Do Not Love the World

The apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:15-17, "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 lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

This command of God is a strong prohibition against loving the things of the world. To have the love of God is the very opposite to loving the world. John declared, "...The world is passing away, and the lust of it..." This means that all who love and gain the world cannot keep it. Neither can they take it with them when them die. The world can never completely satisfy those who indulges in it. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" It is the Word of God that really satisfies.

John said that the world is made up of three things: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These three avenues are the means through which sin becomes a reality in our lives. The "pride of life" is the desire for fame, honor, position, and power. Regarding those who seek notoriety, Abraham Lincoln once said, "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time." We can add, in addition, that "You can't fool God any of the time."

John also added, "...But he who does the will of God abides forever." There is coming a time when this world will pass away, and there will only remain people and God. Those who do the will of God shall receive eternal life. Romans 2:6-7 says that God "...Will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality..."

Where is your love today? Is it for the world, or the things of the world? Or is it for God, and the things that pertain to eternal life? We must ensure that we put all things in its proper order and perspective in life. As far as Christ is concerned, true success in this life is when we have lived in such a way as to enter into heaven eternally!

Time: A Precious Commodity

One of the most precious commodities known to man is time. We only have so much of it and none of really knows how much we will actually have. It is scarce. A wasted opportunity is gone forever, as time will not bring it back. The opportunity presented to us to teach a friend, relieve a burden, lend a helping hand comes along and then marches along. We must take advantage of that time while we have that time. We must be aware of our time and make the most of it as God has allotted it for us. Time is an important commodity that we must plan to use, just as we plan to budget our money. If we do not schedule our time wisely, it will fade away and we will soon find ourselves at the end of our lives realizing that we may not have used our precious time wisely. Like talents, how we use time spells the difference in success and failure. Time is wealth – how are we really using it?

Procrastination

Most of our weaknesses is procrastination. We don’t get as much done today because we may say “I can do it tomorrow.” We are all too inclined to use the old philosophy of “never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.” This of course, is a take-off on the much wiser one of “never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” We may find ourselves saying “Oh how I wish I had talked to that person about his sins, and how to obtain salvation – but he is gone now.” The Lord is forgiving, and we do have today, so we should be determined to use it to His glory and the advancement of the kingdom of heaven. We have all lost yesterday, but let’s use today so that tomorrow we won’t have to say, “I wish I had used yesterday better.” If we will not procrastinate and strive to use today to its fullest potential, then we will be able to sleep well knowing that “I have done what I could.”

Wasting Time

Wasted time is wasted money, souls, opportunities and accomplishments. Someone said, “time is money.” Therefore, we should not waste it. A wasted today is a lost yesterday, and then we may worry about what should have been done. It is always refreshing to know that we have used each day to its fullest! There are so many ways that we may find that we have wasted time. Perhaps one way is that we realize that we sleep too much, or much more than we really need to. God’s word says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Instead of reading the Bible, people will read a lot of useless literature. The Bible will build us up and give us all we need to know in order to have an eternal home with God. A lot of time is wasted today on entertainment such as television and various electronic devices. We must strive to make the best use of our time that we have been granted by investing in that which will develop our mind in a good and positive way.

I encourage all of us to think seriously about how we are using our time. Souls are dying, unprepared for heaven. Men are suffering without our help. People are in distress, and we may be wasting our time – when we could be making ourselves very useful in our service to God and our fellow man. The apostle Paul wrote, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17).

The Breakdown of the Family

Most psychologists will tell us that the American home is in great danger. They will tell us that the home, as we have grown to know and love it, is deteriorating to the point that our whole society is in danger. Why is this? The basic reason lies in the fact that America is losing its true and wholesome concept of God as our creator and the Bible as our guide. As long as families believed in, and patterned their lives after the principles taught in God’s word, America was strong. It may not be an accident that many of our problems have gotten worse as we lose the Bible concept for the family. God ordained the family and it is only by abiding by the clear teachings of God contained in His word that we will have strong families.

Has America “Outgrown” the Family Concept?

There are times in most every young person’s life, that they get the idea that they have outgrown the ideas of their parents. It may be that America, as a whole, is in that state of mind now, for it seems like there are second thoughts of the standards that we have espoused for many generations. Many today are saying things like, “why marry; what can I get inside of marriage that I cannot get outside of it?” If people would have an appreciation of the Bible, then they would learn and know the truth. Now, even psychologists realize that the stable young person is the one who comes from a loving home with parents who love each other and love their children very much. God arranged that (Colossians 3:18-25). America needs to grow up and get out of the adolescent stage, realizing the values of God have always been and still are the very best.

Questioning God’s Wisdom

The breakdown of the American family is the result of questioning the wisdom of almighty God. From the very beginning of recorded history, and even back to the beginning of time, the home, as God ordained it, has been the foundation and basis of a stable civilization. But now God’s wisdom is being challenged as America says the home is no longer needed. Marriage is said to be foolish. The companionship of a husband and wife, and the security of the children in the home has (they tell us) been over-emphasized. The home is the place where children need to be raised and this is especially important during their first formative years of life. Many parents are leaving their young children to be raised by others, sometimes, complete strangers. God created us, everyone of us (Genesis 1:26)! He knows what is best for His creation and we should never question His wisdom.

