Guard Your Heart
“Do not love the world or anything in the world.”(1 John 2:15)
We have to be careful not to become too worldly. As Christians we should enjoy the world and love everybody, but not be of the world. It is easy to become worldly. We should enjoy things, such as our work, positions, success, possessions, but we must not let that enjoyment become a need, demand, or obsession.
It is loving too much of worldly things when we become worldly. We do not have to avoid all worldly things as much as possible, such as certain movies, certain music, or certain clothes… We must not live in fear of the world and withdraw from it. And we should not immerse ourselves into the world in order to relate, where a Christian is not distinguisable from a non-Christian.
We must not focus so much on the externals or disregard them completely, but focus on the internal. It is within the heart, where worldliness truly lies. The Bible mentions the word heart, hundred of times, because the heart is very important. God looks into our hearts to see our true thoughts, emotions, will, values, and motives. And only God knows man’s heart.
“Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’ “‘(Mark 7 14-15)
“As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.”(Romans 14:14)
“Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?”(Proverbs 20:9)
“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.”(Romans 2 28:29)
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”(Psalm 119:11)
We must guard our hearts and pray to God for self-control of desiring too much of this world. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit within us. “Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit.” (Prov. 25:28)
And we must bring God with us in everything we do and put Him first, for He gave us everything. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and not let the temporary obsessions of this world distract us from Jesus. Praise Jesus Christ who overcame the sins of this world, because of Him we can be in this world and not of it. How is your heart and relationship with God by Jesus Christ?
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6)
