“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. For all that is in the world— the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

— 1 John 2:15-17

“Eat, drink, and be merry,” says the world, “for tomorrow we die.” Well, the world is half right: Tomorrow we die. Suppose you were to die tomorrow. How would your obituary read? Consider it for a moment …

Having considered your potential obituary, answer this question: How much of that obituary pertains to God’s kingdom?

Only one life and soon ’tis past;

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

How many obituaries are written in sand about the things of sand. Sadly, worldliness— the love of the things of this world—has rendered many professing Christians ineffective. The Bible speaks plainly about the dangers of a worldly heart. “Adulterers and adulteresses!” says James, “do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:4). The world hates God, and those who befriend the world become God’s enemies. Worldliness makes people focus on outward, rather than inward things. By having this focus, people ignore God’s kingdom within them, and Satan gains prime opportunities to drag their souls into the pit for eternity.

The Bible gives us the key to overcoming worldliness. It boils down to what we set our hearts on. “Set your mind [or affections] on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). If we allow Christ to reign in our hearts, then we will dwell on the spiritual world and not on the world around us.

Today ask God to search your heart for any worldly ways that separate you from Him. Confess those areas to God, and ask Him to forgive you. Then ask Him to show you how you can set your mind and heart on “things above.”

“What is this world? A net to snare the soul.”
George Whetstone