Not My Will…But Yours

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. – John 6:38


We had the dress, the rings, the invitations printed, the place, the cake ordered, suits and dresses for the kids. The preacher was ready, our friends were excited, and we were living in anticipation – counting down even the hours. Everything was prepared for our wedding ceremony …and then God said, “Wait!”

Sometimes God teaches us painful lessons through the events in our lives and this is one of those times. This coming Saturday at 1:00 I was to marry the man of my dreams. Frank and I were anxiously waiting to say, “I do!” But it wasn’t to happen. God had been dealing with Frank all week and telling him not to marry me right now, but to wait. He’d been warning him with dreams – terrible dreams. While God was also giving me those same messages, I was turning a deaf ear to Him so that I could pursue my desires. I didn’t want to listen! I didn’t want to wait! I wanted to marry Frank Wilford more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my entire life!

I praise God that I’ve found Frank, and that he is a man who is willing to come to me knowing that it will hurt me and tell me God’s truth. He was gentle and loving through the entire thing. He showed me compassion even as his own heart was breaking.

I was angry at God. Yes, that’s right, angry at God. God knows our hearts and just as our children are sometimes angry with us, He knows we will sometimes be upset with Him. On Sunday I shouted at God in prayer “Why? Tell me why now? Why 7 days before the wedding do you stop this?” God gave me no answers on Sunday. I continued to cry out to Him in anger for several hours. But just as I don’t talk to my kids when they’re upset, He made me wait for the answer until I’d calmed down.

On Monday it came. The answer was clear and was given in Ezekiel 8, 1 John 3:1-3, Psalms 40, and several other passages. It was given through at least 3 people who called to comfort me. God wasn’t withholding the answer in anger towards me. He was now showering me with His truth and His love to show me the good and perfect way to marry Frank. He wanted me to place Him back on the pedestal of my heart, and serve only Him so I could be the wife Frank needs. He wanted me to grow closer to Him so that I could be a minister’s wife and helper. God will reign in my heart and life, even if it means pressing me as coal is pressured to create diamonds. From now on, God will reign supreme in my heart. That is my promise to Him.

There was another deeper lesson as well. My will was not God’s will, and it should have been. I should have been crying out to God begging for Him to show me His will in my life. Instead, I was running wild with a love like I’ve never known and chasing my own dreams. I must have looked like a kid in a candy store to God! I can see Him there behind me, running after me and I darted from isle to isle, trying to keep me out of trouble.

We are to be like Jesus. That’s the role of all Christians – to become like the Son of God. But there are times in the Bible that Jesus’ will was not God’s will. In John 6:38 Jesus says to his disciples, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. “ He had a different will than that of God the Father, yet He was obedient to the will of God. Again, when he was in the garden of Gethsemane, he prayed in Luke 22:42, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Jesus was willing to take on the will of God even when it meant His very death. What an example for us to follow! Obedience till death to gain life!

As Christians we should be obedient at all times to the will and way of God. We should be as the flowers are to the sun. They grow facing the sun. As the sun passes overhead, they bend to follow it. They strive to be ever near it and reach toward the skies seeking its warmth and nourishment.

Father God, help us to seek you and your will only. Help us that we will look toward you for all our answers. Grow us Father into the blossoms you want us to be. Change us Father into the vessels of your Spirit that you need. Love us Father enough to continually correct us. Amen.

The Dearest Friend I Ever Had

The Dearest Friend I Ever Had

 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8

We often talk about the joy of salvation while still living in this world, and the fact that it’s not just about getting a ‘ticket to heaven’.  It can be hard to explain what that joy is all about.  It’s like trying to describe a rain drop in the middle of a torrential rain!  Where to do you begin?  I believe we have to begin with Jesus.

Throughout my years on this earth I’ve had many friends, and I thank God for each and every one.  Friendship brings flavor to an otherwise doldrums life.  A friend gives you someone to talk over your thoughts with, to laugh with, to cry with, and to simply pass the time of life with.

