If you have your Bibles today, turn with me to the book of 1st John and chapter 2. We are on this long series through the book of John, so turn with me to 1st John chapter 2 and before I look at the verses together, I like to speak to you about an object of desire. There is something everybody, not everybody, but many people want today and that is the iPhone 6, whether it's a regular sized one, or the plus size one, people love to have the iPhone 6.

I know that because I see pictures of people queuing up for a long time, maybe days even, just to get their hands on iPhone 6 and when they get it they absolutely love it. Whoa, this is my life, whoa this is what makes me happy. In fact, they love it so much, they want it so much that in China, there is this man who says I'm willing to rent out my girlfriend for 500 Chinese yuan a month, 50 yuan a day and 10 yuan an hour, of course not those funny stuff that you do, but you want a company, you want someone to be with you, I'm willing to rent you my girlfriend, so that I get the money and buy the object of my desire, the iPhone 6. Well, you shouldn't be surprised, because a couple of years ago, there was someone was willing to sell his kidney, so that he has money to buy an iPhone 6.

It's amazing how the things of this world can have such a strong grip upon our hearts. That's why when you come to 1st John, this verse really is something else, when you realize just how attractive this world is.

John says, do not love the world or the things in the world, oh, this is hard, you mean, I'm to not love my phone, my car, my house, even my job, and my fame and my status. Well, but do not love the world, or the things of 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 the 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.

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.

(1 John 2:15-17 ESV)

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We are in a miniseries here, a three-part series in the book of 1st John. 1st John is about the real life, but in the midst of this real life, is the consideration of love, not the world. Last week, we look at the definition of loving the world, what does loving the world really mean.

We understood from the sermon last week that loving the world is a heart condition. It's a heart condition when you want something so badly, this becomes an epithymia in the Greek, this is an over passion, an excessive desire, it is a craving, it is a lusting that you do anything possible to get what you want, because this is the ultimate thing in your life.

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So, this is a heart condition when you want something so badly. So there's nothing wrong with possessing things, but it's an entirely different thing, when you are obsessing over things. Nothing wrong to possess, but everything wrong when you obsess. There's nothing wrong with living in the world, but there is everything wrong when the world is living in you. Just like a boat, a boat is designed to float on the waters. There's nothing wrong with the boat being in the waters, but there is everything wrong, when the waters get into the boat.

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So Christians today are called to live in the world, but John says, don't let the world live in you. Loving the world is a matter of the heart. So he's not saying don't live in the world, but he says, love not the world. It's a heart condition and that's the definition of what it is.

Today we're going to shift to the 2nd part of this and that is the devastation of loving the world. You say, what's wrong with loving the world? We are going to look at that today and next week we are going to end the series by looking at the deliverance from the world. So, it is very simple. What is the world? Why do we avoid the world, or love not the world and then how can I be delivered from the clutches of this world.

Today, we looking at the devastation. What's so bad about loving this world, why does God command in the Scriptures for us not to love the world. In order to get that, I just have one simple point for you today. Just remember this statement, remember this point, remember this picture and I think this would anchor the thought of the sermons to follow and this thought is very simple.

It is simply saying, there's only room for one in your heart, there's only room for one, would you repeat with me, there is only room for one, one last time, alright, there's only room for one.

Why is it so bad to love the world, because there is only room for one in your heart. How do you get that? Well, in verse 15, John says if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Your heart is only big enough for one. If you love the Father, there is no love for the world, and if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. In Chinese we have this saying, "one mountain cannot hide two tigers", okay literally what it is. There is only enough space and in one mountain for one tiger, there is only space in the heart for God, or the world, it is not both and it's either or.

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You see, William Barclay when he preached about this passage, he says this are the rivals of the human heart. God wants your heart, that is absolutely clear in the Bible, God wants our heart and the world wants your heart. They are rivals of the human heart and James tells us, you adulterous people, do 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.

