As believers, we are called to live in this world, but not of it. The world today is overseen and run by its master, the Devil. Believers are really out of place here, as we don’t ‘fit in’ to the system organized to destroy a man’s soul. Our bondage to the Devil’s control was broken the day we trusted Christ for salvation. He is no longer our master, and we don’t have to fall to his temptations.

In Christ, we are now empowered to live our lives loving and serving Him. The attractions that had once consumed our hearts, are now seen with disdain, realizing that there is only pleasure in sin for a season. God has blessed us with an active conscience that makes the guilt of indulging in sin take much of the enjoyment out of the activity. Sin no longer has the same appeal; it now has a bitter aftertaste.

The apostle John wrote of this in…

1 John 2:15 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.
16 For 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.

John identified the components in the world that make it unacceptable for the believer. The world system controlled by Satan includes the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

That which our flesh craves, along with the inappropriateness our eyes desire, are ways the Devil keeps his ‘flock’ under control. The world is so busy chasing its desires, it has no time to consider what God could do for them.

It is no wonder the Devil hates God so much. God made a way for man to escape the Devil’s firm grip. No longer does man have to remain a slave to his every whim. Jesus’ victory over death and the grave made it possible that we can live victorious lives, free from his coercion.

The life of victory that Christ has made possible for us is accessed by faith. We must choose it. Our flesh will still crave the excitement of the Devil’s world, so we must decide who we really want to love. Loving the world is submitting one’s will to the Devil; a life just like all the unsaved, hopelessly bound in sin. Loving the Lord is choosing to find our ‘excitement’ in Him.

The Devil loves to tell believers that by following Christ you will have to give up all your fun and enjoyment. Like always, the Devil lies. There is no greater satisfaction and joy than that found loving God and submitting to His will.

Let’s choose to love the Lord, and finally break free from the slimy hold the world had on us.

Paul must have had his fill of those Judaizers who followed him wherever he went, trying to undo the good that he did. As Paul preached the simple plan of salvation by grace through faith alone, his detractors would follow behind teaching the people that not only must they have faith in Christ, but they must also add to that faith certain works, like circumcision in order to be ‘really saved.’

Their main thrust was encouraging their listeners to try and earn their way into God’s favor.
In rebuttal, Paul said if anyone has anything whereof to glory, it was he. Over several verses Paul enumerated many of his accomplishments as a Jewish leader. His successes made his enemies pale in comparison. None of those credits to his account meant anything to him, for he now realized that there was something far better—the true knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord. Paul wrote in…

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

Paul may have glanced over to the wall of his office, and taken notice of all the diplomas and commendations representing his years of climbing the ranks in Judaism. He may have thought for a moment about the looks of admiration he enjoyed when his peers stood as he entered the room to take his place as their esteemed teacher. His smile broke off sharply when he considered the violence he had brought to the Christian world, and to the cause of Christ.

All the commendations of the whole world could not compare to the joy he experienced of having his sins forgiven, and getting to know the true Messiah personally. None of his rewards meant anything to him any longer; they had lost their hold over him. Paul was now on a mission to get to know deeply his Lord, and serve Him with his whole life.

Paul became what some would call obsessed with Christ. He willingly walked away from the highly esteemed position he had worked so hard to reach. He confidently debated some of the very teachers of the law that had invested in his own education. So convinced was Paul that Jesus was the Messiah, he boldly began preaching His message knowing the enormous risk he took.

Paul’s life was turned upside down, all because of his belief in, and desire to serve His new Master. Jesus had saved him, and had given him a renewed purpose for living. Paul’s commitment would forever be to the Lord, and no longer to the heights of glory to which he had previously attained.

Paul gave everything up that he might get to know the Lord Jesus better. Paul became a stirring example to us all. What are we holding onto that can hinder us from knowing Christ better?

Jesus Christ is to be more in our lives than just a tack-on to our prayers, ‘in Jesus’ name, Amen.’ We sing His name in church, and read that name aloud when we quote the Bible, but does He have any place of prominence in our lives really?

We are all bombarded with the affairs of our lives. We have work projects that must get done by a strict deadline. School schedules force us to provide rides for the kids, and make desserts when it’s our time to provide the snacks. Homework pressures tend to pass from the student to the parent in varying degrees of frustration. At the end of the day, where have we placed Jesus?

I have tried to imagine what life must have been like in the Garden before the fall. Adam and Eve walked and talked with God daily. It didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary for them to simply carry on a conversation as if it were perfectly normal. Such an event would be heralded by news channels around the world today; God and man conversing audibly and visibly…what a thought!

It is likely that Adam’s mind was always filled with the consciousness of his God. He could call out to God any time of day or night and enjoy an intimate conversation. Sure, Adam had pressures; he had to give all the animals names, which would have been a monumental task. He was also responsible for the garden work. He undoubtedly had plenty to occupy his time. If you were to ask Adam, however, he would be quick to tell you that God was first and foremost in his mind.

Plunge ahead through the millennia until today. There are so many ways we can be distracted. At times, our brain seems to take a mini ‘time-out,’ just to keep up with everything being thrown at it. It seems like everything in our lives wants to take priority. None of those pressures share well with the others. By the time we fall into bed at night, we are mentally and physically exhausted.

The problem is, our Lord and Savior not only wants us to put Him first, He deserves that position. Jesus’ death on the cross was certainly sufficient to deserve putting Him first; but the life that He offers us in His Spirit is so rewarding and rich, that we are foolish allowing anything to usurp that number one position.

Paul wrote in …

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Paul told that church, and us by extension, that in all things; in everything that wants to steal our attention, Christ is to have first place.

Let’s check our priorities, and make sure that not a day goes by without keeping Jesus first and foremost.

The Jews are God’s chosen people. God carefully selected Abraham’s race through Isaac to be that people group who would represent Him, and carry on His name. That election was a great privilege. With it, however, came great responsibility. God’s choosing them was not because they were superior to others, nor was it because He loved them above all others. God simply selected them for a mission, and it was to that end that He entrusted His Word to them.

The Jewish race was blessed in many ways; through them the Savior of the world would come, bringing with Him a promise of redemption. The Jews were blessed in many remarkable ways, but what was to be a blessing, for many became a noose around their neck of condemnation. Instead of trusting in the God who chose them, submitting to Him, and faithfully carrying out His mission, their being chosen became a badge of honor that became their source of glory.

The typical Jew found their spiritual security in the fact they were born a Jew. They believed that God had guaranteed them a place in Heaven forever, simply because of the badge they wore of being a Jew. Because of their misplaced trust, they began to pride themselves in their heritage, believing that they were better than all other nations. It was pride that eventually led to their destruction.

In the New Testament, Jews had a hard time accepting Jesus as their Messiah. Though He met all the requirements of the long-prophesied Deliverer, He did not come as they expected, riding in as a conquering King, and subduing their Roman oppressors.

Paul preached that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ was the basis of their hope for salvation. It was not in any supposed preference by God, nor in any badge of birthright. It was to that point that Jews began to wonder, ‘If Jesus is my only hope for salvation, then what benefit is it being a Jew?’

Paul answered them in…

Romans 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

They asked that if Jesus was their only hope, what advantage do we have as Jews, or where is the profit in our circumcision?

Paul told them that God had richly blessed the Jews many ways, but mostly in entrusting to them His Word. They had been given His Word to share with the world.

Throughout the centuries, Jewish scribes carefully copied the words of Scripture, making sure they made no mistakes, so that today we can be assured that the Scriptures we read are faithful, and accurate representations of what God actually said.

Thank God for the faithful work of those to whom God entrusted His Word.