But friends of this life come and go.  Through job changes I’ve lost touch with many dear people.  I worked many years as a consultant and would spend stints from a few weeks to many months working with a group of people only to have to move on to another company’s tasks and leave them all behind.  I’ve had friends in church that were closer than family.  But when either they or I were lead to another worship center, over time, I lost their friendship.

Earthly friends can turn on you too.  I’ve made my share of mistakes and hurt people I loved who never loved me the same thereafter.  People aren’t always forgiving of your mistakes, or can forgive you but never want to be that close to you again.

There are different levels of friends too.  I have a few friends I will share my deepest, darkest secrets with, and there are others that I’ve learned to limit what I share. 

And there are those friends that keep me around only for what I can do for them.  It’s obvious in when they call.  They call when they have a problem, a need, or when it’s convenient for them. 

But this is just how people are.  We all are sometimes unloyal, self-seeking, here today and gone tomorrow.  These are all still my friends, and I love them and value our friendships.  But then there is that best friend, the one who never leaves my side, is always forgiving, is always there for me to cry to, shows me things to laugh about, and loves me.

Jesus has been my dearest friend since the age of 8 ½, even though it took me many, many years to realize it.  You don’t understand salvation and the many gifts it brings when you get it.  That’s revealed over time.  So let me tell you about my dearest friend, and our friendship.  This is the joy of salvation.

Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”.  He is the unchangeable friend.  He doesn’t want to be my friend today, but tomorrow find someone else of greater popularity to befriend.  Even when being my friend isn’t popular – He is there.  He never changes.  He continues to be holy, loyal, loving, wise, and powerful.

I’ve lost many friends because I failed to keep up the relationship when the tasks of day to day life took my time.  Proverbs 18:24 says “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Friendship has to be worked, and earned.  Sometimes life happens, and that gets to be more than you can fit into your schedule.  Even a brother, who doesn’t give up on you so easily, may eventually forget to call you to check on you.  But Jesus is CLOSER than a brother.  I don’t have to work to be sure we stay in touch.  In Joshua 1:5 He promises “I will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Jesus doesn’t hold my mistakes against me.  I know they hurt Him, and yet He sees them and loves me in spite of myself.  He is forgiving.  In 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” All my sins, past, present, and future, were forgiven and covered in His righteousness on January 15, 1971, the day I believed in Him for my salvation.  He doesn’t hold my mistakes against me.  He simply nudges me an encourages me through His Spirit to do better.  There is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1), only love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can give Him my deepest secrets, my worries, my doubts, and know that they are safe with Him.  He’s not going to plaster it on a billboard, or gossip it to others.  He can be trusted.  He tells me in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  He gives true rest, true comfort, from the pains and worries of life.

Some will say, “How can you be friends with someone you cannot see?” and that is a good question.  But there are two ways in which things are seen.  First there is the usual way – with your eyes.  But then there are things you don’t see with your eyes, but you see by their effect on the things you can see, like the wind.  I don’t see the wind, but I see it blow the trees and shake the leaves.  I don’t see the breeze, but I can feel it on my face.  I don’t have to see Jesus with my eyes to know He is there. 

In my life, I’ve seen His presence in the answered prayers, the storms He has calmed, and times when He simply let me lean on Him and I found His strength when I was too weak to face life.  I’ve felt His presence in times when I was overcome with fear to the point of not being able to speak.  I’ve known Him to be there when times were so good that my heart felt as if it would pop like a balloon filled with love!  He is there – always – through the greatest gift I’ve ever received, which is His Spirit in me.   

On January 15, 1971 He entered my heart, placed his Holy Spirit in me, and became my best friend.  I’m happy to share my best friend with you.  Ask Him to enter your heart and be your best friend too.  He is the joy of salvation.

 Let Me Be Job

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” - Job 42:5-6

This morning I was getting my makeup on and about to do my hair. I thought to myself “you’re not going anywhere today - just pin it back - put it in a ponytail”, and suddenly I hear in my head “the weather today is supposed to be brutal, what if you died today and your hair wasn’t done?”

