Today’s Bible Verse
Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. 17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.
I John 2:15-17 (AMPC)
The One Who Does the Will of God
When we receive Jesus, the barriers between us and God are broken down, and God Himself comes to live within us through His Holy Spirit. We begin to learn from the Bible who God is and what He loves and what He hates. In Matthew 6:33 it says, “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right -the attitude and character of God), and all these things will be given to you also.” It says first and most importantly. Our priorities will have to change if we want God to work in and through our lives.
When we begin to pursue God and His ways, we will see clearly there are two cultures – two different value systems:
- Worldly culture and values will lead us to every kind of sin of that leads to our destruction. All things about self – selfish, self driven, self satisfying
- God culture and values leads us to everything given by God that is good and pure and His ways for our victory
So how do we learn to do God’s will—to walk with Him—every single day? When we read or hear His Word, He speaks to us. When we pray, we speak to Him. And when we worship Him and obey Him, we are doing His will and participating in His purpose. Once you decide to follow Jesus, it’s important to begin a life of discipleship, following and obeying His Word. We are to live a holy and pure life.
Our relationship with God must be nurtured and strengthened every day. When we don’t spend time with Him daily, our love for God will grow cold, and we will no longer have a desire to live for Him. Reconnecting with worldly values and its culture will once again become our lifestyle of choice. Behaviors that don’t honor Him and will lead to destruction for our lives.
Committing to a devotional time with God every day will give you strength and power to resist the world’s temptations, to live above your circumstances and to become a victorious Christian (1 Corinthians 10:13). Reading God’s Word daily will help you mature spiritually (Colossians 1:10; Ephesians 3:17-19) transforming your thinking and will renew your mind to God’s way of life. (Pastor Pattie Eselu)
An Uncommon Life
There is a real inconsistency between the love of the world and the love of God, between being carnally minded, esteeming, desiring, and pursuing visible and temporal things, which is death, and being spiritually minded, having our thoughts and affections set on invisible and heavenly things, which is life and peace. We are called to live an uncommon life. A life different from the world and its culture and behaviors. A life that the world is selling at a high price, the price of our souls. Jesus paid a price on the Cross to redeem us from the common life and give us an uncommon life, a life in relationship with the Giver of Life! The desires of the world are not connected to the purposes of God. I John 2:15, 17 reminds us, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. … The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
Today’s Declaration
Father, today, I make a decision to leave the ways and desires of the world behind. I make a decision to follow You and Your ways and be an example to others on how to live for You. I choose to stop living with one foot in the world and one foot in church. I choose to cut off all relationships, activities and choices that lead me away from what You have for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Today’s Bible Reading
- Old Testament: 2 Kings 16-17; Psalms 119:161-168
- New Testament: Luke 6:17-26; Philippians 3:10-14