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. (James 4:4)

He is saying a very simple statement that is consistent with what John has to say. John says if you love the world, you cannot love the Father. James says, if you are friends with the world, you are enemies of God, you can't have both, at the same time, in your heart. This is not just John saying, this is not just James saying, but Jesus Himself, puts it very clearly in a sermon on the mount, no one can serve two masters, for either, he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Mat 6:24)

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He says this is an impossibility. Many people try to, many people try to, they try to be a Christian, at the same time, the try to love the world, you don't want to give it up. Jesus says you cannot, James say, you are adulterous if you do so. John says, absolutely no love for the Father and no love of the Father, if you love the world. You can listen to two leaders, you can't have two masters. An American saying, goes like this, "If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both."

You can't, and this is not just American, this is African, if you walk on two roads, your pants will split. (Laughter in the congregation) The Africans have got it well-written. Jesus says, "No one can serve 2 masters." You can't, but I want to try! You can't, you know, pastor, I'm a Christian but I, I can let my BMW, and my house, and my job, I can't let go of my status, you can't. Don't lie to yourself, don't deceive yourself that you love God when you love the world. You see, you cannot, get that word, you cannot. It's not, you may not, you can't.

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Your heart has only room for one, not 1.2, not 1.5, one. So John says "if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. So, you got to choose. What happens when you want the world in your heart, what happens when you obsess over the world, what would be the life you are going to have. So let's look at what happens when the world is in our hearts. We see that when the world is in our hearts, this will become your life. This world is passing away, along with it's desires, the world would disintegrate, the world will pass away. And when you such a life, where the world dominates your heart, your life will amount to very little, in fact nothing.

This is a picture of a man, that man who loves his iPhone and ah his, this man is in UK, but let me show you someone who is in Australia, Perth. This morning, we had a group of visitors from Perth, they came and he said, " Oh, I know that man, we saw him the news." Let me, show you someone in Australia Perth, who got his iPhone, he is the 1st guy in Perth, to get the iPhone, his name is Jack and look at his excitement, alright.

Video plays of man dropping the iPhone onto the ground.

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Can you hear the crack, can you hear the crack? Can you hear the crack, not of the phone, but of the heart. (Laughter in the congregation)

Wah, I can't believe it, the 1st guy, he queued overnight, he queued overnight to be the 1st guy to get the phone, so excited, well, 1st time, he should have learnt already, he never learnt. And he opened, and he dropped and I think his heart cracked, lah. After that, you see him, scratched the phone until in his heart. He says, oh, oh, this is terrible, I have got to queue up all over again for it.

I don't know what, but when I saw this video, I thought it's a beautiful, not that beautiful, but a very accurate picture of this world. Oh! when I have it, I will be so happy, but who is to know what happens to it next.

It rots, it rusts, it decays, it disintegrates and what you thought would satisfy you, it doesn't. It's a picture and Jesus is absolutely right. His advice is, His command to us is, don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth. Huh, why ? I thought the treasures of earth are very nice, the cars, the BMW, wah, smells great, the engine sounds great, it looks, everything is great. Why can't I have it?

Now, let me say it's not against possessing, it's about obsessing, alright. So why can't I obsess over these things, why can't I live for these things? The reason is very simple, they don't last. The world and its desires up passing away, moths and rust destroy, thieves break in and steal. Here, Jesus talks about two kinds. You can have the slow taking away, moths and rusts and you have the sudden taking away by thieves. You know when you get something, it's a handbag, err, I don't know what brands you have, err, Chanel, Chanel and Gucci and all this stuff, all this brands, oh, I love these bags, and when you 1st buy it, you worship, you worship things, like the idols, you put it on the desk, wah, you love your bags, but I'm very sure in your life, after a month or two, you your worship service gets less and less frequent. You go less, you admire less and within a year, it is just another junk that you have stored in your wardrobe and you have all your walking wardrobe, because of all this junk, okay, okay, it is not junk, hey, it's precious for ladies, okay. but the value you, it has towards you decreases over time, you don't value it. You say, what has happened, I thought I really like it? Moth and rust has eaten it away. Even if it does not tear and breakdown, It's like a car, when you 1st buy a car, I think that every guy when he 1st buys his favorite car, it is so exciting, wah, polish everyday. This is a nice car, you polish, you love it. And then, you have your 1st accident, bang! And then, the neighbor, besides you, so inconsiderate, he opens the car door, bangs, wah lau, another dent and when you have enough of it, the value of the car now drops. Then, you see your neighbor drive another car, wah his one newer model, advance version, yours, the old model, not so nice and now your heart, goes over to that side.