Oh, I know that voice. That’s the voice of lies, the voice of condemnation, the voice of fear and anxiety. It was satan. (Yes, little “s” because he doesn’t even deserve his name.) And without even thinking, my mouth said, “Let me be Job!” AH! I know that voice too. It didn’t come from me. It was pushed out by GOD!

As soon as I said it I questioned myself. Would I really want to endure what Job went through?

Job lost his health, all his children, all his herds, and all his riches. Then his three friends show up telling him that he must have sinned to have all this come against him. The book of Job has 42 chapters. Most of them were his friends telling him how horrible he must have been to have this happen to him. What kind of friend is that? The kind satan sends!

But when you get to Chapter 38, God speaks from a whirlwind. He questions all the things that were said. He tells Job not to listen to his friends, who were somewhat ignorant of what God can do.

What would it take to be like Job? Job leaned on God the entire time. He did not give up. He continued to listen to his friends and stood his ground. He put his FAITH in God. Hebrews 11:6 says that without having faith, we cannot please God. Don’t we all want to please God?

At the end of God’s discussion with Job, he saw who God was. He repented from how he felt the fear. What did God do? Did He punish Job? No. He awarded him! In Job 42:9, it says “the Lord had accepted Job”. What a beautiful 5 words! And then God gave Job twice as much as he had before. Friends, our God is the greatest Father we will ever have.

If you know me, you know the amount of stress lying on my shoulders for the past 3 years. I don’t need to go into the details. But I can tell you that without faith in God, I could not walk this path. He owns me. I am His child. If He chooses for me to take the route Job took, I know it will be ok because He will walk with me. But Lord, I’m not asking to be Job! I’m asking you to continue walking with me - no matter what. Because in You I find my strength, and a love that is eternal.

 

Do You Love Me?

It’s a question not often asked, and often the answer is false.  Some will tell you they love you and prove it.  Others will say they love you, but they don’t show it. 

There are many kinds of love in the Bible that have been translated into the English word “love”.  Yet we all know that there are different levels of love, and the Bible used several words to explain the level.

Agape is the highest form of love, which is what we have from God the Father. It is to love dearly, to welcome, to be well pleased.  Agape love is to be reciprocated to God in our actions.

Phileo is an affectionate love. It gives us approval, sanction, kind treatment.  It’s the type of love that families have for each other.

In the following verses, Jesus had rose from the dead and visited the disciples several times.  Jesus came to visit the disciples again and asks the question “Do you love me?” to Peter.  This was after Peter had denied Jesus three times while He was being tortured and prepared for the cross. Jesus asks the question “Do you love me?” three times – exactly as many times he denied Him.

From John 21:15-17, we read:

“So, when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agape) Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agape) Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (phileo) Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (phileo) You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep”.” 

Note that Jesus uses the word Agape, the love for and of God, for his first two questions. Peter answered both times with Phileo love.  In the third question, Jesus uses the word Phileo, as family love, and Peter answered with the same Phileo love. 

There’s a big difference between Phileo and Agape.  Phileo doesn’t require anything in return.  But Agape love will cause you to be obedient to God.  It will cause you to listen to His every word, and act upon it. 

In Genesis 22 God tells Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering, a sacrifice to God.  Abraham took his son and went to Mt. Moriah as he was told.  He strapped his son to the altar and was about to set it on fire when an Angel called from Heaven and told him not to lay a hand on him for God is providing the sacrifice.  Then the angel delivered a message that Abraham would be blessed and multiply as the number of the stars.  Abraham was acting on Agape love.  His obedience to God proved his love.

To truly love God, you must be obedient to Him.  Obedience is what He wants - not sacrifices.  When Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, he wanted to hear agape love.  Agape love will make us obedient to God from the love in our hearts for Him.  We will act upon His words and find joy in serving Him.  Peter would have “feed my sheep” if he was filled with agape love. He would have fed the sheep, which were those that believed in Jesus.  But instead, he only had phileo love.

