“Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.
Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him.
The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.”
1 John 2:15-17 MSG
There are only two ways to live: loving the world’s ways and goods…OR loving the Father. They don’t co-exist. Loving the world will squeeze out your love for the Father. Period.
So, what or who are you loving more? When you’re in His Word, you are being conformed to the likeness of His Son…His ways. And when you’re in the world, you’re being squeezed into its ways. We have a choice every moment of everyday.
The key to loving the world is “me-oriented”. My way. My selfish desires. Thinking, “I’m a Big Shot.” So, if that’s your M.O., then you’re well on your way to isolation from the Heavenly Father. Not a good place to be. Not something you desire, I’m sure, but it WILL HAPPEN as it has nothing to do with the Father and everything to do with promoting self.
That way of living is on its way out. Oh, yeah it can lead to temporary happinesses, but they will only collapse in a heap. A heap of regrets. A heap of denials. A heap of sorrow.
But when we do what God wants us to do, we are set for eternity!! Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)
It’s all about denying your own selfish ways and “doing the next right thing”! That’s following Jesus! THAT’S the key to loving the Father and not the world. It will make a difference now…and for all of eternity.
