July 30, 2020 Living Water CAC Daily Devotional Guide :- Wordless Enmity With God
Thursday, July 30, 2020 – International Friendship Day
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WORLDLINESS ENMITY WITH GOD
Read: James 4:1-5
James 4:1-5AMP“What leads to [the unending] quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war hin your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God]. You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires. You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose that the [human] spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy?”
Click here to read CAC Sunday School Manual for August 2, 2020
MEMORISE: Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4)
EXPOSITION
Worldliness is the condition of being concerned with worldly affairs, especially to the neglect of spiritual things. James 4:4 tells us, that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. “World” here means that system of ungodliness controlled by the devil and managed together with him by his cohorts. Apostle James uses the strong words “hatred” and “enemy” to drive home the point that we can either be in the world or in the kingdom, but not both, because they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. No one can be in the world and still maintain membership of the kingdom of God at the same time. Those who choose worldliness choose to live in the enemy’s camp, because all that is of the world is under the control of Satan (1 Jn. 5:19). He is the ruler of this world, and when we choose the world, we enlist in his evil army and become enemies of God. God forbid!
Worldliness embraces that which is devilish and seductive. It has to do with matters that are obstacles to the service of God, and in many cases, lure men away from interest in Christ, altogether (1 Jn. 2:16). Paul declares that the Christian way of life is denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and in contrast, living righteously and godly in this present world (Tit. 2:12). Conversion to Christ is not merely separation from ungodliness with a shrug. Rather, it must be an emphatic and total, complete “No!” to whatever does not glorify God and does not point others to His indescribable love.
On this year’s International Friendship Day, it should be forever part of us that God never tolerates anyone who chooses to stick out his neck from Christ’s fold to dine with the devil. It is either you are here or there. Advice: Choose to be on the Lord Jesus’ side.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Holy Spirit fire, purify me of every spirit of worldliness, and count me worthy of Your Kingdom.
2. Father, set me free from the devilish and seductive power of worldliness that hinders or draws back one’s service for God.
3. Father, grant every minister of the gospel of Christ the grace to deny themselves of ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live righteously and godly in this present world.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Job 22 – 23; 1 Peter 4