Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.
Today, I am posting a great thought from James A. La Belle regarding the thought of trying to love the world and our possessions and God, courtesy of Grace Gems:
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4
It is my firm conviction that worldliness is destroying the church of Jesus Christ. The church is more and more becoming . . .
- like the world,
- indistinguishable from the world,
- pursuers of the world,
- lovers of the world.
Our relationship with Jesus Christ is hardly more than an appendage or appendix to our busy, worldly lives. We are no longer distinguished as separate, consecrated, pilgrims, sojourners, or holy unto the Lord; instead, we have . . .
- eyes full of the world,
- hearts in love with the world,
- ears attentive to the world,
- lips filled with worldly speech,
- hands filled with worldly things,
- feet comfortable with worldly paths, and
- bodies no longer ready to depart and be with Jesus since that would mean giving up the world.
There is a heaven to be won and a hell to be shunned, and all those who have no visible, practical, transforming, determinative, self-denying, world-abhorring love for Jesus Christ–will be anathema at His coming!
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions–is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:15-16
photo by Filomena Scalise
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a very good point. This is like the people you see partying, cussing, then showing up at church in their Sunday best. Unfortunately they give Christians everywhere a bad name…we all need to try to set an example, and do as the Bible advises and ask ourselves “What Would Jesus Do?”
This is spot on! This needs to be talked about more often. The moment you love the world more than God, it’s all downhill. It’s about what your idol is. If money and the world is your idol, God will take away his blessing on you.
It’s not really all or none. If you are filled with love and enthusiasm, you can love G-d, and your fellow humans. But, it’s not a good idea to worship the material things of the world.
Very cute image to go along with the message. It’s a message that can’t be told enough, live in the world but not of it.