Are we worldly Christians? Do we say we love God but love the world more? Are our hopes and dreams about pleasing just ourselves or God? Are we proud of our fallen condition? Do we want holy people to condescend to our lower level? Is God really our first love? Is God really our number 1 priority, or is something else?
These are important questions to ask ourselves. God will tell us the answers if we ask Him. God loves us so much! Jesus demonstrated such passionate love for us by giving us His own life for the forgiveness of the wrongs we have done! Do we love Him back with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength as Jesus told us to do in Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:30-31, and Luke 10:27? Is pleasing Him our greatest ambition, or do we prefer to please ourselves? Are we living for Him or for our own pleasure? We are told in Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou has created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” God created each of us, and Jesus died for us! They deserve our utmost love and devotion!
Are we worldly Christians? What captures our hearts in the greatest way? Is it ourselves? Another person? Our spouses? Our children? A career? Money? A ministry? Or is it God? Do we listen to music that encourages us to be in God’s holy presence, or do we listen to music that teaches us to love the world more? What about our books and movies? Do we read the Bible every day, or are the worldly parts of the internet more interesting to us?
We read in 2 Timothy 2:20-21: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” God’s great house is the Body of Christ, Christians. Are we honorable vessels of gold and of silver? Or are we vessels of wood and of earth? Do we even want to be vessels of gold and silver? Some vessels of wood and of earth (clay) flaunt their ignorance! They want all of the gold and silver vessels to be like them! They accuse gold and silver vessels of being “holier than thou.” Those gold and silver vessels may actually be wanting the wood and earthen vessels to be holy as well! But some vessels of wood and of earth want no parts of it. They are too proud of being what they are. If this describes us, let us repent today! If we let God cleanse us of woodenness and earthiness, then God can use us to do His good works!
Psalm 94:3-4 describes wicked people, and I am not calling Christians wicked. But there is something we can learn from these verses: “How long shall the wicked, O Lord, How long shall the wicked exult? They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; all who do wickedness vaunt themselves.” Wow! This really stood out to me today! Do we “pour forth words”? Spout off? Speak arrogantly? Let us ask God to give us humble hearts today!
We can learn something else from verses about wicked people in Psalm 94:5-7. Again, I am not calling God’s people wicked: “They [the wicked] crush Thy people, O LORD, and afflict Thy heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the orphans, and they have said, “The LORD does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed.” Hmmm. Do we think God isn’t paying attention to our worldliness? That He doesn’t notice? God’s answer to that question is found in the next verses in Psalm 94:8-14:
Pay heed, you senseless among the people; And when will you understand, stupid ones? He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eyes, does He not see? He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, Even He who teaches man knowledge? The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are a mere breath. Blessed is the man whom Thou dost chasten, O LORD, and dost teach out of Thy law; That Thou mayest grant him relief from the days of adversity, Until a pit is dug for the wicked. For the LORD will not abandon His people. Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
God sees it all, my friends! And He cares! He wants so much to bless us and give us relief from the days of adversity that He will chasten us if we are worldly.
I used to come under condemnation when my pastor taught a convicting message. However, Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” Hebrews 12:5-13 (which I encourage you to read on your own) tells us not to despise God’s chastening. I love verse 6: “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” We need to be corrected by the LORD. It is part of His loving care! Love corrects!
Are we worldly Christians? Jesus invites Christians to rule in His kingdom if we are faithful to follow and obey Him! Second Timothy 2:12 says, “If we suffer [the death of our carnal nature], we shall also reign with Him [Jesus]. If we deny Him, He will also deny us.” There is much at stake, my friends! We don’t want Jesus to deny us ruling at His loving side!
Okay, so I know this isn’t a popular message. However, I love you so much that I am willing to challenge you to give God and Jesus your whole heart! Live for Him and His pleasure, not yourselves! He will meet your needs and give you many wants in His perfect timing! (See Psalm 37:4.) You will be so blessed with a spiritually intimate relationship with God! You will hear His voice! You will feel His love and encouragement! And you will rule with Him!
