The Forbidden Love
SCRIPTURE: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15
We are Christians; and we are known by the world for our love. God is serious about us loving; He set it up that how we love each other (in the faith) is evidence we are His. Oh, and we, children of the light, are called to love even to the point of loving those who we know are our enemies-Matthew 5:44. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus commands us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds. We are called to Love! So could there be times when we are forbidden to love?
Well, in the verse above, God calls our attention to who, what, and when we are not to love. The vain love of the world is forbidden to those who are of the Father (Faith). Our Lord sets limits for our affections. He desires to keep us safe from the sins that so easily besets us. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are real. God imputed His righteousness to us through Jesus, His Son and our Savior. We are known to God and He wants us to believe Him as Truth with our entire existence. There is victory in only Him; and He wants us to dodge the bullets (or the fiery darts) of this world. For the world promotes dark temptations as it is determined to hate us.
God presents the world as a true threat. This word, world, is all that rebels against the Lord and His Word. Objects of our affection should always be in alignment and in submission to God’s Word. Not loving the things of the world means not to obey or be in agreement with the systems that arise from it. We are to guard ourselves from its sources of cravings, lusts, pridefulness...for these cause death. We are called to love that which brings us life and produces fruit of His righteousness. Hallelujah!!
Prayer: Lord, though we are prone to wander and leave You, please, oh God, grant us Your wisdom and faith to walk in Your most precious will and not have passions for that which causes You grief. Lord, help us to walk in all of Your Splendor that You have set before us, in Christ Jesus. That we would cherish You and all You have done for us that we would bless Your Name in everything we say and do. We are grateful for Your great commitment, Father, to love us even before we were found by You. For we were lost! And You placed us in the Light. In Jesus’ Name- Amen!
By Sis. Lisa Williams
Well, in the verse above, God calls our attention to who, what, and when we are not to love. The vain love of the world is forbidden to those who are of the Father (Faith). Our Lord sets limits for our affections. He desires to keep us safe from the sins that so easily besets us. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are real. God imputed His righteousness to us through Jesus, His Son and our Savior. We are known to God and He wants us to believe Him as Truth with our entire existence. There is victory in only Him; and He wants us to dodge the bullets (or the fiery darts) of this world. For the world promotes dark temptations as it is determined to hate us.
God presents the world as a true threat. This word, world, is all that rebels against the Lord and His Word. Objects of our affection should always be in alignment and in submission to God’s Word. Not loving the things of the world means not to obey or be in agreement with the systems that arise from it. We are to guard ourselves from its sources of cravings, lusts, pridefulness...for these cause death. We are called to love that which brings us life and produces fruit of His righteousness. Hallelujah!!
Prayer: Lord, though we are prone to wander and leave You, please, oh God, grant us Your wisdom and faith to walk in Your most precious will and not have passions for that which causes You grief. Lord, help us to walk in all of Your Splendor that You have set before us, in Christ Jesus. That we would cherish You and all You have done for us that we would bless Your Name in everything we say and do. We are grateful for Your great commitment, Father, to love us even before we were found by You. For we were lost! And You placed us in the Light. In Jesus’ Name- Amen!
By Sis. Lisa Williams
Archive
2024
January
Gratitude Mixed with Faith Should Equal ObedienceGrace Comes In God’s TimingGOD USES WHOM HE CHOOSESSeeing What God Sees to Get What God HasA Life Verse That Is Good for Every YearSeeing Things as God Sees ThemThree QuestionsDon’t Worry About the FutureForgiveness Is Our Daily CelebrationPeace When We Do RightGod’s True Children Certainly Should KnowRegret In Missed OpportunitiesThe Attitude of Delight Is RightMeditation Deprivation Is EvidentARE YOU A DISCIPLE OR JUST A CONVERT?An Anchored Soul Won’t QuitGod Wants to Be BelievedFinding God in Our PainI Must Be About God’s WordWhat the Wondrous Word of God Can Do in a Willing ServantSeeing Things God’s WayGetting Along for Jesus SakeMeditating Brings Us Success In The Christian LifeThe State of Mind That Pleases GodPraised By the RaisedHaving the Right Knowledge for Real FaithWhose Mind Do You Think With?All My Heart & All My WaysWise with the Lord’s TimeNo Shame About What God Has SaidPrayer Is A Conversation
February
DEEP ARMOR FOR THE STEEP CLIMBDressed in the Whole Armor of God for Spiritual WarfareGRAB THAT ARMORSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIn My Dressing Room (Putting on the Armor of God)Armored for Any WeatherTruth is Foundation for Our FaithA Work in Progress and A Mouth in TrainingREJECTION OF GOSSIP, SLANDER, LIES, AND DISCORD: THE PERFECTING OF 'FEBRUARY'THE DETESTABLESSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIf the Lord Hates It, We Should TooThe Offense Ward of the Sin HospitalSpilling the TeaWe are in ChristLet us Do BetterSpread Love, Not GossipSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLThe GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - FilledTHE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONTROLA Drunken SpiritLookin’ Like Our DaddyFermented or Fresh; How is Your Fruit?We Have it AllSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLJESUS’ LOVE MANDATEHIS Walk, Our Hopethe greatest gift of allTo Love Like Christ
March
LOVE x LOVELove is CommitmentSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor CockrellTHE HIGHEST DEBT OF LOVEPREVAILING IN LOVE, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROMISEReturn Your Love to METhe Loveless ChurchWhat Do You Want First: the Good News or the Bad News?POSITIVE FRICTION THAT MAKES US BETTERSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHis Love Versus My FearsJESUS LOVES YOUBe Surrendered to 'Love'Victory Over Fear: Life’s Small LessonsJesus, Our VictoryTRUST CHRIST, BANISH FEARSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHarmony and Discord Aren’t FriendsHOLY PARAMETERSBlinded by HateACT or REACTRESISTING ANGER AND HATE IN CONFLICTPeculiar PeopleSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellONWARD & UPWARDHow To Fall ForwardThe Front Windshield is Much Bigger than the Rearview MirrorONE THING TO DOLooking Back Will Have You SaltyGreat Cloud of WitnessesSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne Cockrell
5 Comments
Amen and thank you sister Lisa for the encouraging devotional on how we should love not the world!
We see how man can worship the created rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever. It is a fight not to get caught up in beautiful little trappings of this world-for all of it is perishing. Instead let’s give thanks for it and for the One who created it, because He is good!!!! Amen and thank you, Sis. Lisa.
Amen
Amen ?Amen!
Amen, were in the world, but not of the world, left in this world as His love letters, bidding the lost to be found, to come 'home'.