Being the World's Friend is being God's Enemy

You are like unfaithful wives having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God! Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God. - James 4:4

Sometimes I feel like I say the same things over and over. I guess God is trying to get this information to penetrate the thick sculls that make up His Church. LOL!

The Church as a whole is a pitiful example of what Jesus died for us to be. Jesus died for so much more than our Salvation. He also died so that we may have peace, joy, and a sound mind. He left us with a mission. A mission to tell others about His great love through our words, life and deeds. He left us the Holy Spirit to comfort us and His Mighty Name to give us power.

He did not intend for us to let the devil make the rules. He did not intend for us to become friends of this world through indifference. In many ways, you cannot even tell the difference between the world and the Church...

The Body of Christ seems to be asleep, while our very cunning adversary swoops in for the kill. Does that sound like a dramatic statement? I think it is an understatement! Why? To answer this we must ask several questions.

If the Church was awake and active would there even be a hint of legalizing gay marriages in the air?

No. If the Church were awake and STANDING for Truth, there would have been a march on Washington like there has never been seen before. We would not let such a thing slip by.

Would there be pornography displayed at every turn?

No. Christian men would rise up and not tolerate such an attack on their minds. The Church as a whole would push for better laws to prevent our children from having to see these disgusting displays when walking into a convenience store to get a Slurpee.

Would prayer be illegal in schools that we pay taxes in?

No. Honestly, I don't know how we ever let such a thing happen. I mean WHERE was the Church???

Would the divorce rate in the Church be the same and even higher than the world's?

No. We would align ourselves together and help marriages. We would prepare our young people for marriage. We would teach our children that a happy marriage isn't about "feelings" and getting your own way. It is about giving, loving and forgiving for a lifetime. We would LIVE it out before them and forget about our ridiculous "needs."

If the church were awake would the world have such a powerful hold on our entertainment?

No. Unfortunately, the Church has become desensitized. We watch things that I don't believe we would ever watch if Jesus came for dinner and a movie. We watch movies with language that we would never use in front of our pastors. We watch movies with sexually explicit scenes and then wonder why there is a pornography problem in the Church. Yes, the Church! Think about it...honestly, that is how I judge what I should watch. If we could see Jesus in the flesh and have Him over for a movie...would we watch the same things?? Hmmmm. Funny though, He LIVES in us, so He IS there!

Need I go on?

I don't think so.

I hope and pray that somehow the Church will arise from its slumber, grab their weapons, and put the devil back in his slimy evil place. If we do not, what kind of world will our children be left with? What are we teaching them with our apathetic reaction to the chaos that is whirling all around us?

If we do nothing, it is like leaving them alone in a dark room filled with venomous vipers. Can you live with that? I can't.

Let's Pray,

Daddy God, I pray that You open my eyes. Help me to see and to recognize the enemy and his ways to sneak into my mind and life. Help me to not become desensitized, but to remain on fire for Truth and Holiness. Help me to train my children up to be all that You created them to be. Help me to show them this through my living example. Lord, please forgive me if I have become a friend of this world. Thank You. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Wrong Motives

...You do not have, because you do not ask.

Or you do ask and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is to spend it in sensual pleasures. - James 4:2b-3

God is all about the heart of a person. He could care less how many of our self made faces we put on in life. He looks at the "why" not the "do." He looks deep in our hearts to find our hidden agendas and motives that we even hide from ourselves. He looks beyond the fronts we put up for others.

You have not because you ask not.

This tells me if I ask, I can receive. However...The next verse is the key to the deal.

When we ask with the wrong motives. When we ask for selfish reasons. When we ask out of discontentment. When we ask for things that have no good purpose for our lives. I think that God is like any good parent. He must do what is best for us. Even when WE do not like it or think it is unfair. He would love to give all of His children prosperity. Unfortunately, with prosperity comes the temptation to forget Him, and He knows this, so I believe that is one of His motives for keeping too much abundance from us at times.

We may want something, ask for it, and never receive it. Not because God does not love us, but because He does love us. And He knows us better than we do. He knows what is good for us.

When we are walking closely with God on a regular basis, we gain more and more of His character and we begin to want what He wants . Then when we ask for things, it is not out of selfish motives. It is from a true and faithful heart. Knowing that all things are His and we are not complete in "things." We are complete in Him. And if we lose everything, it is OK, because we know this and understand it! We know that our eternity is what really matters, not the fluff we can get here on earth for a season.

Let's Pray,

Daddy God, thank You for loving me and only wanting the best for me. Thank You for protecting me from my self. I love You Lord, and YOU are enough. You are ALL that I ever need. Thank You for all that You do and the MANY blessings that You have given me. I pray that You continue to show me Your Will for my life and help me to fulfill it. I love You, Lord. I want more than anything in this world to live a life that pleases You. Thank You for Your love, kindness, and mercy. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.