Saturday, February 3, 2024

Pastor's Pondering, February 3, 2024

Our Social Influencer is Christ

 

Some of us have been staring at social media and are concerned about who are the top influencers, who is going to win what award, or what the beautiful people are doing.  However, the Bible tells us to set our affection on things above rather than on short term things of the earth (Colossians 3:2).  It is crucial that we take the perspective that we are just passing through and we are not in love with this world system.  

 

The Bible tells us that we are not to love the world because everything in the world can be categorized as lust of the flesh and eyes, and pride of life. (1 John 2:15, 16). The Amplified version of this scripture says pride of life is the “[pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]

 

We like to think that our clothes, cars, or cash can insure us against the calamities of life so we hold onto them and like ostriches hide our heads in the sand, so we don’t have to think about problems. However, the world is quickly passing by (1 John 2:17).  Only the things that we do in obedience to Christ will last forever.

 

In a world that is only focused on the here and now, let us be examples of people who are thinking eternally by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. Those who love the Lord are striving to obey God’s word and are practicing living like Christ tells us to live.  We are in this world system, not of it.  We are like a ship in the ocean. Although the ship is sailing in the ocean it’s not technically a part of the ocean but simply passing through it.  It is time to live for God, resist our sinful desires, and look expectantly to Christ’s soon coming return to the earth. Let us allow God to be the greatest influencer in our lives.

 

Colossians 3:2

Amplified Bible

Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].

 

1 John 2:15-17

Amplified Bible

15 Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

16 For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world. 

17 The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.

 

 

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