Love Not the World

Life Less Ordinary

Lust of the eyes, Lust of the flesh, Pride of life

All that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is of the world.
1 John 2:16

Actor Jim Carrey said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of, so that they can see that it’s not the answer.”

The apostle John warned us against falling in love with anything that is in the world, and he highlighted three dangerous areas for every believer:

Our appetites—the lust of the flesh. God made us with certain needs, such as food, water, and comfort. But the devil exploits these against us. We eat too much, drink too much, and engage in addictive behavior. How we need the Spirit’s control!

Our acquisitions—the lust of the eyes. Living in a materialistic…

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The Concrete of the Soul

…and his spirit was hardened in pride. Daniel 5:20 The use of concrete goes back thousands of years. The Romans specialized in cement, which created an architectural revolution. The Colosseum was made of concrete, along with the dome of the Pantheon and the aqueducts that channeled water to the cities of the empire. After the …

Teach Your Children Diligently

Life Less Ordinary

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children….
Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Deuteronomy 6 is the Bible’s premier passage on parenting. It tells us we should: (1) Love the Lord our God with all our hearts; (2) Study His Word constantly; (3) Teach our children diligently when we sit at home, walk down the street, go to bed at night, and get up in the morning (verses:5-7).

Parenting can be synonymous with mentoring, and parents should provide their youngsters’ first experience with discipleship. Take Abraham Lathem of Pennsylvania, for example. He loved the Bible and could quote most of the New Testament. He taught his son, Lance, to get up every morning to memorize Scripture. Lance became a Chicago pastor who encouraged his teenagers to memorize the book of Romans. One of his students, Bert Long, did so—and later…

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Seeking Satisfaction

Life Less Ordinary

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
Philippians 4:11

When a man who has lost everything leans across the table and whispers, “I’ve learned the secrets to contentment,” we listen. Although consumerism delights in stirring up dissatisfaction, the memories we cherish most are the ones where we felt a settled satisfaction: This is good; this is enough.

We hunger for contentment because most of the situations we find ourselves in contain either small or gigantic pockets of disappointment. If we are not careful, we think that contentment is only for the future. When this happens, I will be content. When we banish contentment to the future, it disappears.

Paul felt the pull of discontent, but he overcame it. One of the main secrets he shared with the Philippians was to stop trying to fix problems by worrying…

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