Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 202 – 1 John 2:15-17 – Do Not Love This World – Growing As Disciples
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. 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. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)
Love Me
You have two choices before you. Just two choices? Yes, only two choices. What are my choices? You can love the world and everything in it. You can pursue comfort and pleasure. You can seek after awards and accomplishments and accolades. You can revel in the applause of others. You can try to acquire an abundance of possessions. You can be filled with pride with what you have and what you have accomplished. You can crave what you don’t have or haven’t done. You can be on a constant, never ending, unsatisfied search for more of the latest and greatest best thing. You can have your heart and mind and life entirely focused on this world and all it offers. Wait a minute, what you have already outlined seems like way more than two choices. I haven’t even gotten to your other choice yet. Everything I have outlined so far is part of one choice. I want to hear more about the other choice that is before me. That’s good.
You can love me. That is my other choice? Yes, that is your other choice. Are the two choices in opposition to each other? That is a very good question. You can’t love me and love the world. They are two different desires. They are two different courses. One leads away from me. The other leads toward me. If you love me, you will draw near to me. You will come to know and love and follow and serve me. It will be your joy and pleasure to live a life of doing what pleases me. You will go wherever I guide you. You will do whatever I ask you. You will live and walk through life with me. You will live in my presence. You will hear my voice leading and guiding you through life. My hand will be on you. You will bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. You will one day come to live forever in heaven with me. All of this is part of the other choice that is before you. I see, now the two choices before me are quite clear. What is your choice? You know my choice. You knew my choice before I was even born. That’s true. I still want to hear you say aloud, what is your choice. I will love you. I will follow you. I will serve you. I will live my life with and for you. All that I have, all that I am, all that I hope to be, is yours. I am giving myself to you, with all that is within me. That is very good.
Heavenly Father, I will not love the world and all it offers me. I will not be filled with pride over what I have or have done. I will not seek comfort and pleasure. I will not crave what I do not have. Instead, I will love you by living a life that is pleasing to you. Amen
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