Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
1 John 2:15-27 NIV
On Not Loving the World
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Warnings Against Denying the Son
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
In what areas of your life does love for the world compete with Love for God?
Oh Lord, my God, how I want to be close to You. How I want to hear Your voice and to be filled with Your Spirit. How I want to do Your will and follow Your teachings. I know that nothing is better than You. Why is it then, that I struggle to find time with You? I am distracted in every way. I am attracted to ways where I can spend my time and my money that give me pleasure. I am drawn in by the troubles of this world. I have tried to make changes in my schedule to allow for time with You, but the things of this world frequently seem to get in the way and interrupt my thoughts, my attention, and my time with You. I promise that I will get back to You after I take care of something else, but time flashes by with busyness and another day goes by with limited or no time with You. The devil distracts me with things. He clutters my mind with thoughts. His intention is to keep me from You. Forgive me, Lord. Give me the strength to turn off the news and to refrain from searching the internet. Most of what I will miss is false teachings that burden my heart and shake my faith. Instead, let me open my Bible and get my news from You. Fill me with the joy of Your salvation. Let Your Word live in me so that I can overcome the distractions of the evil one. Victory comes from staying close to You. Let Your love be my source of strength. Let me delight in Your Word and Love Your People. I pray that as more people are touched by Your love that we can forgive and respect each other and unify in Your name. The things of this world and the news of the day will quickly pass away, but Your Word, Your Love, and Your Joy will last for eternity. Thank You for Your promises, Lord. Amen