Don't Live For This World

The speaker discusses the importance of not living for this world and instead focusing on the will of God. They provide biblical passages that emphasize the temporary nature of worldly possessions and the need to prioritize our relationship with God. They use a story of an ambassador who became too attached to his economic affairs in a foreign country to illustrate the potential consequences of being consumed by worldly pursuits. The speaker encourages listeners to devote themselves to God and resist anything that goes against His will. They conclude by reminding listeners that no matter what we acquire in this world, we will leave it all behind, so it is essential to prioritize our spiritual lives. 🎵🎵🎵 This world is not our home. We are just passing through. Our treasures are laid up in heaven. Dearly beloved, you are warmly welcome to today's edition of the Morning Glory Devotion airing on Radio HCI TV of the Harvest Chapel International Kumasi. God richly bless you for making time with us. Please let's kindly share a word of prayer. Father, we are grateful to you for another opportunity to sit at your feet to listen and to learn of you. We pray oh God that you open our eyes to behold wondrous things in your law. We pray for understanding into your word. In Jesus name, Amen. Amen. Beloved, this is Pastor and Mrs. Puafu facilitating today's edition. Please let's kindly share the confession from Joshua chapter 1 verse 8. This book of the law shall not be passed out of my mouth, but I shall meditate in it day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then I will make my way crossroads, and then I will have good success. Amen. Amen. Our topic for today is don't live for this world. Don't live for this world. Our first reading is taken from 1 John chapter 2 verses 15 to 17. Please I'll read from the New English Translation. 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, because all that is in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the arrogance produced by material possession, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever. Amen. Please the second reading taken from 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verses 29 to 31. 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verses 29 to 31. I say this, brothers and sisters, the time is short, so then those who have wives should be as those who have none, those with tears like those not weeping, those who rejoice like those not rejoicing, those who buy like those without possession, those who use the world as though they were not using it to their full, for the present shape of this world is passing away. Beloved, here ends the reading of the word of God. Thanks be to God. Don't live for this world. A story was told of a government official who was appointed as an ambassador to another nation. Unknown to his appointing authority and in contravention to the rules of his engagement, he got so engrossed in the economic affairs of the nation to which he was appointed as an ambassador. A time came when his government actually called him home for a different assignment. What? He thought. What was going to become of all his investments and economic engagements? Who could he trust to oversee them for him in his absence? And when was he ever going to return, if possible? What if accepting the request from his government meant a loss of all his economic engagements in that foreign country? How sad and indeed undecided he must have been. Beloved, such is a feeling of worry and indecision with time to contract. If we lose sight of the Creator's purpose for us in this present world. And more so if we concern ourselves about the affairs of this present life, putting our hopes on our engagements in this world, and laying up treasures for ourselves in this present world. Just as the opening scriptures admonish us, we are not to love the world nor the things that are in the world. Instead, we are required to honor God in our use of the things of this world. Just for us to think for a moment. Is this world just about deaths and deaths? Sleeping and waking? Eating and drinking? Schooling and working? Marrying and having children? Or saving our incomes and acquiring our desired assets? Certainly not. It is evident enough that no matter what the dead had aspired to and toiled to attain, no matter what they desired and sacrificed so much to acquire, they left all behind when they exhausted their time in this present world. Just as the Bible has said in 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 7, we brought nothing into the world when we were born, and we cannot take anything out of it when we die. More so, the things of this world that people were intrigued about many years ago, things that took center stage in generations past now look outmoded in this modern day of advancement in technology and other corresponding disciplines. Scientists also keep informing us of the constantly changing processes in the present universe, many of which are threatening the very foundations of this day. It is certain that nothing in this present world is permanent. This is also an evidence that this world as it exists now will soon be altogether gone, just as we are told in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 31 and 1 John chapter 2 verse 17. So if we devote a lot and perhaps most of our resources to the affairs of this present world, we will regret our unfulfilled lives when we are to exit by death or when our Savior and Master returns to receive us into His everlasting habitation, whichever comes earlier. Beloved, we live in this world, but we must not live for the world. We must dominate the world, but never allow the affairs of this present life to rule over us. Our utmost aim on a daily basis must be to do the will of our Maker, our Savior, and our Father. Unlike the ambassador in our opening story, who because of his gross involvement in a foreign economy was undecided regarding the request of his appointing authority to return home, we must not be indifferent in doing the will of God who created us and has redeemed us to serve His good purposes. We must not let our devotedness to this present world deny our Father of a vibrant relationship with us as His redeemed and beloved children. We must not settle for anything that will interfere with our allegiance to our Father. We must learn to say no to all that is contrary to God's will and refuse to embrace all that is in contravention to what is expected of us as citizens of heaven who are actually awaiting their imminent departure to an eternal home. Beloved, I pray that God will bless us all as we deny ourselves of the pleasures of this present world so we can devote our all to pleasing Him. Amen and Amen. Beloved, let's take our memory verse together from 1 John 2 verse 15. From the New King James Version, it reads, 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. Let's take it again, 1 John 2 verse 15, New King James Version. 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. Beloved, let's share with a prayer together. Father, we are grateful to You this morning for exposing us to Your Word, to the truth that we should not devote our all to the things in this world. We should not live for this world because there is an eternal home reserved for us. We pray for the grace, O Lord, that even though we live in this world, we will not live for it in the name of Jesus. Help us to say no to all that is contrary to Your will and all that contravenes Your purposes for our lives. Father, we give You praise and we give You glory. In Jesus' mighty name, we are praised. Amen and Amen. Indeed, dear ones, no matter what we aspire to and toil to attain, no matter what we desire and sacrifice so much to acquire, we will leave all behind when we are to exit this world. So let's be wise and not live for this present world, but aim daily to do the will of the Father. Please be encouraged to still keep your dials here on Radio HCI today for a lot more spiritual and inspirational content is available for your edification. We are reminded to please join in for our midday prayer which is at 12. God be with you and do have a spiritual day till we meet again. Thank you.