Bible That Shows

When we know our Bibles well, we can imagine we are saved. Because we understand the teachings and agree with the doctrines, we call it belief. We come away with what we call our faith and then settle into fitting in with the religious scene. It may never occur to us that God has called us to something different.

The bottom line is that there are two separate directions that we can take. We can live our entire lives in this world, enjoying its challenges and rewards. Or we could choose to live for another kingdom. That other world is entirely unlike ours. Nothing is the same. The ways of measuring and valuing are universes apart. God´s kingdom stems from Him, and everything relates to Him, not us. The things that are good and right are what hold more of Him. What is not good has less.

Reading our Bibles should align us and connect each of us to the Lord. Continuing on earth as the rest of the world does, no matter how refined we think we are, does not lead to Him. Let us pray that whatever we gain from the Scriptures corrects the direction of our gaze. Pray that we will change and concern ourselves more with God than we do us, our lives, and our world.

Dear Lord, let Your Word sink deep into our hearts. Let the Scriptures work their magic and turn us from our ways. We may still have to live in this world, but let our souls engage with You. Shift our interests from the ones we had before to what connects us to You. Save for Yourself a few who would rather store up treasures in Your spiritual realm with You. Amen

1 John 2:15-17 ESV / 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 desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Colossians 3:2 ESV / Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

John 17:16 ESV / They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 8:23 ESV / He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

James 4:4 ESV / You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 John 5:19 ESV / We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV / For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Philippians 3:20-21 ESV / But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Matthew 6:19 ESV / “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,