Love Me Not the World

 1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world the love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

God makes it clear that we are not to love the world more than we love him. It's common in the world to satisfy the desires of your flesh. Whatever you want to do, do it! Don't worry about the consequences.  Whatever you want to buy, buy it! Don't worry if you can't afford it.

Your eyes can get you into trouble as well. Desiring what you see others have, such as material possessions, physical attractiveness, anything that tempts you and pulls you away from God. Things that you become obsessed with, and believe you need to have, so you can be like everyone else.

There is also a lot of people who are very prideful. It's okay to be proud of yourself when you have accomplished something that you have worked hard for. It's not okay to have so much pride that you think that you are better than everyone else. A prideful person thinks that they do everything better than other people. They become selfish, and don't care about the needs of others. 

Galatians 5:16-17 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Matthew 6:22-23 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Proverbs 16:8 "Pride comes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

As a Christian, you live in the world, but you aren't of the world. You are set apart from the world. You have the light of Jesus Christ shining through you. Don't be afraid to let Jesus shine, be bold and choose to love the Lord more than loving worldly desires. 

You don't know what impact that you will have on an unbeliever, when they see you stand firm in your convictions and choose not to do something just because everyone else is doing it. Let your love for the Lord empower you to do His will. 

John 17:14-16 "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world anymore than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."

Matthew 22:37  "Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." 

Show Me Your Ways

Psalm 25:4-5 "Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." 

In our world right now there is a lot of chaos, uncertainty, lawlessness, disrespect, selfishness and a lack of love. The Bible tells us that in the last days these things will happen. 

2 Timothy 3:1-3 "You should know this Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will have no love for others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.

It seems as though to have a positive outlook on life is not the norm anymore. So many people are so busy and stressed out that they have a hard time to be positive. They don't take the time to be still, and think about all the blessings that God has poured out upon them. As a Christian we need to always be thankful to God for not only his blessings but for salvation through his one and only Son Jesus Christ.

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

If you are feeling overwhelmed, and have more negative than positive thoughts filling your heart and mind, I believe that Matthew 11:28-30 will help you. When you come into a relationship with Jesus as your Savior, he will bring peace for your soul. Give your worries, your stress all of your negative thoughts to Jesus. He will restore you, and gently guide you to the right path that leads to righteousness.

As followers of Jesus we live in the world, but we are not of the world. Even though the world around us is "falling apart", we are held together with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We also have the Holy Spirit living inside our heart that gives us wisdom and discernment. It is through Jesus that we are able to live a life full of joy, hope, love, and peace while the world around us is full of uncertainty.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 17:16 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."

Pray and ask the Lord to show you his ways. His way is the right way. His way is the way of truth. When you follow the Lord's way, you will have peace when trials come into your life. He will teach you and guide you through everything that life brings.

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."