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The value of what you love decreases, moth and rust. And even if it doesn't go away slowly, it comes to you, suddenly, it may be a disease, you accumulated all your wealth and then, suddenly, you are strickened with cancer, suddenly are involved in a road traffic accident and the greatest thief of all time, death. All that you have, is taken away the moment you die. So whether it is slowly or surely, Jesus says, or slowly or suddenly, Jesus says, it will be surely, taken away. So He says, don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, they don't last.

This world, the devil has placed all these things and he is strategically, manipulating all before you, so that you may hanker for it, long for it, but when you near to it, it is nothing, vanity, emptiness, that's what Scripture says. Someone shared this on Facebook, on social media, I saw it, and I thought I'll share this with you, just a 10 seconds clip, take a look.

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Video plays on frogs jumping at worms on a phone screen.

Silly, right, silly little frogs, I mean, they are so stupid, they all thought that there was a worm on the screen and they want to eat the worm. How stupid, how silly, too, jump, jump, jump, spent all the efforts trying to get something, they would never have, because it's not real.

But do you realize we are just like that, we see that car and you think that makes me satisfied, we see that house and you think that makes me satisfied, we see that status, professor, makes me satisfied, we see that CEO title, makes me satisfied, you know you're jumping at the screen, you are like this frog. In fact, if you look at your whole life, you have been jumping from your study, to your work, you have been jumping and jumping and make a slurping sound, you want to eat that, it never comes, it's not real. The world is passing away.

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Jesus asked a great question and this is the question you have got to answer for yourself today.

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?

You say, I must be the top in my company. Oh, I must be the most famous guy in this office, oh, I must own this car, oh, I must have $10,000,000 in my account. Alright, you have that, but what's the purpose and even if I were to pour into you, your whole world, what does it do for you if you lose your soul.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?
(Matthew 16:26 ESV)

William Barclay says "This is the life in which there is no future."

Oh, what a statement but a statement, but a statement that is rarely believed today, because, deep in our hearts, I am one as well, deep in our hearts, whilst we may intellectually say yes, the Scripture says this is a life in which there is no future, if you pursue the world, and if we loved the world, but deep in our hearts there is that flesh, there is a longing in our that says, maybe I can just love a bit of this and a bit of that.

The Bible and wise men has concluded, the life here when the world is in the heart is one where there is no future.

Not only is this no future, it is when you love the world, not only is this leaving you empty in life at the end of life, but this actually kills you. That's why picture it as black, it kills you, it poisons you. When you love this world, because there's only room for one, it leaves you empty and it also harms you.

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CS Lewis puts it even more strongly than William Buckley when he says the things of this world is like sweet poison of the false infinite. Wah, very chim (colloquial for deep) Lewis, he is like that, don't worry. This is usual, what false infinite. Well, I tell you something about you, your mate in the image of God, and because you are made in the image of God and you are made for God, nothing satisfies you, unless it is infinite. Our hearts are restless, till our hearts find our rest in Him who is infinite, God. And so, we are always looking for that something that will truly satisfy us. You see, the only person who can satisfy us is God. But the world comes along and says, "I have something that is infinitely able to satisfy you, it's that Mercedes. Here it is, is that Orchard Road penthouse. Here it is, your CEO title, this will satisfy you but is a false infinite. It doesn't satisfy, it's false, but it sure looks sweet, it sure looks delicious, the car looks great, the house looks great, the title sounds great. It is sweet, but when you take of this, you realize it is poison.

So this is the sweet poison of the false infinite and I think this is right, because Scripture tells us, when you love this world, not only does it leave you empty, it actually hurts you, harms you. 1st Timothy 6, those who desire to be rich, what happens to them. Look at these words, temptations, snares, harmful, ruin, destruction, one line, Paul makes it very clear, nothing wrong with being rich, but when you're obsessed when you desire, when you epithymia, when you a over passion for the things of the world, you plunges him into all kinds of destruction. Verse 10 just in case you don't get it, the love of money. Again , this is not money that is the problem, it is the love of money that is the problem, brings out all kinds of evils, it causes you to wander away from the faith, you pierce yourself with many pangs, absolutely clear, the Bible gives us, sweet poison of the false infinite.

