In The World But Not Of It!
Reading: I John 2
My 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" (2:15).
Some people take this verse way too far. They think that all that is in the world is evil. Sometimes it does feel that way. But, You, Lord God, did create this world. You even "so loved the world that You gave Your only begotten son to save the world" (John 3:16). The things of the world are not inherently evil. It is our attitude or devotion to not only things of the world but worldly, ungodly belief systems that John is warning us against. We are never to love anything in the world more than You.
"You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God" (James 4:4).
"We know positively that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] is under the power of the evil one" (I John 5:19).
We are to be in the world but not of it. For You tell us to "not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world" (Romans 12:2).
In John 17 You speak of us, Your followers as being not of this world. "I have given and delivered to them Your Word and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." You even tell Your Father in heaven, "I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one" (17:15).
You tell us we are to be a light to the lost. We are to live such a life that those who are lost might see You! "That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights in the [dark] world" (Philippians 2:15).
Dear Lord protect me from anything that might dim my light. Help me to be in the world but not of it.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
Reading: I John 2
My 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" (2:15).
Some people take this verse way too far. They think that all that is in the world is evil. Sometimes it does feel that way. But, You, Lord God, did create this world. You even "so loved the world that You gave Your only begotten son to save the world" (John 3:16). The things of the world are not inherently evil. It is our attitude or devotion to not only things of the world but worldly, ungodly belief systems that John is warning us against. We are never to love anything in the world more than You.
"You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God" (James 4:4).
"We know positively that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] is under the power of the evil one" (I John 5:19).
We are to be in the world but not of it. For You tell us to "not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world" (Romans 12:2).
In John 17 You speak of us, Your followers as being not of this world. "I have given and delivered to them Your Word and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." You even tell Your Father in heaven, "I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one" (17:15).
You tell us we are to be a light to the lost. We are to live such a life that those who are lost might see You! "That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights in the [dark] world" (Philippians 2:15).
Dear Lord protect me from anything that might dim my light. Help me to be in the world but not of it.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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