July 10 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

1 John 2:15-29:

¹⁵Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
¹⁷And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
¹⁸Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
¹⁹They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
²⁰But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
²¹I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
²²Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
²³Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
²⁴Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
²⁵And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
²⁶These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
²⁷But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
²⁸And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
²⁹If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Devotional

By the "world" the apostle does not mean the beautiful things in nature, which are the handiwork of God, but the evil things which are the works of the devil, and which find expression in the lives of sinful men. By nature we are all inclined to evil, and cleave to the things of this world; but if we are begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, if we are risen with him, then we must seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. We cannot serve God and mammon. If we set our affection on things on the earth, we cannot set it on things above. "All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" But enemies of God can never hope to be happy, because indulging in sensual lust and nourish­ing the pride of life never produces happiness. Moreover, the world passesth away, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. He no longer lives unto himself, but unto him, who died for him and rose again. He believes on Christ, and has everlasting life and Christ will raise him up at the last day.

Prayer

O God, we pray, help us not to love the world, nor the things of the world; not to live to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Make us true, obedient children of Thine, who seek not their own honor, but the honor of him who died for them and rose again. Since the end of all things is at hand, help us to be sober, and to watch unto prayer. Above all grant us fervent love for one another. Keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: 1 Pet. 1:3: Col. 3:1; Luke 16:13; Col. 3:2; 1 John 2:16; Jam. 4:4; 1 John 2:17; 2 Cor. 5:15.

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