CUT
THE WORLDLY CORD
BREAD
15 Do not
love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of
the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful
man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not
from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who
does the will of God lives forever. 1
John 2:15-17 (NIV)
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.
As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the
world. That is why the world hates you.”
John 15:18-19 (NIV)
13 Do not
be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 1 John 3:13 (NIV)
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for
they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My
prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them
from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world,
even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth;
your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world,
I have sent them into the world. John 17:14-18 (NIV)
4 You
adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred
toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of
God. James 4:4 (NIV)
27 Religion
that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after
orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by
the world. James 1:27 (NIV)
11 For
the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and
godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to
redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his
very own, eager to do what is good. 15 These, then, are the things you should teach.
Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Titus 2:11-15 (NIV)
9 Do
your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted
me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to
Dalmatia. 11 Only
Luke is with me. 2 Timothy 4:9-11 (NIV)
BUTTER
“Such as are haughty and self-conceited, rush
against the mighty hand of God, and destroy themselves; but those that are
humbled under it, will be protected by the same. Whatever knowledge or skill we may obtain in
the schools of human learning, the Scripture does not yet allow us to be truly
wise, but calls us blind and mere worldly students, till we learn to be poor in
spirit, lowly in heart, and dead to the world.
Therefore, the more a man dies to this world, the more is he
enlightened.” K. H. Von Bogatzky
“Does my life and conduct correspond to my high calling as a Christian? Am I actuated by the love of Christ instead of worldly ambition? Do I prefer God’s honor to my own and justice to gain? When I look to myself, I feel such a burden of sin that no other hope of salvation is left me but in the mercy of Christ alone.” Gregory VII - Hildebrand
“A
Gospel-empowered believer rests his or her identity in Christ. In his Epistles,
the Apostle Paul often used the expression “in Christ.” We can’t come close to
addressing the breadth of this phrase, but to be “in Christ” means to share in
Christ’s death and resurrection, and to be placed under the headship of Christ
rather than under the curse of Adam. It means that we now live with a
completely different relationship with God. Christ’s death and resurrection are
the foundations of the Gospel-driven life. Dying with Christ means finding no
life in the things that used to run our lives and it means living under a new
dominion and a new King. For instance, while self and success are the central
motivations in a performance-driven life (expressed in varied ways), Christ
calls us to do everything for his glory and not for our own. Being raised with
Christ means rising to a new way of living under his Kingship… Rather than
being driven by a selfish desire to be successful for our own glory, we’re
moved by a passion and calling by God upon our lives to be image-bearers and
missionaries in obedience to Christ and for the glory of God.” Tom Wood & Scott Thomas
“The
entertaining of any worldly lust, and indulgence of any known wilful sin, is an
accursed thing, by which we are deprived of the power of God, and cannot stand
before our enemies. Behold, therefore
the severity of God, and be more earnest.
Make all haste to flee from the lust of the world, especially from the
lust of the eye, which is the love of money.
Examine thyself closely in other things, and whatever sinful lust
harbors in thy breast, be faithful to put it off, and flee from it, else you
must not wonder at your being so weak in spirit. He that does not resist the sinful motions of
his heart, will very easily give a loose to his hands and tongue; but he that
immediately subdues the inward corruptions, will certainly be preserved from
their breaking out in any sinful actions.
O Lord, deliver me from all accursed things, and keep my heart always
under thy closest inspection and discipline.
Amen.” K. H.
Von Bogatzky
HEART
SAVOR
- · I am to have no other gods before God. Living for the world in lieu of living for God is improper priority (to say the least). In this I deny myself of God’s achieving power of conquering sin in my life and enjoying life to the fullest measure.
- · God searches my heart and so should I. In building my “temple” I am to be strong and do the work. 9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” 1 Chronicles 28:9-10 (NIV).
- · It is easy to fall into the pattern of following after the world instead of God. I am to be diligent in this pursuit. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26 (NIV)
