Through the Bible - Micah 3, Revelation 11
Good morning,
I recently read the parable of the sower in Matthew 13 where Jesus said:
Matt 13: 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. NIV
John MacArthur writes, "The worldly hearer in this parable is oblivious to the deception of money and it's inability to give lasting satisfaction. He or she doesn't notice how worldliness - the worshipful priority of money, possessions, career, and other temporary affairs - can smother the Word. Such a reality shows that the individual has a heart full of sinful weeds that cannot coexist for long with the Word of God. If faith is genuine, it will forsake the world; otherwise, sin will choke out the Word."
As you observe, and possibly get caught up in the "rush" in this last week before Christmas, we are challenged to be mindful of our priorities. All around us we'll see people worshipping, desiring certain gifts, possessions and "temporary affairs", while the Christmas story and the love of Christ, how God so loved the world, take a backseat.
For today's verse we'll go to 1 John 2 where John warns us about getting caught up, to have our minds set on "the things of this world".
1 John 2:15-18 Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world — wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important — has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out — but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. - THE MESSAGE
The Message shows us that as we get caught up in the desire for other things that love for the Father gets "squeezed out". Is your to do list max-ed out to the point where you can't squeeze time in your schedule to read the Bible and to pray? Do you find yourself wanting, wanting, and wanting?
Perhaps you have a friend or family member in this condition. May you be able to turn them back to God, quiet their hearts, to see what God has done for them in giving us the most precious gift.
The word for "don't love the world" can also be translated as "stop loving the world". Instead we are to show our love to God which will show in our actions of showing love to others in gratitude for how God has blessed us in Jesus Christ.
Read the passage below, may you "know" the things mentioned in verses 12-14, and may the "wanting, wanting, wanting" be on the way out.
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com
mikesvotd.blogspot.com
1 John 2:12-18
12 I am writing to you who are God's children
because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God's children
because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
because you are strong.
God's word lives in your hearts,
and you have won your battle with the evil one.
because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God's children
because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
because you are strong.
God's word lives in your hearts,
and you have won your battle with the evil one.
Do Not Love This World
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. NLT
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