It is IMPOSSIBLE to be accepted by God & the world at the same time. Both stand in opposition to each other in beliefs. We cannot serve God with a divided heart. Nominal Christians seek a way to compromise between their beliefs & the world. But the Truth is, there is no compromise.
No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Luke 16:13
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4
I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Galatians 5:16-18; 24
What if we cut out or cut back on all the worldly noise?
I know… I know….you’ve heard this all before… just cut back screen time blah blah blah.
I used to be in denial of how much screen time (the world) I was consuming (tv, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.). But I challenge you to take an honest look! Every time you go reaching for your device during the day to check your texts, social media, etc. go to the bible app instead and consume some Truth!
Try this for one day & see what happens! I was ASTONSIHED at the number of times I mindlessly grabbed my phone to consume worldliness, that always leaves me feeling depressed, wanting more for my life, wishing I had more, just wanting, wanting, WANTING….more, more, MORE….for me, me, ME!!!!!
The world tells me I am missing out.
The Word tells me I already have all need in Jesus Christ.
The world tells me I am a nobody.
The Word tells me I am set apart.
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
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
John 15:18-19
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
Matthew 16:24
Worldliness is, at its core, a matter of the heart.
What is your heart’s desire? To be known by the world? To be famous? Wealthy? Successful? Admired by many? To achieve greatness?
True greatness isn’t defined by the world. It is measured by the heart!
The key to achieving greatness is focusing on your heart and keeping it aligned with Truth!
The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
This doesn’t mean that you have to hate your house, car, clothes, etc. to not be worldly. It just means to examine your heart when you are wanting or obtaining worldly things. Are you obtaining them for selfish gratification in hopes that the world will view you as important or special? Or are you glorifying God in all that you are blessed with and using it for his good?
Start with examining your heart and pray for God to draw near.
Draw close to him. Only He can give us a WORDly heart & align our heart with His. We can’t do it alone. & we can’t tow the line. We can’t have both the World and the Word. The Word will fall short every time.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
Psalm 37:3-4
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2
Colossians 3:1-11So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Revelation 3:15-20
agape,