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I urge you, Peter says, so not only does John say this, not only does Paul say this Peter pitch in and says, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh. Why ? Because these things, wage war against the soul. How about Jesus, does He say anything? Oh yes, and He puts it so nicely, so memorably in the parable of the sower.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22 ESV)

He says to us, why is it that in a group like this, same preacher, same sermon, same text and people can walk out of this place totally different in response? Because one of the reasons is because there are people listening right now with the cares of the world, and the hungering and the longing for the riches of this world. Right now, I'm preaching about the Word and you are absolutely thinking about the world, you're still thinking about your fridge, you are still thinking about your diamond ring, you are still thinking about the iPad, you are still thinking about your job, you are still dreaming that you will climb all the way to the top, you are still thinking about these things and I know, because, like I shared with you, last week, when I go China preaching, I am still thinking about my bumper, it is amazing.

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But when you have these cares of this world, it chokes the Word. No wonder there is no flourishing, no wonder there is no fruitfulness in life because you have been harboring these things and you remember what John tells us, if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. The heart is big enough only for one. Demas, left Paul, left the ministry. Why, because life is too hard, no, because he was in love with this present world.

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me (2 Timothy 4:10 ESV)

Don't underestimate this, folks. The world has a strong attraction for the flesh, Eve, huh, she looked at the fruit and she says this is the infinite. She said that this fruit is good for food, desired to make one wise; she saw the beauty, she thought that when she has this, she will be absolutely satisfied and she can say to God, God, I do not need you. This is the sweet thing, but never did she realize that when she took a bite of it, it was poison, it destroyed her, it destroyed the whole of humanity and if not for Jesus Christ, there is no hope.

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This is what lures them. Recently I read and I think you're horrified to know, Chinese restaurant owner admits serving opium laced noodles, noodles to hook customers. Hah, you say, yah, next time you go Chi.., oh, no, say, no, no, no, you go anywhere, you have got to be careful, alright. So, what did they do, well this restaurant owner was, wah, really he got 2 kg worth of poppy buds, crushed them into powder and laced them on his noodles, so that when you take his noodles for the 1st time, you like it. And somehow when you don't take his noodles, after sometimes, you say, I think I should go back and eat again and he lures his customers that way. I wonder why maggi mee so nice. Maybe, they put some of that too. Ooh but the great opium laced noodles, are not from this Chinese restaurant owner, but from the devil. Satan has laced the noodles of this world with his opium. He comes to you and say, look at this noodles, ah Mee Pok Ta (meaning, dried noodles) very nice Mee Pok, you slurp it in, woh, nice, this car is nice and you want more, and you want more, you know, no man is satisfied with the world, no man. You have this car, you want the next car, you want this car, you have this car, you have the next boat, after this boat is the next aeroplane, after that, is the next spaceship.

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There is no end because it's like opium, you are addicted to it, you want it, it's still pleasurable when you have it, but it kills you. Have you seen those opium addicts, ooh, so shiok (meaning, nice) but they are dying, as they are indulging in pleasure. This is what the world is doing, oh, so nice to live in the but you are dying spiritually. It is a sweet poison of the false infinite. So why does God tell us not to love the world? Very simple, if the world dominates your heart, your life amounts to nothing and you forfeit your soul, it destroys you spiritually. There is only one room, for one, God or the world and and if it is the world, God is not in it.

So, the clear advice of Scripture is that, let God be the one in your heart and when you say, I want God to be in my heart then you must be willing to say no to the things of the world, because you can't say yes to God and yes to the world, right? You cannot serve God and Mammon, friendship of the world is enmity with God.

Very simple if it is God, you have got to say no to the world and that's what Moses did. I'm told that there is a new movie coming up, called Gods and Kings, it is about Moses. Moses, the Bible tells us, by faith, he chose rather to be mistreated with the people of God, than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

By faith Moses??
choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God
than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
(Heb 11:24-26)

You know something about Moses, he detected the opium there, Egypt, is glorious, it is the world superpower at that time. He could have everything he wanted, he can have all the glory and power and fame and control, but he said that is opium laced noodles, he doesn't want to enjoy that opium. He said no to it and he chose to be mistreated with the people of God. Why, because he has the love of God.