How do we attain Agape love for God?  We must get to know Him!  We must know His words, His behavior toward us, His plans for us, and His undying love for us.  It’s not enough friends for us to know that God loves us, is omnipotent, can do the impossible, and so on.  We must learn to LOVE God with Agape love.  Reading your Bible, staying in prayer with Him, listening to His still small voice will bring you closer to Him.

When a woman falls in love with a man, she wants to know everything about him.  What he likes, what he hates, what is his favorite color, and oh so much more!  We try our best to be pleasing to the man we love. 

To be acceptable to God, we must obey Him.  Yes, Jesus has covered our sins! Yes, God forgives our sins.  Yes, God casts them far away from the east to the west.  That is His mercy.  But to experience His love fully, you must fall in agape love with Him.  Seek Him!  A woman spends time with the man she is in love with.  It works the same way with God. Spend time with Him.  Get closer to Him.  Your agape love will grow.

God bless you!

Free Advice for the Young

 

“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 2:11

Reading this today I realized I’m old enough to share some wisdom with younger people - but also realized I couldn’t spell “Ecclesiastes”!  But what advice can I give to the younger generation, those looking to build their lives and find independence and happiness?  What can I see looking back on my life that are traps and things I would change?  I’m sure all that are my age would have a list much like mine.  For the love of young people, many of which I can see their faces as I write, I’ll offer this advice.

First, be careful of the work treadmill.  Once you get on it, you are tossed into the daily grove of work, lunch, work, home, sleep, and repeat.  That makes your life boring, and your job something you dread.  Make time for yourself.  Make time to watch the trees blow in the wind and soak in the sunshine.  Indulge in nature! Read a book, create art, whatever give you joy and solitude.  Find time for yourself, or you will lose yourself to the expectations of others. Time is the gift God has given you.  Work, but don’t give all of God’s greatest gift away.

Secondly (but should be first) carve out time for God.  Never forget that He controls everything – even the breath you are breathing right now.  God is not only your maker, but the One that knows you intimately, and loves you most.  He has all the answers, all the solutions, all power, and all seeing.  He knew your future before you were born.  Talk with Him daily, ask for wisdom, discernment, and guidance.  Ask Him to correct you each time you have disappointed Him.  A strong walk with God changes everything.  You can be calm, steady, and at peace in the worst times if God is with you.

Make time for your friends – they’re likely to get on the work treadmill too!  When you lose your friends – you lose yourself.  Our relationships with our friends create who we are through what they will put up with, and what they won’t.  Find a friend that will be open and honest with you, the kind that will call you up and say ‘you suck as a friend’ when it’s true.  Find one that is ready to help even when they don’t have time.  Find authentic friends with whom you can share worries, heartbreaks, success, and excitement.

Don’t fall in love with money, or the things it buys.  The more money you get – the more things you can get.  But in the long run, those things go out of style.  They are redesigned with solar power or additional gigabytes, or some fancy automated AI technology.  But in the long run, they only work for a year or two and then they land in the trash.  Things can make us happy - but not for long.  Spend your money wisely.  Make memories and take pictures – because one day you will want to remember your youth.  Don’t look back and say it was wasted. 

Be generous to others, which will change your heart regarding money.   Give it away and you receive blessings – gifts from God (Proverbs 22:9, Acts 20:35).  Understand that what God has to give is better than anything you could buy.  Give it away to prove that you’re not “owned” by money.  If you ever get to where you grudge giving - you’ve got trouble! Go to God.

Don’t lose yourself.  Don’t try to be someone you are not.  When you do – you fade into the background of all the other who have swallowed the hook of “this is what is popular”.  You were created uniquely – keep that uniqueness which makes you special.

Fall in love!  Yes, sometimes it hurts and hurts badly!  But love – true love – is worth it.  A broken love breaks the heart indeed. But hearts mend and grow.  Ask God to place that perfect husband or wife in your path.  Get to know the ones that want to love you.  Love doesn’t always look like Barbie and Ken.  Have children – or adopt children.  The greatest love I’ve ever felt is from my kids and grandkids.  It’s a pure, genuine love.  It’s the closes love you can get on this earth other than God’s love.

