Meme: Please God, Not The World

 

The World vs. God

1John 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. 

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“God so loved the world . . .” So, begins one of the most familiar verses of the Bible, John 3:16. But if God loved the world, and we are to be like God in our affections, why does John tell us not to love the world? Because “the world” of which Jesus speaks is the beautiful creation of God, including the souls of men and women. But “the world” of which John speaks is the corrupt systems we encounter every day - economic systems, political systems, cultural systems, and more. Anyone who falls in love with these - who wants to hang on to them rather than to pursue the Kingdom of God - has chosen the wrong kingdom. He has forsaken the treasures of God for the trinkets of a sinful humanity.

This is one of the Christian's most chronic problems. We want friendship with the world and friendship with God. We want to love both. But our desires are like those of a husband who wants to love two wives or a wife who wants to love two husbands. A one-to-one relationship is corrupted by multiple loves. And God always insists on a one-to-one relationship with us. Though He has the capacity to love billions - He is God, after all - we do not. If He is not our highest affection, we are idolaters, and He is jealous. He will not be one of our many treasures. He wants all or nothing.

Our pursuit of wisdom will compel us to choose between God and our other loves. As much as we'd like to, our hearts cannot balance both God and anything else. And our pursuit of wisdom will dictate which one is the rational choice. It should be obvious that the One who designed us for Himself would leave us unfulfilled with our other suitors. Only He can satisfy because we were created only for Him.

Do you struggle with dissatisfaction? Perhaps you have invested your affections in something that is ultimately unsatisfying. Forsake it and turn your heart toward God. He alone can fill our hearts.

[An excerpt from "The One Year Walk with God Devotional" by Chris Tiegreen]

Application of God's Word: Ecclesiastes 3:14

Verse: Ecclesiastes 3:14

I know that whatever God does,

It shall be forever.

Nothing can be added to it,

And nothing taken from it.

God does it, that men should fear before Him.

Application:
What is the purpose of life? It is that we should fear the all-powerful God. To fear God means to respect and stand in awe of him because of who he is. Purpose in life starts with whom we know, not what we know or how good we are. It is impossible to fulfill your God-given purpose unless you revere God and give him first place in your life.

This verse applies to all of God's works, but today, consider its application to your life. Do you wonder if God will change His mind about you? That perhaps you have overstepped His mercy? That mabye He will not complete what He's started in your life? Trust Him. The work that He does - including you - will endure forever. He promised it so you would revere Him.

Philippians 1:6
being confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Sermon: Let Me Show You The Door

If the enemy has been attacking you, then you’re probably headed

into a season of greater impact. Shut the devil down God’s way!

The Lord God Is My Strength...

Shame Doesn't Get The Final Say

 “𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑛𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠 ...”
Romans 8:1

Not that long ago, my life looked anything but godly. I spent my college years like a walking stereotype: the semi-goody-two-shoes Christian girl who goes to college, joins a sorority, and turns into a party girl. 

Then for years after, I lived in shame. 

I felt like if anyone knew my mistakes, they would write me off. When I compared my past to others’, I felt like mine was so much worse. And when I slipped back into old habits, I beat myself up for days. 

If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. In all the hiding, and sometimes self-hatred, it’s easy to start believing that God couldn’t redeem any of it. Then it becomes even easier to believe that where you are right now is a direct result of what you’ve done. 

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

Today’s verse reminds us what is true:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). 

In Christ, you are free from having to hide in shame. 

While we can know in our heads that this is what the Bible says, it feels more challenging to believe in our hearts that it’s true. So if we find ourselves stuck in shame or believing we have to earn the blessings we long for, where do we go from here? 

We turn to what’s true. We open our Bibles and find out what God says about the lies we believe. I’ve found three simple steps to do this: 

𝟭. 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗲.
If it contradicts God’s Word, it’s not true. Sometimes we need a friend to remind us of this, so send the text or make the phone call, and ask someone you trust if you’re believing a lie. 

𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲.
(And there’s no shame in Googling to find a verse if you don’t know where to start looking.) 

𝟯. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.
Which sometimes feels crazy, but eventually it sticks. And then the next time the lie creeps back in, the truth more quickly comes to mind. If you start there, I think you’ll find when the enemy whispers in your ear that this is all your fault or you’ve missed it or it’s too late, you can tell him and yourself the truth: 

God’s goodness does not change based on your decisions.
He is sovereign (Proverbs 16:9; Colossians 1:17).
He loves to redeem His people's pasts and mistakes (Ephesians 1:7-9).

Regardless of your past, Jesus makes a way for refuge in Him. There’s no wrong you’ve done that cannot be forgiven. He is safe. All you have to do is run to Him.


God, thank You for the forgiveness that comes from faith in Jesus. I praise You that I no longer walk in shame from my past. Help me identify the lies shame tries to tell me and replace them with truths from Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

- Meghan Ryan Asbury
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries" 

Quote: Pastor Steven Furtick

"To doubt yourself is to doubt God's creation. He knew everything you would struggle with and yet, He created you anyway. If God called you to it, He gave you everything you need to do it. Let the places where you feel weak become the ones God fills with His strength."