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.
And the world
passeth away,
and the lust
thereof: but he
that doeth the
will of God
abideth for
ever” (1 John
2:15-17).
Do you think
you cannot
overcome the
world? Do you
think it is too
hard to make it
in this fallen
world, to
survive and keep
your faith? You
can. Jesus tells
us we can
overcome this
world if we
believe in Him.
The world is
a hard place to
live in. Sin is
normal. Society
is falling apart
all around us.
The government
has taken God
out of the
process and
people are mean
to Christians
and believe us
to be a group of
people that
don't fit in the
“new” world’s
rules and
demeanor.
We are
commanded to not
love the world
or things of the
world. This can
be difficult,
but it’s about
action and
attitude to
overcome the
world. To
overcome the
world we need to
put Jesus first
in attitude and
action. We live
in a fallen
world that is
ruled by Satan.
He has all sorts
of things in his
bag of tricks
and trades to
ply toward
Christians to
distract us, and
to try to draw
us away from our
walk with
Christ.
What is your
priority? Do you
love things in
this world more
than Jesus? Do
you love your
car, your
hobbies, your
relationships
with others,
etc. more than
Jesus? Do you
focus on other
things more than
you do Jesus,
putting them
before
worshiping and
loving the Lord?
If you do, you
need a change in
direction and
focus toward our
Lord and Savior.
He should be our
number one
priority, the
first thing we
think of in the
morning and the
last thing we
should think
about when going
to bed.
It is fine to
have hobbies and
to enjoy life
for Jesus wants
us to enjoy our
life, but
problems can
arise if you put
the things of
this world
before the Lord.
Do you pick up
your Bible and
read it or do
you instead turn
on the
television to
watch your
favorite show?
If you do, you
put the world
before God. Did
you skip church
to watch Sunday
football? If you
did, you put God
in second place,
not first. You
get it? Anything
that comes
before your Lord
is what is
important to
you. If you put
God first
always, then you
have proven that
the Lord is
always your
first priority.
Remember that
our God is a
jealous. God
wants our full
attention on Him
and not anything
else. When the
Holy Spirit puts
the things of
God on your
heart, you need
to listen and
obey. If you
have a tug on
your heart to
study the Word,
read a Christian
book or
participate in a
church outreach,
you should
choose to listen
to the Holy
Spirit and obey
instead of doing
other things
that puts Jesus
out of being
your first
priority.
The world is
full of daily
distractions
meant to pull us
away from our
Savior. We need
to be careful
and conscience
of these
distractions and
put God first in
our daily lives.
Does this mean
we don't watch
our favorite
football team
play, or go out
and have dinner
with friends, or
participate in
our hobbies? No,
but your
attitude and
actions should
be toward the
Lord as your
first
priority—when
faced with a
decision of
distraction or
God. The world
will want you to
put God out of
first place, but
you need to
recognize and
resist this pull
from the world.
We need to be
able to separate
the evils of the
world from the
godly things of
our walk with
Jesus, to ensure
Jesus is our
first priority
in life. Not
everything in
this world is
evil, but Satan
will try to use
the world and
our inherent
weaknesses to
tempt us to
stray from our
walk with Jesus,
to separate us
from our first
priority—our
Savior. He does
this by tempting
us with the
things in the
world that are
evil and ungodly
but are tempting
to us,
nonetheless.
Things such as
lustful
temptations, New
Age
spiritualism,
conforming to
what society now
accepts as
normal like gay
marriage,
abortion, etc.,
Satan, will use
our weaknesses
against us to
keep us from
putting Jesus
first. He works
every angle of
our weaknesses
to get us to be
worldly and
stray from the
teachings and
commands of
Jesus.
“By this we
know that we
love the
children of God,
when we love
God, and keep
his
commandments.
For this is the
love of God,
that we keep his
commandments:
and his
commandments are
not grievous.
For
whatsoever is
born of God
overcometh the
world: and this
is the victory
that overcometh
the world, even
our faith. Who
is he that
overcometh the
world, but he
that believeth
that Jesus is
the Son of God?”