I hope this will help some young people rethink what their future can be.  Success is found in your heart. 

Lose It

 

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 16:25

For most of my life I've chased "success". I've worked beginning at 14 every summer, while going to high school, and college with three jobs at once. I've never been without a job since then. I struggled with what people think of me, am I "good enough". In all honesty, I still battle with what people think...people that are nameless, but I feel I have to live up to a standard that I never meet.

Reading this verse this morning I searched for the full meaning. Basically, it's about our ego. Our Ego tells us what we desire, and how "terrible" it is without it. We are like little puppets on a string being pulled by the hand of our ego. There is no peace or love from your ego.

To "lose your life" as the verse states is not to die. It is to die to your ego and the worries of what other people think, will say, and so on. Then Jesus says "but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." I love the words Jesus chose! To lose your ego and your self ambition "for My sake will find it".

We're all chasing for "success" and we've built into our hearts and minds what that should be. The world has taught us that admiration comes from "success". Yet, the greatest love we could ever find can only be found by dropping that ego hard on the pavement and watching it crack like a clay dolls head! Put your ego to death! Pride is a weakness, not an asset (Proverbs 11:2, 16:18)

Give up on your ego, your heady rules for "success". Chase LOVE! Chase God's love, God's desires for you. He never asked us to be wealthy or famous. He just asks us to love Him back. Live in the peace of knowing that the One who owns it all - who made it all - is in love with you! Find that relationship with Jesus through salvation and relish in the reality of a love like no other, a constant state of peace and calm, mercy renewed every morning!

"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. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." - 1 John 2:16-17

 

Calamity

 

That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting

That there is none besides Me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other;

I form the light and create darkness,

I make peace and create calamity;

I, the Lord, do all these things.

- Isaiah 45:6-7

Calamity and Peace are both in God's hands. This verse reminds me of the old song by Lynn Anderson called "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden".

While God is good, gracious, merciful, and loving, He also wants to change us. He wants to create in us a new person filled with His Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit. But to do that, there has to be extractions. He will extract your hatred, your closed mind, your assumptions, your judgmental attitude, your every fault to sanctify you and create in you a clean heart (Psalm 51:10).

This is a painful process. There are losses we don't understand until we see our wounds healed from them. There are obstacles we must overcome that feel like we're climbing a steep mountain, and constantly falling down. But it is to lead us to the pinnacle.

All of the things in life that feel like calamity are either willed or allowed by our God. And because He knows and sees them all, we never walk through them alone. He is a prayer away. He offers us far better than we can ever be on our own. He gives you strength and power (Psalm 68:5) to go through the struggle and win the prize.

Don't give up during a struggle when God is on your side. Wait till He pulls you through the darkness and shows you the outcome. You'll be happy you stayed in the calamity with Him.

Fear and Knowledge

 

For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” But they did not understand this saying and were afraid to ask Him. – Mark 9:31-32

 Way back at the beginning of my IT career, I was sent to a conference in Evansville, Indiana.  I was so fresh into the IT world that I was still wet behind the ears! But I was eager to learn, and determined to take notes on everything, learn everything, and then …. “air message”.  The lecturer kept saying “air message”. 

In my mind I kept wondering what that was.  Was it a fault code from bad air in the room?  We were working with a mainframe at the time – one just a few weeks shy of using punch cards.  “Air message” he would say and regardless of what the remaining part of the sentence was – I stopped at those two words. 

Finally, we got a break, and I asked another lady who was attending what “air message” was.  She laughed hard!  Who knew that no further than from Cadiz to Evansville I’d run into a change in dialect. While I heard “air message” the speaker was saying “error message”.  I felt like a bubble headed ninny! But – because I asked – I got a lot out of the rest of the lecture.