Jesus told a parable about the importance of being ready for His soon return! It is found in Matthew 25:1-13:
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oi; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there not be enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Are we worldly Christians? Jesus is coming back for His church very soon, my friends! We are spiritual virgins preparing to meet Jesus, our Heavenly Bridegroom, at His return, commonly referred to as the rapture. Let us be one of the wise virgins, who kept oil in our lamps! –Those who spend time with God daily and get filled with the Holy Spirit, the oil! Let us not be like the foolish virgins who didn’t prepare for Jesus’ return, who neglected to spend time with Him and to get filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us not be those who love the world more than God! Let us not be left out of ruling in His kingdom!
Spend time with God every day, not just at church! Read your Bibles! If you don’t have one, you can read it online, such as https://www.biblegateway.com. Pray to Him off and on throughout your day! Live for Him! Ask Him to show you what to look at on the internet, which books to read, which shows to watch, and which movies to see. He deserves your spiritually passionate love, and you will be richly blessed!!! Jesus can be your very Best Friend!!! And you can be His friend! Jesus said in John 15:14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” Jesus is so much better than what the world has to offer!!! He is so lovely and worthy of our highest adoration!!! Let us love Him with first, or fervent love!!! May He be Number 1 in our lives!
I would like to leave you with a poem I wrote years ago about this subject called, “O, My Precious Bride.”:
O, My Precious Bride
O, My precious Bride, do you make yourself ready?
Do you look at Me with a gaze that is steady?
Do you day and night pray while watching and waiting?
Do you love Me with My love ever unfading?
I long to return to earth to take My Bride
Yet lots of My people still cling to their pride
Instead of their drinking from wells of salvation
They dip broken cisterns in pools of stagnation
They say that they love Me but worship in vain
They bring not the offering of Abel but Cain
They rend not their hearts, but their garments instead
They do what they please rarely being Spirit-led
Though I have redeemed them from “Egypt”, the world
They turn like a pig back to mud to be soiled
I have not first place but have second instead
While toward worldly lusts they do race on ahead
Should I only have one or two days per week?
Do I not have so much more I’d like to speak?
Do you think your token will satisfy Me?
I long not for works, but I’m longing for thee
Think not I am putting the law upon you
It’s simply a matter what you want to do
Do you want to know Me, the Manna from heaven?
—Or are you content with the stale bread of leaven?
The pleasures of sin cannot you satisfy
Distractions of good things will leave you but dry
Pursuing your own satisfaction is vain
For only in losing your flesh will you gain
How can I persuade you? O, have you not heard
That nothing can fill you but Me and My Word?
How could you be bought at the price of My blood
Yet be so enamored with Satan’s sin flood?
Come out of this Babylon, seek not her whims
For I will soon judge her for all of her sins
I want you to rule over nations in bliss
Yet now is the time to be readied for this
Forsake lowly pleasures of living in strife
And seek Me, you’ll find I’m abundantly life
Believe not the devil who says I’m a bore
Repent from your living your life like a whore
I bought you for Me, will you run to another?
Is living for Me really that much a bother?
How blind are My people, they see not their sin
Return to Me with all your passion within
I long to restore you, to bless, to forgive
Surrender your everything, and then you’ll live
Give not just your talents, your tithe, and your time
But give Me your whole heart, for you are all Mine
Believe I will answer your needs and desires
Though I’ll hold your hand, for we must walk through fires
You’ll surely be tested, and it will be hard
But I will protect you, your life will I guard
I’ll even test whether you’ll Isaac commit
Yet I’ll provide Myself a ram in the thicket
There’s nothing on earth that is worthy your living
True pleasure is found when your life’s to Me given
Buy oil while there’s time, for time’s soon running out
The virgins who had none were sadly left out
Though you say you’re Mine, if you do not surrender
I cannot reward you when I come in splendor
I dwell with the broken, the lowly, the meek
Who tremble at My Word whenever I speak
I love to reveal Myself to those who bow
They don’t need to wait for heav’n, I’ll show them now
Commit yourself to Me, and I’ll do the rest
For those who are humble are forever blessed
Repent, cleanse your heart, and receive love anew
And I’ll open windows of heaven for you
By Shean Shields, #8 from my poetry booklet “Journey To The Promised Land” found on my website here: https://brideofjesusministry.org/journey-to-the-promised-land/
Here is a lovely song from Petra that I love called “First Love.”