Life has a lot of different activities; and the world is full of all kinds of things. Many of those activities, and the stuff are inherently bad or wrong. In fact, Solomon told us in Ecclesiastes that God does want us to enjoy them…to an extent. It is when we allow them to dominate our hearts and minds that they and the world become a distraction and even worse an idol.
John tells us that we can’t love both God and this world. We can’t have both as our number 1…well because there is only one 1. So, if we’ve allowed the world and its stuff to become #1 in our hearts that by default means God isn’t. And if God isn’t, then we don’t really love God. The desires of this world – of the flesh (my body wants and enjoys something), of the eyes (my mind sees something and wants it), and pride (inflated self worth and importance) – those aren’t from God. They are from the Devil because those desires trump our desires to please God. Our body wants something so instead of reining it in – we do it or consume it. Our eyes see something so instead of being contented we covet and hoard. Our ego wants attention and praise so instead of checking it we give it a free pass to blind us to the reality of our position to God and others.
All of these desires highly Satan’s true nature – corruption. He actively seeks to corrupt everything God has made. God created our bodies, mind, and psyche – yet the Devil distracts them with temporary desires to corrupt us. All of these desires of the world are rooted in one of Satan’s oldest tactics – destruction of self control. We want so we do. We see so we take. It is this refusal to keep our minds, body, and heart in check that pit us against God. Because when we allow them to do, take, and think whatever they want – we are putting their desires and wants and thoughts about God. When we live a life lacking in self control and eternal perspective, those desires lead to destruction – not only in this life but the next. And, someone who does lives like that…well they don’t and can’t truly love God.
And yet the desires Satan tricks us into making an idol and convinces us are more important than God’s will are temporary and fading. We’ve put our trust and hope in something that won’t last and in things that won’t save us but destroy us.
The only thing that is eternal is God and His will. So, those who allow God and His will to rule their body, eyes, and mind – they will live forever with God because they’ve put their hope in the only one who lasts forever.
We can serve have one god. We either serve the god of this world with all Satan’s temporary distractions and destructive desires. Or, we serve the Living Eternal God whose commandments are not only meant to help us in this life but also lead us to eternal life with Him.
Choose your master. You can only have one.
Adonai's Appeal 