comfortable with over time if I'm not reminded every now and again.

  • I think about this often while at work. There is alot of stuff that goes on at work that I would rather not be a part of. Some of it is unavoidable, but I find my self getting involved with things that I can avoid and don't.

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Phil Erickson

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