The Christian's Attitude Toward Trials

It is a fact that Christian’s will have trials and problems at various times in life. This is evident from the teachings of the Bible and from everyday experience. No one escapes them. James says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3). When a temptation comes that we are able to withstand, or resist, then we have become stronger. We can expect the hills and valleys of life, as well as the pleasant things. Christians learn to understand this and make use of them. Difficulties can either make us bitter or they can be used as steps to higher ground. They can either drag us down, or they can strengthen us. If we look beyond, up the hill, and say “I can’t climb it,” then we are defeated. However, if we say, “I can climb it,” then we become stronger in the process of our continued success.

Don’t Worry About Tomorrow

We are taught by the Bible to “...not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). If we will put off that “worry” until tomorrow, then it probably will never happen. We will not have anything to worry about. The things we worry about usually never happens. There is no use to borrow trouble from tomorrow, for “sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Take care of the present, those things in which we can control, and let tomorrow take care of itself. If we will seek the kingdom first, we will not have the “worries” that frustrate us in this materialistic society. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). 

Physical Distress Due to Worry

The command to “not be anxious” comes from the Lord. There is so much worry and frustration in our society that doctors tell us that about half of their patients are not physically ill, but are suffering from mental anguish, often times as a result of excessive worry. Many people worry, fret, fear, and doubt over so many things that it is no wonder so many are mentally exhausted which affects them physically. One day when Jesus was taking a ride with His disciples on a boat, strong winds began, and Jesus was asleep. They woke up Jesus because they were all afraid. Jesus asked, “...Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). Our fears, doubts, worry, and frustrations can be cured in Christ, as we listen to His word, trust His will, and obey His commands.

Nothing Good Comes from Worrying

When we worry, there is nothing to be gained. Worry does no good, and it does a great deal of harm. Worry decays the mind, wastes time, robs God of good workers, and causes an employee to be inefficient. Many people worry about the future which most all the time nothing ever happens. When we worry about the past, there is nothing that can be done about it. When we open up our Bible and study the words of Jesus, we can gain the peace of mind that Jesus wants us to have. Think about the following important words that Jesus said about worrying. “Then He said to His disciples, Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Luke 12:22-28). We must all stop “worrying” and let the trials and tribulations of life strengthen us as Christians so we can count these things as joy. Let us all “press on” in our daily walk with Christ!

 

Stay Committed to the End

In 2 Chronicles 14-16 we can read about King Asa of Judah who reigned for 41 years, 35 of which was dedicated to God. In the beginning he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places. It was said of him that “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God” (14:2). His first battle was against Zerah the Ethiopian in which Asa and Judah were out manned almost 2-1. But before he began to fight the battle, he cried out to God to ask for His guidance. As a result, “the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled” (14:12). The prophet Azariah came to Asa and told him that “The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (15:2). These words inspired Asa and he became even more courageous, continuing to remove the abominable idols in the land. He proved himself to be a good and righteous king, motivating Judah to collectively engage in a “covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul” (15:12). There was great rejoicing at the oath and as a result the “Lord gave them rest all around” (15:15).

Things were going so very well for Asa and all of Judah. Asa was well respected by the people, and they were pleased to serve a King who was first willing to serve his God. God blessed Asa and the people for 35 years because of their righteousness and faithfulness to Him. However, in Asa’s 36th year, after 35 years of faithful service, he made a grave mistake. Perhaps apathy and pride had become part of his mind set, but whatever the case, Asa neglected to consult God when Baasha, the king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah to keep those in his kingdom from coming to Asa in Judah. Instead of crying out to God for help and guidance, he made a treaty with the wicked king of Syria, Ben-Hadad. He bribed him with gold and silver from the house of the Lord to fight against king Baasha of Israel. Ben-Hadad caused Baasha to cease his work at Ramah but the prophet Hanani came to king Asa and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand” (16:7). The prophet told Asa that from this time on he would have wars. Asa became so angry that he threw the prophet into prison and oppressed some of the people. In the end, Asa became diseased in his feet, still did not seek the Lord, but rather the physicians, and he died in the 41st year of his reign. King Asa served God for 35 years and in the end proved himself to be unfaithful to Him the last 6 years. This is a sad commentary for a king that had so much going for him, but in the end he was unfaithful to God. 

