The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 12 April 2024
Daily Fountain Devotional 12th April 2024 TOPIC: Unhealthy Attraction
TEXT: 1John 2: 15-17(AMP)
2:15. Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
2:16. For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
2:17. And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.
STUDY: There exists a great difference between the principles of God’s kingdom and those of the world -they go in opposite directions. In the kingdom, you live by dying; you get by giving and you lead by serving, etc. It is not so with the world. The love of the world is not God’s type of love; that of the world is full of lust of the flesh and the perishable ego therein. The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life are of the world. As for Eve, the fruit was good to be looked at, it was very desirable, and had the potential to make her like God, but then came the punishment!
Jesus Christ made it very clear to His disciples that they were not of the world. It is impossible to have both the love of God and that of the world dwell in a particular individual at the same time. The loyalty and the desires of a Christian should be to God and nothing more. Any other privilege added to him by God should be seen as an instrument of service unto God.
The world today presents an unhealthy attraction to God’s children and has a hidden intention to distract and destroy. We must depend on God’s grace to remain faithful unto Him as we await the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Deliver me from the attraction of the world, O Lord.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: God says “I will restore and refresh your weary soul. Psalm 23:3”