Sometimes we need to evaluate our relationships. That's right—it's good to evaluate who you are hanging around with.
Do not be misled; bad company corrupts good character.
(1 Cor. 15:33 NIV)

Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.
(1 Cor. 15:33 Amp)
It's plain and simple—bad company corrupts good character. Godly friends promote and stimulate good manners, morals and godly character.

We could take those same scriptures and flip them around the other way, and they would say, "Godly friends promote and stimulate good manners and morals and godly character."

Take a look at this example. This story is about Elijah and Elisha:
When the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind. Elisha went in with Elijah from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, 'Say your plea for the Lord has sent me onto Bethel.' But Elisha said, 'As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.' So they went down to Bethel. Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came to Elisha and said to him, Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, 'Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?' And he said, 'Yes, I know; keep silent!'
(2 Kings 2:1-3 NKJV)
Elisha was doing everything that he could to stay in contact; just like a parasite.

Speaking of parasites…I just learned something. Did you ever hear of a Ramora fish? They're nasty looking creatures. I was out deep sea fishing one time and someone caught one of those things. They have this little plate on the back part of them with little vents. It's almost like little suction cups.

The Ramora is a parasitic fish. It goes up against sharks and other things, and it just feeds off the scum and excess garbage that's around the outside of the other fish.

Here's the point I want to make. As nasty as that sounds, I want to turn this around for a good thing. We need to find people that are better than us, people that have better character than we do, people that have a stronger walk with God than we do, and we need to be parasitic (Do you like that word?).

We need to attach ourselves like that Ramora Fish—right on them and stay connected to them like a parasite.

We need to stick ourselves to people that are stronger than us with their relationship with God. That's what helps to build us up and strengthen us in the things of God and things of the Spirit.

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