ICS Daily Devotions
Are You Flirting with the World?
James 4:4 (NKJV) Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
The church is known as the bride of Christ and believers make up the body of Christ. The sole commitment and allegiance in being in a covenantal relationship as the bride of Christ is to Jesus Christ. Therefore, the members of the body of Christ will be committing spiritual adultery if they flirt with the world when they do not love God wholeheartedly. Being a friend of the world means the person agrees with the values in the world.
1 John 2:15-16 (NKJV) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
There is always a struggle to walk in the Spirit and not be dictated by the wants of the flesh. There are many opportunities for us to seek out the pleasures of life. The flesh is the sum of appetites, desires, wishes and needs, the purpose of which is the satisfaction of self. The flesh is everything in our life that wants to live independently of God and does not bow to God. We are too used to being tempted by the lust of the eyes, the pride of life and the lust of the flesh. If we are not careful in renewing our minds regarding what is important in life, we will slowly but surely conform to this world. Social media in the more recent years has a big part to play in this. If we would like to have man’s praise, affirmation and acceptance, then we will definitely abandon God and pursue what the flesh desires.
1 Timothy 6:10 (NKJV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Money is neutral. We will need money to provide for the needs of the family. What God does not want to happen is for us to start loving money more than we love Him. It is the love and pursuit of money that many have strayed from their faith in God. If we are tempted by the love of money, then we will begin to slowly compromise with the values of the world. Is it not surprising that marriages break up when the pursuit of career or money is top priority over the marriage?
Are you committing spiritual adultery by flirting with the world even though you are a Christian? Nobody is able to know the state of your spiritual health except God and yourself. You can be a walking dead Christian. Is this one of the reasons your prayers are not answered? So stop flirting!
Sermon Series: Help! My Prayers Are Not Answered!
