Sunday, December 4, 2011
DANGERS OF LOVING THE WORLD
Memorise: "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." (1 John 2:16).
Read: 2 Timothy 4:10-11
When you love the world, it can affect salient areas of your life. This is why we must pray for leaders to shun worldly lusts and focus on the things of God. The love of the world can stand between you and your requests. A leader who loves the world will be incapable of making effective intercession for the flock. The love of the world also terminates spiritual life. The fellow who loves the world will find his or her love for God ebbing by the day. With love for the world, it will be impossible to love God with all your heart. Yet, God demands 100% love from you. "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut 6:5).
"For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia" (2 Tim 4:10). Another danger of loving the world is that it can lead to progressive compromise and ultimately to backsliding. One sign of knowing that your love for God is waning is that you will begin to make excuses for certain sins or wrong doings. God's standard will become so tall and unreachable, that you will come up with unhealthy substitutes. Do you find yourself explaining away premarital sex, office theft, manipulation of church records, etc.? It shows your love for God is being replaced with the love of the world. If worldly standards are now being favoured above the standards of the Bible, your love for God is fast ebbing. It starts with little complaints and finding faults with the church, church leaders, activities and programmes. Before long, one would realize how far one has drifted. Can you imagine a great leader and fellow companion of Paul becoming a victim of this? Demas, who was so consumed with the things of the Kingdom, gradually allowed worldly lusts to seep into his heart, until it was too late. He had totally backslidden. He left Paul for Thessalonica, the height of ungodliness and sinful pleasure. If Demas could fall, any leader can. Pray for God to insulate the heart of our leaders against worldliness.
Prayer Point:
Father, keep our leaders from being overtaken by worldliness. Lord, let there be provision, bountiful harvest of souls and miracles during the Holy Ghost Congress.
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