Choosing God Over the Allure of the World

 

Summary

In our journey as Christians, we must constantly evaluate our relationship with the world and our Heavenly Father. When we love the world, we risk jeopardizing our intimacy with God. Although He remains our Father, our closeness to Him is compromised. James 4:4 warns us that friendship with the world equates to hostility towards God. This means that many of us unknowingly become enemies of God by aligning ourselves with worldly values. Our call is to be in the world but not of it, participating without adopting its values. We are to be distinct, marching to the beat of a different drum, and seeking the Father above all else.

The world, much like a temporary allure, can seem appealing, but it ultimately leaves us empty. We are like fish out of water when we try to thrive in an environment we weren't created for. Our true existence is found in the Kingdom of God, and we must operate from that worldview. When we align ourselves with the world, we end up suffocating spiritually, as we are not meant to breathe its air. God calls us to be His representatives in every sphere, not to conform to the world but to transform it with His presence.

The world is passing away, and its temporary nature should not dictate our values. We must not make permanent what is temporary. The allure of the world is like a fleeting offer that seems valuable until its temporary nature is revealed. Our perspective must shift to the eternal, valuing the long-term benefits of our relationship with God over the temporary pleasures of the world. This eternal perspective helps us endure temporary inconveniences, knowing that the reward is far greater.

Key Takeaways:

- Our intimacy with God is compromised when we love the world. Friendship with the world makes us enemies of God, even as His children. We must choose between the world and the Father, as we cannot have both. [06:03]

- We are called to be distinct in the world, participating without adopting its values. Our uniqueness comes from our love for the Father, not the world. This distinction sets us apart in our jobs, schools, and communities. [07:29]

- Like fish out of water, we struggle when we try to exist in an environment we weren't created for. Our true existence is in God's Kingdom, and we must operate from that worldview to thrive spiritually. [09:08]

- The world is temporary and passing away. We must not make permanent what is temporary, as this leads to spiritual loss. Our values should be shaped by the eternal, not the fleeting allure of the world. [13:07]

- A long-term perspective helps us endure temporary inconveniences for eternal rewards. When we value the eternal over the temporary, our priorities align with God's Kingdom, leading to true fulfillment. [16:37]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [05:30] - Jeopardizing Intimacy with God
- [06:03] - Friendship with the World
- [07:09] - Crucified from the World
- [08:16] - Marching to a Different Drum
- [09:08] - Fish Out of Water
- [10:02] - God's Representatives
- [10:37] - The Allure of the Present World
- [11:28] - Clash of Values
- [12:05] - Returning to God
- [12:41] - The World is Passing Away
- [13:41] - The Temporary Nature of the World
- [14:54] - Changing Value Systems
- [15:31] - Embracing Temporary Inconveniences
- [16:37] - Long-term Perspective

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. James 4:4 - "You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
2. Galatians 1:4 - "Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father."
3. 1 John 2:17 - "The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

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Observation Questions:

1. According to James 4:4, what does friendship with the world signify in our relationship with God? How does this align with the sermon’s message about intimacy with God being compromised? [06:03]

2. In Galatians 1:4, what is the purpose of Jesus giving himself for our sins? How does this relate to the sermon’s call to operate from a Kingdom worldview? [09:27]

3. How does the sermon describe the temporary nature of the world, and what analogy is used to illustrate this concept? [13:07]

4. What does 1 John 2:17 say about the world and its desires, and how does this passage support the sermon’s emphasis on eternal values over temporary pleasures? [12:41]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of being "crucified from the world" in Galatians 6:14 help believers understand their role in the world without adopting its values? [07:09]

2. What does the sermon suggest about the consequences of aligning with worldly values, and how does this affect one's spiritual health? [09:44]

3. How does the sermon illustrate the idea of temporary allure versus eternal perspective, and what impact does this have on a believer’s decision-making process? [14:54]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that a long-term perspective can help believers endure temporary inconveniences for eternal rewards? [16:37]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current relationship with the world. Are there specific areas where you feel your intimacy with God is compromised due to worldly influences? How can you address this? [05:49]

2. Consider your daily environment, whether at work, school, or home. How can you be distinct and represent God’s Kingdom without conforming to worldly values? [07:29]

3. Identify a situation where you felt like a "fish out of water" spiritually. How can you realign yourself with God’s Kingdom to thrive in that environment? [09:08]

4. The sermon mentions the temporary nature of worldly allure. What are some temporary pleasures you are currently valuing, and how can you shift your focus to eternal values? [13:07]

5. Think about a recent decision you made. Did you consider the long-term spiritual implications, or were you swayed by immediate gratification? How can you cultivate a long-term perspective in future decisions? [16:37]

6. How can you practically demonstrate your love for the Father over the world in your daily interactions and choices? [07:41]

7. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually suffocated by worldly influences. What steps can you take to breathe the "air" of God’s Kingdom more consistently? [09:44]

Devotional

Day 1: Intimacy with God vs. Love for the World
When we allow our hearts to be captivated by the world, our intimacy with God is compromised. The world offers temporary pleasures that can seem appealing, but they ultimately leave us empty and distant from our Heavenly Father. James 4:4 warns us that friendship with the world equates to hostility towards God. As His children, we must choose between the world and the Father, as we cannot have both. Our relationship with God should be our highest priority, and we must guard it against the allure of worldly values. [06:03]

James 4:4 (ESV): "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where worldly values have taken precedence over your relationship with God. How can you realign your priorities to restore intimacy with Him today?