We should learn some valuable lessons today from this king from long ago. We need to ensure that we seek God on a daily basis (Matthew 6:33), and when we do we are promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We must never forget God when we encounter various trials in life (James 1:3). With every temptation God has promised us that He will make the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). We must also learn that no matter how long we have been a Christian that we too can fall from God’s grace and be cut off if we do not remain righteous and faithful to Him (1 Corinthians 10:12; 2 Peter 2:20; Romans 11:22). If we get caught up with pride, we must understand that it will lead us to destruction (Proverbs 11:2; 16:18; 29:23). Finally, we must remain loyal in our work and service to the Lord to the very end of our life (1 Corinthians 15:58; Revelation 2:10). May we never be guilty of quitting God and falling short of our eternal home with Him (Matthew 7:13-14). The prophet Hanani said these words to Asa, words that certainly apply to each one of us today: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (1 Chronicles 16:9). We must make sure that we stay committed to God until the very end of our life. Our eternal destiny depends on our commitment to Him each day that we live. 

What Constitutes Obedience?

A passage of scripture comes to mind when I hear the word "obedience" and that is from 1 Samuel 15:22 which says: "And Samuel said, "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, {And} to heed than the fat of rams". We all need to understand that to obey the voice of the Lord is our first obligation. The truth is what guides us unto salvation and all men should obey the truth of God (Galatians 3:1-5; 1 Peter 1:22). We can learn from the scriptures that no man was saved by obedience to anything other than God's word. King Saul obeyed the voice of the people and that led to his downfall (1 Samuel 15:21). Adam obeyed the voice of Satan (Genesis 3:1-6). Saul of Tarsus obeyed the voice of his conscience (Acts 26:9). Only when one obeys the commandments of God is one able to be saved.

So how do we obey the truth? Before answering this question, let us first see how we disobey it. We disobey the truth by refusing to do anything at all (John 5:40). We disobey the truth by adding anything to it that God has not commanded or allowed. The Proverb writer says: "Do not add to His words Lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar." (See also Revelation 22:18; 2 John 9) Besides adding to God's word we disobey Him by taking away that which He has instructed us to do (Revelation 22:19; Deuteronomy 4:2). The only way that we can obey the truth is by doing the exact thing that God commands for us to do. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" (Matthew 7:21-23). Some may think they are doing God's will because it "feels right", or "it is a good work" but that does make it right!

This point is driven home by the example of Moses when he struck the rock when he was not commanded to do so (Exodus 20:7-12). It seemed such a small thing when Uzza touched the Ark to stabilize it, yet it caused his death (1 Chronicles 13:9-10). If we offend in one point, we are guilty of all "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one {point,} he has become guilty of all" (James 2:10). Let us strive to do ONLY those things which ARE AUTHORIZED by God!

Choosing Our Friends Wisely

How important it is to select the right friends. Solomon said: “Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go” (Proverbs 22:24). In the very next verse he gives us the reason for such a command. He says: “Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.” There have been many young men that has started down the road to drinking, adultery, hopelessness, drugs, and prison because he picked the wrong friends. Young lady, young man, select your companions on the basis, not of money or fame, but on the solid rock of character, religious convictions and moral judgments.

Money and fame are fleeting; but godliness and truth will last forever. Paul wrote to Titus: “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13). A true friend will stand by us when money is gone. Witness the story of the prodigal son. When his money was gone, his friends were gone. These were some friends weren’t they? A true friend will be there and stick by us even in the very worst of circumstances. We must be sure to choose our friends wisely.

Usefulness

Did you ever think about what it takes to have friends? In order for one to have friends, one must make himself friendly. In Proverbs 18:24 the wise Solomon wrote: “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Friendliness is a characteristic of Christianity. In adversity one must be helpful; in distress, we must be warm and consoling. Solomon said: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). Indeed, if I am at all times helpful and useful to others, I can not only serve my God, but I can make friends at the same time. Also, when choosing our friends, we must make sure that they have our best interests at heart. As a Christian we want friends that will help us get to heaven and we also must strive to help them reach heaven.

Loyalty

Did you know that one of the most admired characteristics of friendship is loyalty. Let us look at two examples of this which show the opposites. First, Onesiphorus, a friend of the apostle Paul was loyal and devoted. Paul said of him: “The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain” (2 Timothy 1:16). Here was a man that this beloved apostle knew that he could count on. Do you have friends like this that you just know that you can count on to be there for you when you really need them? But on the other hand, one of the most disappointing things in the life of Job must have been that his friends turned against him in time of need. They said he was evil because he was suffering so much. It was bad enough that Job was being tried with the loss of his family, friends and the terrible physical problems. But now his so-called friends turn against him. He said: “He has removed my brothers far from me, and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. My relatives have failed, and my close friends have forgotten me. Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants, count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight” (Job 19:13-15). Yet through all of this he still remained faithful to God. A friend is not one who deserts his brother in time of need. Jesus did not turn away from his friends but comforted and helped them in time of need. Would you do the same for your friends? Often, we say we will but when the situation arises where we must take a stand to show our loyalty will we really come through? I would hope that I would, and I would hope that those that I call my friend would do the same for me. If we are loyal to Jesus, calling Jesus our friend then we must show Him our love. How? By doing what Jesus asks of us. He said: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14). It is very important to choose our friends wisely and then be there for them when needed.