You are not of the world!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
(John 17:13-19 (NIV))

Do you get upset by the things in this world?

To be honest with you, it is difficult to not get upset with what is going on.

Do you let them effect your attitude and your joy?

Think about that for a moment.

When Jesus came into the world, he came because of the love that God the Father has for His creation. He came to bring joy. Did Jesus alter His joy because of what was around Him, or did he live out His earthly life bringing joy, peace and love?

If Jesus had let the matters of the world get Him down like we allow them to do to us, can you honestly say that we would have the gift of grace and mercy that He came to bring? Would Jesus have allowed Himself to go to the cross? Would he have allowed Himself to suffer and to die if He did not keep His eyes focused on what truly matters?

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33 (NIV))

Think about those words that Jesus spoke to His disciples.

Did He tell them, and us, to worry about the world and to let it drag us down, or did He tell us to keep our eyes on Him, because He is greater than the world?

Why do so many of His Body allow the world to get us down? I know that there are several things that are not right by God’s standards, but does that mean that we should lose our hope, our faith, and our joy? Should we simply role over and allow the enemy to have his way with us?

We have a hope greater than anything of this world!

We have a savior who is able to save us from anything and through anything that this world may send our way.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
(Romans 8:31 (NIV))

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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