(1 John 5:2-5)
We can
overcome the
world by putting
Jesus first. If
we follow the
teachings and
commands put
forth in the
Bible, when we
are tempted by
Satan and the
world we can
resist and
overcome the
world, and the
wiles Satan
tries to use
against us to
separate us from
our Lord and
Savior.
If you are a
Christian but
are living in a
worldly manner,
now is the time
to turn your
back on the
worldly life and
turn your face
toward Jesus
again. Jesus is
the way, the
truth, and life.
Focus on God and
His Word. The
Lord wants us to
enjoy life, but
not to the
extent that we
put God in
second place.
The Holy Spirit
will guide you
to know what
things in life
are worldly
(evil) and what
things in the
world are
acceptable to
God to keep you
on track. The
Holy Spirit will
not lead you
astray but will
help you to stay
on the path of
righteousness to
eternity, to
keep Christ as
your first
priority.
If you’re not
a follower of
Christ, you live
in the world and
are of the
world. Your
focus is on the
things of the
world and not of
God. Your focus
may not be on
evil things of
the world, but
nonetheless your
focus is not on
Jesus as your
priority. Your
focus may be
your career when
it should be on
Jesus. You may
idolize people,
value material
possessions, or
place hobbies
first in your
free time when
you should focus
on Jesus.
When you turn
to Jesus and
become a
follower of
Christ, your
attention will
turn to Jesus
and eternity
with Him in
heaven. Your old
priorities will
become second to
your
relationship
with Jesus.
Following Jesus
does not mean
giving up on
aspirations or
hobbies or
whatever, but
you will want to
put Jesus first
and foremost in
your daily
routine and
thoughts.
Once you
do this you will
want to live for
Jesus. You will
want to do His
will for you and
do things for
Him and turn
from you old
ways.
Having Jesus
first and
foremost in your
heart and mind
in this fallen
world is a
blessing. Satan
will try to get
you away from
Jesus by
tempting you
with the old
worldly things
that you used to
do and put
first, as well
put in front of
you new
temptations of
the world based
on your
weaknesses.
Satan is a sly
being and will
want you to
believe the evil
is good and
Jesus is not
real or not fun;
resist him.
Society in
general has
turned from God
and Satan wants
you to conform
to the ways of
the world.
Resist him; know
that the new
norms in society
(gay marriage,
legal marijuana,
abortion, etc.)
are not of God.
To know what
is of God you
must read His
Word and His
guidance as put
forth in the
Bible. The Bible
is our playbook
on how to live,
love, and
survive in this
fallen world.
Living in a
fallen world is
difficult, but
with the Bible,
the Holy Spirit,
and the love of
Jesus for us, we
can survive and
come out of this
world with
eternity in
heaven as our
reward. It is a
difficult walk
at times,
especially when
faced with
temptations, but
the journey is
well worth the
effort.
Take note
that the
relationship
walk with Jesus
takes great work
and effort on
our part. We
must be active
and participate
in what the Lord
wants us to do,
and how to live
and love. Our
relationship
with Jesus in
not an autopilot
effort, it
requires us to
participate
fully with open
hearts and minds
to conform to
what Jesus has
for us and wants
from us as His
followers. We
cannot expect
Jesus to drag us
through life for
eternity with
him.
We must walk
with Him and
grow with Him in
our relationship
daily to give us
His heart to
love others.
Friends,
don’t conform to
the things of
the world. Do
not idolize
things in this
world. Focus on
Jesus and
idolize and
worship Jesus.
Only through
Jesus can you
have eternal
life with Him in
heaven. The
world will not
do anything to
get you into
heaven. The
things of the
world will only
lead to a dead
end of death and
separation from
Jesus. Focus on
Jesus and put
the world behind
you in your
thoughts and
actions.
Remember, the
world will pass
away one day,
but belief in
Jesus is heaven
for eternity.
“Submit
yourselves
therefore to
God. Resist the
devil, and he
will flee from
you” (James
4:7).
All Scripture
quoted is taken
from the King
James Version of
the Bible.
God Bless.
John_lysaught@yahoo.com