Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – James 4-4-6 – Friendship With The World – Growing As Disciples
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:4-6 (NIV)
Path Of Life
At one time, I was in love with the world. My whole life was one long pursuit of all that the world had to offer. I wanted to acquire riches. I wanted to own an abundance of material possessions. I wanted to live in comfort and experience pleasure. No matter how much I secured for myself, I felt empty and unsatisfied in life. Acquiring the next, latest and greatest, thing did not bring me the joy that it had promised. Chasing after the world and that it had to offer, required a lot of pushing and shoving to advance my own interests. In the process, I was left bruised and battered and broken by the life I was living, as I continued to walk on a path that led further and further away from you. That’s not good.
When I couldn’t stand the brokenness and emptiness of my life any longer, I cried out to you. You heard and answered my cry for help. Now, I know that you had been pursuing me, all along, even as I was walking on a path away from you. You wouldn’t let me keep on walking away from you. No, I would not. You turned my life around. You brought me to yourself. You helped me to turn away from the sinful and worldly pursuits of my broken life. You showed me your love by forgiving my sins and cleansing me of all my unrighteousness. You healed my bruised and battered and broken life. You filled me with your Spirit. You gave my life hope and meaning and purpose. You gave me a new direction. You set my life on a new path of loving and following and serving you. Yes, I did.
Now, I want to live in an intimate relationship with you. I love you because you first loved me. You are drawing near to me as I draw near to you. Yes, I am. The world and my old life is now behind me. You and my new life are before me. I will go where you guide me. I will do all that you ask of me. It will be my joy to live my life with and for you. That will be very good.
Do you have something that you would like to ask me? Do you have a question that is on your mind? Yes Lord, I have one request. As I love, follow and serve you, I ask that you keep and guard my heart. Protect me from the allure of the world and all its evil desires. Help me to continue to leave the world and all its evil desires behind me. Keep me humbly walking on the path of life as I follow you. I have heard and I will answer your prayer. Thank you, Lord.
Lord, at one time I loved the world and everything in it. I chased after the world and all it had to offer. The world was not what I wanted. I wanted you. Let my love for you, with all my heart and mind and soul and strength, keep me from loving the world. Amen
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
God’s Will – James 4-4-6 – Friendship With The World – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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