Are You Gonna Lose It???
The world…not the physical planet that we inhabit as the human race…but rather the global network of cultural, economic and political systems in which we live. It is a thing of beauty, and also of great darkness and suffering. All of it is in a state of flux. Literary genres peak and fade, music fads come and go, language evolves and morphs over time, and what was cherished generations ago is now frowned upon and derided.
Today, especially in the western world, and the nations influenced by its economic and cultural products - there is a drive towards living a life of pleasure, leisure and the pursuit of our own personal desires. The world tells us that we should go out and live our dreams, to be our true selves, to seek all the things that make you feel good, and you will live a happy and fulfilled life. It tells you to go seek the lifestyle that you want, and if anyone gets in your way - well they are merely obstacles to go around or over.
But is it true?
If we get everything we want and desire in this world, while we draw breathe into our lungs, does it truly bring peace and happiness?
The Greek and Roman cultures are the foundation of modern European and western thought, economics and politics. So, the systems that the early church faced are not all that dissimilar to those that we face in today’s world. The lust for personal gain, for power and influence, for physical pleasures, and for believing anything you wanted is there, present in the 1st Century. In fact, I would hazard a bet that if Julius Caesar could time travel and appeared in our time - (technology aside) he would recognise much of what he saw in his own time.
So, what does the Bible say on the issue, particularly in the New Testament. Here are six scriptures that address elements of why Christians should not immerse themselves too much in the things of this world.
The first of these scriptures is well known to most Christians, it is John 12:25 which says, “Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.”
This scripture is not just talking about our mortal lives, but also the lifestyles that we live - or seek to live.
If we are too fearful of losing our lifestyle, of losing our place in society, losing our relationships, our families or our livelihoods - then we are more reluctant to step out in daring faith and do things for the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
It is in those moments when we love our lifestyles over obedience to God, that we end up losing our lives.
Our lives and the legacy we leave behind is entirely dependent on what we do for the kingdom, not what we do to please our own desires and dreams.
Those who set aside all of those things - yes even unto death.
Paul even has evidence of this during his time of ministry, in 2 Timothy 4:10a he states that, “Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica…”
The fact that one of Paul’s helpers and fellow evangelists left Paul because he wanted to chase the things of this world is quite telling.
In all the decades that I have been involved in the church (including various leadership capacities) - one of the main reasons i have seen people leave the church and set aside their faith in God is because the lure of the world and all its pleasures and vices was more than the lure of a blessed future in Jesus Christ.
Living in the present becomes a form of god - an idol of sorts. Where pleasure, emotions, lusts and desires all outweighs faith and the servant heart that is needed to be a follower of Christ.
1 John 2:15-17 informs us that… “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
It is real easy to get sucked into the things of this world. The look and feel so good. They entice you into them.
But none of it is from the Father. The Father is about the eternal, whereas we are about this world and what it gives us.
If our focus is only about the here and now, we will only ever crave what is here and now.
If we place our focus on that of the Father and HIS kingdom then our focus shifts to the eternal, and we begin to crave that which is eternal.
This physical world will end…Jesus will make a new Heaven and new Earth - so why should we hold dearly to the things that are only of this world?
Our goal should be doing that which pleases God…now think about it….like really think about it…is what you do on a daily basis honour God? Is what you do - pleasing to God?
If it’s not…maybe we need to re-think what we are doing in life!!!
Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Things break, they rust, they decay….they are just….things.
But if we live righteously, we live as servants of the King of Kings, we live as though our eternity matters - well then we will have stored up treasures in heaven.
It is easy to see what priorities people have. You watch their behaviour and you see what they put their time and effort into….or you listen to what they say, and they speak more about things and achievements than the things of God’s Kingdom.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 notes, “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”
The endless search for more money, for more stuff, for more comfort, for an increase in your ease - is a trap.
Those that get sucked into it are foolish and that they will be harmed by the desires of their heart, mind and flesh.
The quest to be comfortable and to have better things than other people, well that can cause you to drift away from the faith, and from your relationship with God.
Natural cravings will leave us unsatisfied, always wanting more, always seeking something new and exciting. But the things that are of the Father, are of the divine, and of the eternal - well those things will always sustain you. I pray that in this time you seek first the Kingdom of God - so that these things shall be given to you as a blessing and provision from God.