Jesus’ disciples understood Jesus’  words.  Dialect was not their problem.  I think it was because of their pride they didn’t ask more questions about Jesus’ statement that He would die and be raised again on the third day. 

Mark wrote “they were afraid to ask Him”. Keep in mind, Jesus had  just overheard them trying to figure out who would be greatest as they walked through Galilee.  He had also just healed a boy from lifelong demon oppression – when they couldn’t.  No doubt their thoughts were the same as mine when OI didn’t want to ask, “what’s an air message?” – but should have – and would have understood more.

Sometimes we go through trials in our lives and we just don’t understand why.  Was it something we did, something we said? Are we being punished by God?  Is there something we’re supposed to learn from it? 

God welcomes all questions, and in His time reveals all answers.  Friends, it’s not like He doesn’t know our every thought!  Never be afraid to just ask. I’ve heard people say, “knowledge is power”, but honestly, knowledge is peace. It will uncloud your heart and head so you can move forward.

Yes or No is Enough

 

“Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

Therefore, Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”

And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. – Mark 6:18-26

I was raised to believe that I should not dance because dancing is why John the Baptist was beheaded.  But if we read this – and read it to understand – we see that it was the oath Herod gave that made him “exceedingly sorry” and caused him to behead John the Baptist. Dancing had nothing to do with it.  Instead, here we find why God says not to swear or make an oath to anyone. 

In Matthew 5:31-37 Jesus says:

“But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head,  because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”

I know there’s times when people will not believe we are going to do what we say.  But that’s their problem – not ours.  The way to prove your honesty is just that – prove it by being honest.  Come through on your promises, and treat the promise made in simple words will build your character.

But creating an oath, promising more than you can deliver, or swearing on anything is just a good way for to allow satan to steal your honesty and give you grief.  It’s a trap when people need more than your Yes or No.  Don’t fall into it.

 

Adultery

 

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 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. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? – James 4:1-5

I have to read this passage multiple times to take it all in.  James is saying so many things here.  But the basis of it all comes to one thing.  We are called “Adulterers and adulteresses”.  The words here are not regarding a man or woman cheating on their spouse.  It’s regarding God’s jealousy for us, and our desire to be part of the world, ignoring and even rejecting His love for our own passions and pleasures. 

We struggle in so many ways to meet up to the world’s expectations!  We try to look the part of a successful person, act the part of a perfect mother and wife, and be the best employee anyone could have so that we earn their favor.  We go into debt to appear to be successful.  We teach our children the dos and don’ts of the world, but far too often – we fail to teach them even the 10 commandments. 

By putting all our energy into living up to the world’s expectations, we encircle ourselves with wars and fights in our soul.  We’re depressed, tired, broken, defeated, and disengaged from God.  We know from Ephesians 2:14 that Jesus is our peace – yet we leave Him out of our lives.  We discredit the relationship with have or don’t have with Him for the relationships we have in this temporary life. 

James 4:4 says to be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God.  One may ask, why would it make us an enemy because after all God made the world?  The simple answer to that is yes, He did make the world, but we have corrupted it with our own desires.  When we try to meet up to the expectations of the world, we begin to worship the world.  We want the world’s money, the worlds fame, the worlds approval, and all it has to offer!  The word worship means simply to give reverence and adoration.  Is that not what we’re doing?

Is your life a trainwreck? Are you miserable, unfulfilled, anxious, depressed, and feeling like there’s nothing good in this life?  God is a prayer away.  For those that have received His salvation, He tells us He will never leave us or forsake us because His Spirit resides with us. 

But God is a jealous God.  He loves us with a love that is stronger than any other.  And believe me, He will not put up with our adultery with the world.  You’ll come to ruins if you put your faith, love, and hope in the world.   Keep in mind this world is not eternal (Matthew 24:35).  Would you put your money into a stock you knew was going bankrupt? Of course not.  Don’t put your stock in this world, put it – your love, time, and devotion – into the eternal God.  You’ll find something much greater than this world can offer you – peace.