INFLUENCES

INFLUENCES 
by M.G. Bueno

The heavenly influence of God should be greatest in our life
than the corrupt influence of this world.

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Corruption in Greek means decay which is a process culminating to ruin thru corruption. Loss of purity and integrity. Perversion or deterioration of moral principles. And the Bible clearly says that corruption is in the world thru lust. Lust is an unlawful desire of carnal pleasure. And the Bible has in record three types of lust: the lust of the flesh, which are sensual and impure desires which seek gratification in sex, drugs, strong drink, and the like. Lust of the eyes, when the eyes is being lured or seduced by the superficial, material and temporal beauty that this world has to offer instead of the true beauty that is inward and spiritual and eternal that comes from God himself. The pride of life, is the lust for self-aggrandizement, lust for the honor and praise and flatteries of the people, instead of the true honor and praise that comes from God. 


2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Because of the lust that is in the world, people disregard the consequences of sin in their life. It is because of lust that there is corruption or compromise in the law of the land. When politicians begin to do things under the table instead of over the table. When people do things that are hidden and illegal and at the same time try to appear sanctimonious to the eyes of the people. In politics we call it corruption. So it is in Christendom, it is because of lust that so called Christians are corrupted when they begin to compromise the word of God.  And the enemy of our soul satan, tries to corrupt anything with good moral principles. He’s out to confuse order. Why? Because he wants the corruption and deterioration of anything that has a moral foundation. Because morality comes from God. That’s why it’s a battle just to keep yourself morally pure.

And so the devil wants people to compromise. And a compromise takes place when two enemies find a common ground to agree about. They have to make a waterdown version of what’s true, so that it becomes half lie and half truth, which is not truth at all. That’s the corruption that’s in the world.  But we cannot play politics with the devil. We cannot compromise with the devil especially when it comes to the word of God. Compromise means a mutual concession or agreement between two parties.  And there's no such thing as a mutual concession with the devil, because the Christian will always end up the loser.  Because the devil doesn't have anything to give up to compromise with, because he is a liar and the father thereof.  And the word of God can only be powerful and effective in its pure estate and not in a waterdown estate. And the Christian can only be more effective in his pure estate and not in a compromised estate. So it is true in God, there is no such thing as a lukewarm Christian, you’re either cold or hot, or God will spue you out. You’re either for Jesus or for the devil. The Bible said, you cannot serve two masters, you must love one and hate the other.

He said in 2 PETER 1(4)…that we have been given by God exceeding great and precious promises that by these, we might become recepients or beneficiaries of the nature of God, How? Having escaped the corruption or the decay that is in the world such as the lusts or desires that’s forbidden by God for man to be involved in.

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

The divine nature of God and the love for the world do not mix. We’re not talking about not mixing with the people in the world, because God wants us to be a light in the midst of this darkened world.  But we’re talking about not mixing with the system of this world. The system of this world is not friendly to the heavenly system of God. The bible said, for all that is in the world, appeals to the lust of the flesh, it appeals to the eyes, and the pride of life. The system of this whole world is flesh influenced, while the heavenly system is spirit influenced. It is the flesh that makes you think that you are something, when you are nothing. It’s the flesh that flatters you, to  feel proud, in a time when there’s nothing to be proud about. And that’s the nature of this world, that’s the character of the system of this world. And the Bible said, that if you love this world, if you try to emulate it’s nature and character, the love of the father is not in you. That’s why the Bible said,

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

So instead of our life being directed and influenced by the flesh, we must be directed and influenced by the spirit, by God, by Jesus Christ and by the Word of God.  Because this fleshly world is subject to corruption and decay, and it's not getting any better because that's what corruption and decay is all about, a process of deterioration that is without remedy.  But the spiritual system of God will continue forever. Are you flesh influenced or spirit influenced?

So if you want to receive the promises of God, and if you want to be a partaker of the divine nature of God, there’s one thing that you must do, and that is to escape from the corruption or the system of this wolrd. To escape from the things that will try to corrupt the body, soul, and spirit and our relationship with God. This world will try to corrupt us thru the flesh, but God will glorify us thru the spirit by his Son Jesus Christ.

You see there’s a real enemy, and his mission is to confuse people, to corrupt their minds and their soul, and even more so with the younger generation, because many have become gullible to his lies, and have become easy prey to the devil.  But you need to make a decision whom you gonna serve, whether sin and the devil who own this temporal world or the eternal God of life and righteousness.  You cannot have both. You cannot straddle the fence. You need to stop jumping from one opinion to another.

JOSH 24:15 Joshua says, Choose you this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

Why? Because Joshua has proven the Love of God in his life. And he had seen God make a way when there was no way. Joshua had seen God blessed his life abundantly. Though he may have some battles that he had to face, especially those who tried to stop his progress to the promise land, but it didn’t give him an excuse to escape from his faith in God. But everyday he was determined to escape from sin and from compromise. And if anyone is in a battle, instead of running away from God, we need to submit ourselves to God.

Psa 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

The enemy of your soul satan thru lust has destroyed countless souls of men and women. And that tells us that we’re fighting a real enemy, and God knows what we need of in order to combat his many tricks to mislead, especially those who do not know Christ as Lord of their Life.

Jesus said, unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That means he cannot understand or grasp what the kingdom of God is all about. Because the kingdom of God is Spiritual, and man’s rationale is naturally fleshly and carnal. And satan is a spirit but he influences thru the flesh. Are you spirit influenced or flesh influenced? Are you worldly influenced or heavenly influenced.

To be heavenly influenced, you must first be born again, in Greek it means be born from above, which is a spiritual and heavenly birth. You are born into the spiritual family of God in heaven. You have become a new creature in God. Old things pass away, and all things are become new. You have been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. And the Sin in your life which causes you to sin has been condemned by Jesus Christ when he died for you on the cross as a sacrifice, so that you are no longer condemned by and in your sins. And it’s because of his grace, and his love. And If you humble yourself and invite him in your life and receive his blood sacrifice and believe in him, he will save you in an instant and give you eternal life.

God has given us many gifts and promises following our salvation, which are going to make our life better and enjoyable and fulfilling as we walk with him. Because serving God is an enjoyable experience.

The Bible said, "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good."

Jesus said in Joh 10:10 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

God has chosen you to be the beneficiary of his promises and many blessings thru the sacrificial death of his Son Jesus Christ. And that's emphasizing spiritual blessings, which are greater than any physical or material blessings combine.