🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ Who Do You Love? Are You Sure?

Scripture: 1 John 2:15 KJV

“Love 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.”

Devotion :

Do you remember growing up when one of your friends fell out with somebody and suddenly…

YOU weren’t friends with them anymore either? 😂

You didn’t even have anything to do with the argument!

But that was your friend, and there was this unspoken rule:

“If you don’t fool with my friend, I don’t fool with you either!”

😂😂😂

Now, it may sound silly when we think about some of those childhood friendships, but let’s bring it up to our BIG AGE now. 😂

If somebody you deeply love: your spouse, your sister, your brother, your child, or your closest friend; were cool with somebody who absolutely hated you, mistreated you, talked badly about you, and intentionally worked against you…

And you found out that your loved one was hanging out with that person like:

“Heyyyy girl!” 😂👋🏽

Hold on now!

You would probably have some questions!

👀

“How can you claim to love ME so much, but be comfortable being close friends with somebody who hates me?”

Think about it.

You would probably question their loyalty.

You might even question their love.

Because something doesn’t add up.

Now…

LET’S READ THE SCRIPTURE TOGETHER.

“Love 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.”

Whewww! 😮‍💨

John is basically confronting us with the same kind of loyalty question.

And James 4:4 makes it even plainer:

“…know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?”

In other words:

YOU CAN’T BE FRIENDS WITH THE WORLD AND EXPECT THAT FRIENDSHIP NOT TO AFFECT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

Now, when the Bible says “the world,” it isn’t telling us to hate people.

God loves people!

John is talking about the sinful system, desires, values, and ways of this world that are opposed to God.

And God and the world’s ways are so opposite that you cannot truly give your heart completely to both.

The world says:

Do whatever makes you happy.

God says:

Obey Me.

The world says:

If it feels good, do it.

God says:

Be holy.

The world says:

Get even.

God says:

Forgive.

The world says:

Put yourself first.

Jesus says:

Deny yourself and follow Me.

The world celebrates things God calls sin and sometimes calls things God says are right wrong.

So eventually…

YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHO YOU LOVE ENOUGH TO FOLLOW.

😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

And this is where we need to examine ourselves.

Because just like that friend who says:

“I’m staying neutral. I’m friends with both of y’all!”

😂

Some people are trying to do that with God and the world.

Sunday:

“I love You, Jesus!” 🙌🏽

Monday through Saturday:

“But I also really like what THEY’RE doing over here.” 👀

Whewww!

We want God’s blessings…

But the world’s lifestyle.

God’s protection…

But the world’s approval.

God’s promises…

But the world’s pleasures.

God’s eternity…

But we don’t want God interfering too much with how we live right now.

THAT’S DIVIDED LOYALTY.

And according to today’s Scripture, it’s also divided love.

John says:

“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

That’s strong.

And we shouldn’t soften it because it makes us uncomfortable.

🙏🏽

This Scripture should make us ask:

WHO DO I REALLY LOVE?

Not who do I say I love.

Not what does my Facebook bio say.

Not whether I own a Bible.

Not whether I attend church.

Not whether I know worship songs.

WHAT DOES MY LIFE SAY I LOVE?

Whewww! 😮‍💨🔥

Because love produces loyalty.

If I love God, there should be some things I won’t participate in simply because they oppose the One I love.

There should be some things I won’t support.

Some things I won’t celebrate.

Some things I won’t allow to control me.

And some things I will have to walk away from.

Not because I’m trying to prove I’m better than anybody.

But because:

I CHOSE GOD.

🙌🏽

And choosing God doesn’t mean we never struggle.

It doesn’t mean we never fall.

It doesn’t mean temptation disappears.

But when my heart belongs to God, I cannot become comfortable making peace with everything He is calling me away from.

If I fall…

I get back up and return to Him.

If He convicts me…

I listen.

If His Word corrects me…

I change.

Because I don’t want to keep asking God:

“How much of the world can I hold onto and still belong to You?”

I want my heart to say:

“LORD, IF IT PULLS ME AWAY FROM YOU, I DON’T WANT IT!”

🙌🏽🔥

So before you automatically answer today’s title…

Stop.

Think.

Examine your life.

WHO DO YOU LOVE?

And then ask yourself one more time…

ARE YOU SURE?

Because your loyalty will eventually reveal your answer.

Reflect & Respond

Ask yourself honestly:

Do my choices demonstrate greater loyalty to God or to the world’s ways?

Am I trying to stay neutral between two things that are spiritually opposed?

Is there something I know displeases God that I’ve become comfortable loving anyway?

And if somebody examined my life without hearing anything I said…

WOULD THEY KNOW THAT I CHOSE GOD?

🙏🏽

Prayer :

Father God, I choose You.

Search my heart and reveal anything I love more than I love You.

Forgive me for every time I have tried to keep one foot with You and one foot in the world.

I don’t want divided loyalty.

I don’t want divided love.

Help me to be firm in my decision to follow You.

When the world pulls me in another direction, give me strength to remain faithful.

When Your Word corrects me, give me humility to obey.

When following You costs me something, remind me that You are worth it.

Lord, let my life demonstrate the love that my mouth professes.

I choose Your ways.

I choose Your Word.

I choose Your will.

I CHOOSE YOU.

Help me remain faithful and firm in that decision every day of my life.

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏🏽🔥💙