Characteristics of Love: Love vs Lust
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1 John 2:17(NLT) And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.
Introduction: Welcome to another week of Speaking Scriptures. Others can benefit from your questions and contributions as we learn at His feet.
🙏 I pray that His words will not be parable unto us in Jesus name.
📎 The 24th characteristic of God’s kind of Love this week is to look at: Love vs Lust.
This is comparing God’s kind of Love to worldly or valentine’s love.
Love is from God while Lust is from the World.
1 John 2:15 (NLT) Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you.
It is impossible to love God and the world simultaneously.
Hear the Master Himself
Matthew 6:24 (NLT) “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
In an article sent to me by a pastor where questions were raised concerning what happened to Solomon the wisest man in history. (Read 1Kings 11:1-43)
❓ How could the man God personally appeared to twice now go after dumb idols?
1 Kings 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
Conclusion of the matter is the worldly distractions the enemy used to divert Solomon from God’s direction.
Christians are NOT immune to worldly distractions by Devil. If Satan came to distract Jesus Christ while on Earth, Christians cannot escape his temptations too.
Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
🛑 Several genuinely born again Christians have fallen for worldly glory introduced by the enemy and many will still fall. Only those who love God and see beyond the lust of this world can get Satan behind them.
Remember, it is impossible to love God and lust after the things of this world.
James 4:4 (NLT) You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can’t be a friend of God.
🛑 In actual fact, except we are intentional to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, Christians will fall into the trap of frantic pursuance of wealth to the detriment of fellowship with God.
Psalms 39:6 (HCSB) “Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them.
God created good things of this world for His chosen ones to enjoy but NOT to be attached to them due to infiltration of the prince of this world who takes the heart of men away from God. We should know this world will finally be destroyed.
1 Corinthians 7:31(NLT) Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.
🛑 Those who are attached to this world are lustful and whatsoever is acquired thereof will pass away ONLY lovers of God who do His will abide forever as Scriptures speak from our text today,
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
❓Do you know why we have several churches especially in Nigeria and yet no manifestations of the power of God as of old?
The obvious answer is that; several receive the word of God among thorns which can never be fruitful. This means that Gospels is business to make wealth NOT on the love of God.
Hear the Master giving perfect illustrations of the state of the church now in the parable of the sower.
Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Matthew 13:22 (NLT) The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced.
Let us examine what takes away God’s word in our lives thereby making it difficult to do His will most times.
❓What must be done to avoid lust and abide in God’s Love?
1️⃣. Be not conformed to this world
Romans 12:2(GNS) Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
2️⃣. Sanctification; this is continous cleansing by the word of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
3️⃣. Crucifixion of the flesh or Human/sinful nature
1 Peter 4:1-2 (MSG) Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.
4️⃣. Beware when things are going well as desired.
Luke 21:34 (NLT) “Watch out! Don’t let me find you living in careless ease and drunkenness, and filled with the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware,
5️⃣. Let your affections be toward God.
Colossians 3:2 (GNS) Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth.
❓What practical steps are we to take as we walk in love this week?
End it now. Identify every object of lust in your life and remove it. Single out every lie you’ve swallowed in pursuing forbidden pleasure and reject it. Lust cannot be allowed to live in a back bedroom. It must be killed and destroyed—today—and replaced with the sure promises of God and a heart filled with His perfect love.
✍ Finally brethren, one of the five requirements from God is to Love Him with all our hearts. He made available Grace to meet this requirement through Jesus Christ whom He gave to die for our sins. We should not frustrate the Grace of God due to lust of this world.
Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
✋ Maranatha
