1 John 2:15-16(KJV)
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
In this day and age, Christians have a lot of distractions from serving God. One of these things is the love of this world. A life filled with the love of the world is a life that is passionate for vanity and passionless for spirituality. John recognizes the danger and itemizes three areas of worldliness; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are all of the world. So, to focus our desire on the world rather than on Father is to focus on what could never satisfy. It is impossible to love the things of this world and God simultaneously. We will always love one and hate the other. Love for the world crowds out love for the Father, and vice versa. We perish with the world when we love the world, but if we love God, we will do His will and live with Him forever. John 15:19 says, “If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” The love of this world puts us in a class of haters of God. If we love God, we will love what He loves. It is an empty talk to say we love God but hates what God loves.
The love of this world is against the wishes of God, and it has ended many in deep trouble. There are people who live just for this world. The world dictates and directs their lives. They cannot stand for God because of what the world would say. They value the world’s opinion above the counsel of the Word of God. They only come to God when they have a problem, and their Christianity is all about what is gettable from God. The love of the things of this world makes them lukewarm Christians and enemies of God. James 4:4 says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” Many today are far too attached to the things of this world and have forgotten about the love of God. Some have become more satisfied with their possessions and wealth than knowing Jesus and following Him. Many churches have become clubhouses and are more willing to please the world than serve God faithfully. The more we focus our desires on human existence, allowing the world’s mindset to take root and grow, the more we push God to the edges of our hearts. Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Beloved, build your life on the will of God, and you and what you lived for will abide forever. It is vital to know this so you can apply your heart to wisdom, the wisdom of serving God and living a holy and righteous life. It is the wisdom of living the way God wants you to live. Drawing closer to God is the key to not being a victim of the destruction of this world. It is a disaster if you build your life on the passing things of the world, for you will pass along with it. Everything in the world has a price. But in the Gospel, God says, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Today, Jesus is standing and knocking at the door of your heart. All you have to do is open it to Him, and He promises to enter, be closer to you than a friend, and sort out whatever is holding you back. Even if you feel you have become lukewarm, Jesus is saying to you this day that it’s never too late. He wants to give you your passion back. I pray that the fire of your first love for Christ reignites as you receive fresh passion for God in Jesus’ Name. Remember, satan wants you to love the world and forget about God, so don’t be ignorant.
O LORD, I receive the grace to serve You all the days of my life in Jesus’ Name.