Lust Not Covet Not Love Not the World

Jan Boshoff

Every man is the slave of his own ambitions and desires. The moment you fall in love with someone or something you become enslaved. The more you love that object or person, the more you become obsessed with it, the more it controls you. It takes over your mind and you can become irrational about. In the end it can totally destroy you. It is for good reason that the commandment says:”Do not covet” The apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” If we love anything more than Jesus, then we are not worthy of Him and we will not enter His kingdom. Jesus said:”He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:37-39. If we love our spouse or parents or children or friends more than Jesus then we will rather please them, than Jesus. Our love for them will cause us to end up in hell. We must love Jesus above all and obey Him more than anybody else. You often hear men say:”Happy wife, happy life.” Satisfying another person does not bring lasting happiness. Lust is never satisfied. Running after your own desires money, possessions, men, women, fame, hobbies, entertainment and lusts will just wear you out and in the end it will destroy you. The more possessions you accumulate, the more trouble you cause for yourself. It is all just chasing after wind. The only way to find true happiness, contentment and eternal life is to follow and obey Jesus. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36. Everlasting happiness is only found in Jesus. I look back on my life. For many years I was chasing wind, sowing to the wind and reaping the whirlwind, even after I became a serious believer. It is only when you become a disciple of Jesus, forsake yourself and follow Him, that you experience His peace and joy. “For He has satisfies the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He fills with what is good.”Psalm 107:9. Jesus invites us to follow Him. He gives peace and joy that surpasses all human understanding. “In the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy; In His right hand there are pleasures forever.”Psalm 16:11. Jesus said:“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”John 7:37,38. If you come to Jesus, obey Him, repent of your sin, be baptized in water as He commanded, and you STAY WITH HIM, He promised to give His Holy Spirit in you to be with you forever, to comfort and guide you so that you can follow Him and enjoy His love, joy, peace, life and contentment. “It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”Psalm 127:2 Have you come to Jesus, repented and been baptized in water? Have you submitted your life to Him? Have you received the Holy Spirit? Are streams of living water flowing from you or are you still thirsty and dry, running after the things of the world and never finding contentment? May Jesus bless you.