🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ You Can’t Love God & the World Too

Scripture: 1 John 2:15–16 (ESV)

“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. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Devotion: Do you find it questionable if one of your friends or family is also friends with an enemy to you?

Some people say, “That’s separate, it doesn’t bother me.”

Others say, “How can you be cool with someone who don’t like me?”

It’s a head scratcher in most cases.

Now that I got you thinking… many of us do this to God.

(Pause and think) 🤔

You may be thinking, “noooo it’s not like that.”

But if you are living according to the world’s way over God… you are friends with the world.

We say we love God… but spend more time, show more loyalty, and give more attention to the world.

What does this look like?

One example is a church-going, self-proclaimed Christian who shows up every Sunday, lifts their hands, and says all the right things; but Monday through Saturday, they live completely opposite. They compromise, gossip, entertain sin, and choose what feels good over what is right. God gets a few hours… but the world gets their lifestyle.

Another example is someone who doesn’t really go to church but will say, “I love God,” and will pray when they are in trouble. But outside of that, they live fully for the world: doing whatever they want, following trends, chasing pleasure, and only calling on God when things fall apart. That’s not relationship… that’s convenience.

Today’s scripture explains WHY this is a problem.

John is warning believers; do not love the world.

Why? Because the world does not love God.

And if we belong to God… the world is not truly for us either.

Everything the world promotes:

the lust of the flesh (doing whatever feels good),

the lust of the eyes (wanting what you see),

and the pride of life (wanting status, attention, and validation)…

these things pull us away from God.

Let’s be real. Some things of the world that can jeopardize our relationship with God are:

• Living for social media validation instead of God’s approval

• Chasing money at the cost of your integrity

• Entertaining sin like it’s normal and harmless

• Following trends that go against God’s Word

• Prioritizing pleasure over purpose

These things will put you in a place where it’s clear; you are not standing on the Lord’s side.

Now feel how God feels.

Put yourself in His position.

How can my child say they love me… but constantly choose my enemy?

How can they say they belong to me… but keep picking up habits, mindsets, and lifestyles that go against everything I stand for?

That’s not love. That’s divided loyalty.

And the truth is… you can’t have both.

You can’t fully love God and fully love the world at the same time.

At some point, you have to choose.

Listen… God is not trying to take anything good from you.

He is trying to save your life.

The world will drain you, deceive you, and destroy you.

But God will love you, guide you, and give you eternal life.

So today… make a decision.

Stop trying to balance both sides.

Stop trying to hold on to what feels good and still claim God.

Choose Him fully.

Because in the end… only one leads to life.

God bless you!

Prayer: Father God, I come to You asking You to search my heart. Show me any area where I have chosen the world over You. Help me to let go of anything that separates me from You. Give me the strength to choose You daily, not just with my words but with my life. I don’t want divided loyalty; I want to fully belong to You. Teach me how to walk in Your ways and reject the things that pull me away.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.