Day 2: Distinctiveness in a Conforming World
As Christians, we are called to be distinct in the world, participating without adopting its values. Our uniqueness comes from our love for the Father, not the world. This distinction sets us apart in our jobs, schools, and communities. We are to be in the world but not of it, marching to the beat of a different drum. Our lives should reflect the values of God's Kingdom, serving as a testament to His transformative power. [07:29]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: In what specific ways can you demonstrate your distinctiveness as a follower of Christ in your workplace or community this week?


Day 3: Thriving in God's Kingdom
Like fish out of water, we struggle when we try to exist in an environment we weren't created for. Our true existence is in God's Kingdom, and we must operate from that worldview to thrive spiritually. The world may offer temporary allure, but it ultimately suffocates us spiritually. We are called to be God's representatives in every sphere, transforming the world with His presence rather than conforming to it. [09:08]

Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV): "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel spiritually suffocated. How can you begin to operate from a Kingdom perspective in that area today?


Day 4: The Temporary Nature of the World
The world is temporary and passing away, and we must not make permanent what is temporary. The allure of the world is like a fleeting offer that seems valuable until its temporary nature is revealed. Our values should be shaped by the eternal, not the fleeting allure of the world. By shifting our perspective to the eternal, we can endure temporary inconveniences, knowing that the reward is far greater. [13:07]

1 John 2:17 (ESV): "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

Reflection: What is one temporary desire or pursuit that you need to let go of in order to focus on eternal values? How can you take a step towards doing that today?


Day 5: Embracing Eternal Rewards
A long-term perspective helps us endure temporary inconveniences for eternal rewards. When we value the eternal over the temporary, our priorities align with God's Kingdom, leading to true fulfillment. The challenges we face in this world are momentary compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. By keeping our eyes on the eternal, we can navigate life's difficulties with hope and perseverance. [16:37]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: Reflect on a current challenge you are facing. How can you shift your focus from the temporary discomfort to the eternal reward that God promises?

Quotes

"if you I we us love the world your relationship with your daddy in heaven has been jeopardized he's still your father he's still your father because you're his child if you're a Christian but you have jeopardized intimacy if you love the world he won't hang with you so one of the reasons why more of us aren't experiencing more of God is we got too great a love affair with the world and God is saying well if you want the world you can't have me" [00:05:11]

"friendship with the world is hostility with God so it's not even like we can't even be friends with the world friendship with the world makes you God's enemy so God has a lot of enemies among his children and they don't even know that they're the father's enemy but then we called on the father to help us be closer to his enemy the world we're actually calling on God to be happy that we have this intimate relationship with his enemy" [00:06:01]

"Paul says in Galatians 6 14 I am crucified from the world in other words I'm in it I participate with it but what I don't do is adopt the values of it so I'm not like everybody else on the job I'm not like everybody else in the school I'm not like everybody else in the neighborhood I'm not like them because I don't love that what I love is the father" [00:07:13]

"we've all seen a fish out of water if you've seen a fish out of water it's trying to survive you know it's trying to make it the problem is it's trying to make it an Enviro in an environment it was never created for see it's struggling to exist and the reason the only reason the fish is struggling is because it's not supposed to be there because once you throw the fish back in the water it can be what it was created to be because it's where it was created to exist" [00:08:31]

"far too many of God's children are gills flopping and Miles open because we are operating in an environment we will not redeemed for we were redeemed for another kingdom and God wants us to operate out of that worldview not this worldview and if you're trying to operate off of this worldview when you were born again for this worldview you're going to be sucking satanic air and you wonder why you're choking because we're operating in the wrong environment" [00:09:17]

"the world is passing away and also it's lust but the one who does the will of God abides forever he says you need to understand something the world is passing away it's going to leave you or you gonna leave it don't make permanent something that's temporary don't make permanent something that's temporary the world is passing away so don't act like it's not going nowhere or you're not going nowhere some Something's Gonna Move here" [00:12:41]

"once I added the temporary nature it changed the value system see that 10 million dollars sound good until it became temporary for you to benefit from it once it became temporary it changed your boom value system it wasn't all that it sounded good up front that's what the world does it sounds good up front but he wants you to know the world is passing away so don't treat it like stuff not going nowhere" [00:14:32]

"unless you have a long-term perspective you will settle for the temporary passing away of the world while losing the father in the middle of it all" [00:16:40]

"so when you choose me in an arena where the world rejects me you're going to have issues so I want to just talk Pie in the Sky stuff no you're going to have issues when the values of God clash with the values of this world there's going to be a Clash not because you're trying to make a class not because you're unloving or non-compassionate it's just the values don't agree" [00:11:18]

"the world is passing away and also it's lust but the one who does the will of God abides forever he says you need to understand something the world is passing away it's going to leave you or you gonna leave it don't make permanent something that's temporary don't make permanent something that's temporary the world is passing away so don't act like it's not going nowhere or you're not going nowhere some Something's Gonna Move here" [00:12:41]

"Paul said in second Timothy 4 10 demons demons has forsaken me forsaken me having loved this present world key word is present you know what gets us about the world he gives us the impression this is all there is Demas has forsaken me because he has loved this present world he was he was in with me in Ministry but then the world got so good to him that he forsooked me he wanted the Applause of the secular crowd he wanted the recognition of the ungodly audience he wanted the he wanted the Embrace of the culture and because he wanted that so badly he walked away from God" [00:10:24]

"the world is passing away and also it's lust but the one who does the will of God abides forever he says you need to understand something the world is passing away it's going to leave you or you gonna leave it don't make permanent something that's temporary don't make permanent something that's temporary the world is passing away so don't act like it's not going nowhere or you're not going nowhere some Something's Gonna Move here" [00:12:41]

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Transcript
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