I believe that one of the reasons Christians are so ineffective in evangelism is that so many live like the people of the world around us. We all have to admit that whatever commands our time, energy, and resources usually commands our lives in the moment. For the believer, if we are honest, many of us will admit that our lives really aren’t that different from those of our secular counterparts. Some may go to church Sunday morning out of ritual, something to do between breakfast and lunch but nothing more. Some hang around church buildings and abstain from a few more things, but we simply aren’t that different. There are specific areas mentioned in scripture where the followers of the Lord Jesus must fight the battle against our sinful cravings. It is written in *1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world.* John used the word, “world” to refer to the evil, organized system under Satan, which operates through unbelieving people who are God’s enemies. Worldliness is at its core, a matter of the heart and primarily an attitude that is motivated by wrong desires and the wrongful promotion of self. There are different perspectives that we need to look at. A poor man who does not have many possessions may be very worldly because he desires those things as the key to happiness. But, a wealthy man may not be worldly in that he uses his possessions as a steward of God and as a means of promoting God’s purpose and glory. Neither of these are the norm because whether rich or poor most people would rather have earthly pleasure rather than heavenly rewards. Beloved brethren, as Christian’s, we need to make a choice: Will we love the Father and live every moment with a heavenly mindset, or will we love the world and all that it has to offer? Most of us have made that choice half heartedly and find it difficult to maintain it one way or the other. I want to encourage all who hear these words, do not yield to the temptations and lust of the world, but to the will of God for you. My prayer for all of us, “Heavenly Father, please open our eyes and help us to see our hearts and what they are truly set upon and change them if need be to be focused on the things of Christendom, in Jesus’ precious and powerful name, Amen.” In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog

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