Choose God’s Benefits

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  1 John 2:15 NLT

Life is about choices. In every stage of life, you have to make a choice. Babies make choices when they begin to recognize their parents. If you walk up and reach for that child, they might decide that they don’t want to go to you. They don’t have the language but they would turn their backs and hold onto their parents. You see, they chose their parents over you.

People of faith are constantly making choices. You live in the world but cannot live according to the standards of this world. So what exactly does that mean? Well it’s somewhat like visiting a foreign country. You stand on the sidelines and look at what they are doing. They dress differently; their food is different and you are tempted to try their food.  You have strict dietary guidelines that you must follow. You know the consequences of eating some of the items on their menu; but the food looks so good! You just can’t say no.

What do you do when you are tempted like the individual in the restaurant? You follow the advice of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Yes, that’s the key. Many people believe that that have the power to make the change that they need and can’t understand when they fail. They fail because only God has the power to transform you from the inside out. When God transforms you, the way you look at the world changes. Things that were once appealing, have lost their luster.

So is all this really necessary? Well consider this question Jesus asked in Matthew 16:26, “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” The only person who can answer that question for you, is you. Look at all your options carefully. Jesus said in Matthew 19:29, “And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.” You benefit when you walk with God.

Thought for Today: Friend, when you walk with God, He provides benefits.

Have a blessed day and walk in faith and victory.