Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, March 12, 2000, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHT CROWD

By Michael D. O’Neal
Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church
Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Numbers 10:28-36

Text: Numbers 10:29

Numbers 10:29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.

Introduction: This morning I brought you a message on “Belonging To The Right Crowd.” The right crowd is 1. the saved crowd; 2. the serving crowd; 3. the soul-winning crowd; and 4. the separated crowd. The right crowd is holy, happy, and heavenly.

Tonight I want to preach to you on the subject, “Blessings Of The Right Crowd.” There are some holy benefits of having good companions. The closest physical companion most people will ever have is their spouse. A mate can either make you or break you. This is so obvious that the world has a proverb which states, “Behind every good man is a good woman.”

The most important crowd for you is the SAVED crowd. After you are saved, one of the most important decisions you will make is to affiliate yourself with the right kind of church. I believe every saved person should be a member of a Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist church.

You should attend every service at your church. As much as possible, your closest companions and friends for activities away from the assembly should be dedicated Christians from that church.

I. THE RIGHT CROWD WILL HELP POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Proverbs 1:15-16 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

A. The way to heaven

B. The way to happiness

C. The way to holiness

II. THE RIGHT CROWD WILL HELP PROVIDE YOU WITH THE RIGHT DESIGN

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

We are not supposed to imitate Christ; that is the business of the Antichrist in the Tribulation period. No godly person in the Bible ever tried to be like Christ. The only person in the Bible who stated he wanted to be LIKE God was the DEVIL. (See my book, “To Be Like The Most High.”)

However, if you will FOLLOW the Lord, and FOLLOW those who are following HIM, you WILL tend to be like HIM. Also, and this is the purpose of this point in my message, you will tend to become the YOU, the individual, that God wants YOU to BE.

A. Servants help produce servants

B. Soul-winners help produce soul-winners

C. Soldiers help produce soldiers

D. Students of scripture help produce students of scripture

III. THE RIGHT CROWD WILL HELP PROVOKE YOU TOWARD THE RIGHT DESIRES

John 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

A. The desire to grow in the Lord

B. The desire to go for the Lord

C. The desire to glow for the Lord

IV. THE RIGHT CROWD WILL HELP PROMOTE TO YOU RIGHT DELIGHTS

Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Of the WRONG crowd, the Bible says:

Proverbs 2:14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

A. We should delight in God’s pleasures

In other words, we should love what God loves.

B. We should delight in God’s precepts

Psalms 119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalms 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psalms 119:24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
Psalms 119:47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
Psalms 119:70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
Psalms 119:77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

C. We should delight in God’s people

Psalms 16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

D. We should delight in God’s plan for our lives

Psalms 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

E. We should delight in God’s person

Psalms 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.