Who are your friends your walking with?

"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered." Proverbs 28:26 "As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the coutenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17 "He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20 These are just a few verses on being wise with the company you keep. There are many for us to learn, and to walk by. The company we keep we will soon become. Those that we choose to surround ourselves with can either help to lift us up or to bring us down. It is our choice really,who we have as friends, and what kind of friend we want to be. We shouldn't trust in our own heart. As friends we should be able to lovingly sharpen each other. We should be growing closer to Christ with are relationships with our friends. With our friends we shouldn't have to be one way at church and another way with our friends. We should be able to talk about the Lord and share our relationship with Christ. If we have friends who gossip, bring us down,and are causing us to stumble, do we really need them as friends? I don't want a friend who is going to speak badly of me. If I am friends with many who are not christians, is my christianity going to grow,or is their impression upon me going to grow? I you are on a ladder,and I am below, what is easier, for me to pull you up,or for me to pull you down? It is much easier for me to pull you down, and it can happen in the blink of an eye. We will be known by our reputations. Our reputations will either be good or bad. That is our choice. It all rides on our walk,our speech, and our actions. If we are in a circle of friends that it is a challenge each day to follow Christ,we need a new set of friends. But on the flip side of that,if we are in a circle of friends who are there for us to be accountable for one another,that is a Godly friendship. When we become christians we become new people. If those prior to our christianity do not understand where we stand,our walk is going to be a hard one with those same friends we have surrounded ourselves with. Just as if I were an alcoholic,and I am recovering,I have no business standing a bar where all my temptations are looking me right in the eye. I know I should stay clear of that life before it grabs ahold of me again. If we choose to walk with christian fellowship, we are going to be wiser for it,and God is going to bless us. If we make the choice of turning,and being in a circle of friends who do not believe,and we leave our beliefs at the door just to be part of the group,God is not going to bless, and we are going to slip and fall. I am in no way saying we cannot know and associate with those who are not christians. We are to live in this world not be part of it. We must be able to witness to others who we are around and encounter everyday. I am blessed to have a great circle of friends who lead and guide me in the right direction. They help me be accountable, and they lift me up. The Lord has set before me, women, Godly women who love me, trust in me, and we share a bond of sisterhood together. If you do not have that circle of friends, pray, pray for God to lead you to Godly friendships, and He will bless you with wonderful people to surround you with love,not just their love,but the love of Christ flowing through them on to you...