When the question comes up, how does one define a successful life? One will receive different answers. For the world has different definitions of success, but the answer the world gives always seems to be missing something. The world may define it as, amassing a great deal of wealth, having a good looking family, being able to do what one wants with no strings attached, or having the best looking spouse over everyone else. These are all things that the world says we should try to achieve. Yet as we study 1st John we read something much different. “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.”(1st John 2:15-17) We have talked about this before, things do not really change from the time that the bible was written to today, many things are still the same. Many people craved to have the things of this world, money, power, respect, possessions.
John writes to the Christians, don’t be fooled by what the world tells you put your love toward God, not the world. Stop worrying about what you don’t have on this earth because it is all going to fade away. Let’s stop and think about this for just a second, let us get real with the facts all of our stuff is someday going to get old and outdated, all the things the world says we need to be successful is not going to help us with living forever in the Kingdom Of God. For we must stop seeking the world and begin to seek God. James tell us this. “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can’t be a friend of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful? He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.”(James 4:4-10)
John writes to the Christians, don’t be fooled by what the world tells you put your love toward God, not the world. Stop worrying about what you don’t have on this earth because it is all going to fade away. Let’s stop and think about this for just a second, let us get real with the facts all of our stuff is someday going to get old and outdated, all the things the world says we need to be successful is not going to help us with living forever in the Kingdom Of God. For we must stop seeking the world and begin to seek God. James tell us this. “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can’t be a friend of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful? He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.”(James 4:4-10)
The time has come for us to decide are we going to truly follow God, and please God by loving Him and not the world? Are we ready to give up the dream of being successful in the eyes of men? Let us redefine what being successful is and not allow the world to tell us. Let’s go out and Love God with all of our hearts, and minds, and souls. Let us go and be examples of Christ to our neighbors and family showing them what love really is all about. Let us give up the things of this world so that we may live forever in everlasting Kingdom of God.
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