Daily Scripture Threshing for Sunday, May 19, 2024
Today’s Texts: James 4:1-5
Key Verse: James 4:4 (NIV): "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
We have had to reflect on the concepts of "holy alliance," "unholy alliance," and "how our friendship matters to God." It is also not our first time of meditating on friendship with the world. But why would this be coming up again? It is coming up again, and in new dimension because God is reminding us that our relationship with Him is deeply connected to our relationships with others. That is why we cannot be friend with God while we maintain a lifestyle of hostility with men. Howbeit, the word of God warns us that friendship with the world can lead to enmity against God.
In our Scripture today, Apostle James, the brother of John, the Boanerges, reminds us that our affections should be focused on God, not on the world. When we prioritize our relationship with the world over our relationship with God, we become enemies of God. O how this indeed is a sobering reminder that being at home, at peace or at ease with evil communication and unfruitful works of darkness have severe consequences.
His brother, John in his first epistle, 2:15-17 warns us not to love the world or anything in it. He was not referring to the world as God's creation or the world of people; but the material world with its values and desires, which are often in conflict with God's values and desires. This, in particular, is when we prioritize the world's approval over God's. We risk losing our spiritual connection, vitality and effectiveness.
Let's be mindful of the company we keep and the affections we prioritize—our fables (tastes), favorite music, fashion, fantasies and fans. May our love for God be evident in our thoughts, words, and actions, and may we avoid the danger of friendship with the world that leads to enmity against God.
Quote for the Day: "The world may offer us fleeting pleasures, but only God can give us lasting joy and peace." (Simon Olatunji #quotablequote)
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help us to prioritize our relationship with You above all else. Forgive us for the times we've sought the world's approval over Yours. May our love for You be evident in our lives, and may we avoid the danger of friendship with the world that leads to enmity against You — in Jesus's most glorious name. Amen.
With all my love and prayers,
Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.
Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)
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