He considered the reproach of Christ, he loves God so much that he was willing to suffer with his people, with God's people. He doesn't bother about the noodles; he wants God, he wants Christ.

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt,
for he was looking to the reward.
(Heb 11:24-26)

That's a wise man, that is a man who says, I cannot have both God and Mammon. I cannot have both God and the world, I have made a choice. Have you made a choice, today, will you make that choice? When you follow this advice, you can live like people in times past, Jim Elliot

"He's no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose."

He is wise, he gave his life for the cause of Christ because he realized that the world and the desires thereof will pass. What's the point he says, what's the point of living for the world, when I cannot keep these things, but let me give up, what I can give up today, to gain what I would never lose in another day. Whoever does the will of God abides forever.

whoever does the will of God abides forever. v17. John says, hey, love God because this is what lasts, this is what matters. DL Moody, the famous evangelist, when he died, he had a tomb, of course, tombstone and inscribed on that tombstone with these words " Whoever does the will of God, abides forever.

You don't need your name to be carved on hospitals or schools or companies or halls, you abides forever. When these things go away, you abides forever. The beauty of living for God of loving God, so do not love the world. Sometimes we read verses like this, you say, ah, God is very not nice, always deprived, always say no, is like my son always say, papa, why you don't, daddy, why don't let me play this, why you don't let, he always thinks that I am mean to him, restrain him, restrict him and don't give him all the things, he wants. You know why I do that? Because is not good for him. You know why God says, don't love the world, not because He doesn't want you to enjoy alright, not because He doesn't want you to be happy, alright, but because He knows these things, are like opium, they are poison of the false infinite and it is therefore a gracious command when God says, "Love not the world". It's the heart of a Father, crying out to you don't love the world. I love you, love me, because if you don't, if you love the world, you will not love Me and you will not have the love of God in your heart. Would you do that, love not the world, it is a gracious command. Adam and Eve didn't believe God. God says, out of every fruit, you can eat, just don't think this one and they say, No I don't believe you, God, you don't want me to be like you ha, I know now. Ha, you're just a selfish, jealous, vindictive person, ah, the serpent told me, you don't want us to be like you okay, I purposely go and eat, and when I eat, I will be like you.

So, they doubted God's love and when you read this verse, you may may say, huh,I don't believe, I, I would love the world. No, understand that the Scripture is already very clear and this is God's command of love for you and for me. I want to say a little bit more about the 2nd of this phrase, where it says this, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. This is a very absolute term, a very absolute statement. Many of us think that a Christian is someone who comes to church, gets baptized, read the Bible, pray every day. And if I do these things, if I attend church enough, I'm a Christian. I tell you something , all right, here I see that a Christian is someone who loves God and if he loves God, he will not love the world. Not at least in a consistent regular habitual way, not sinless perfection but sincere progression.

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A Christian is not defined by the external acts. In the Scriptures, a Christian is someone who has a change in his heart, he understands, he knows God's love and he loves God. Throughout the Bible, let me give you some verses. Romans 8:28 those who love you can just take down the reference because I just want to highlight. A real Christian is not just someone who goes to church gets baptized, reads his Bible, prays, no.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28 ESV)

A real Christian is someone who is God in his heart, who loves God. Romans 8:28 says, this is what a Christian is, he loves God.

1 Corinthians 2:9

But, as it is written, ?What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him?
(1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV)

What is a Christian, a Christian is someone who loves God

1 Corinthians 16:22

If anyone has no love for the Lord,
let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!
(1 Corinthians 16:22 ESV)

What is a Christian, a Christian is someone who loves God.

James tells us:

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5 ESV)

What is a Christian, a Christian is someone who loves God.

You say, how do I know if I am a Christian today,, I ask you, do you love God. And how do you know you love God? John says, number 1 you obey His commandments, number 2, you love your brethren, number 3, you love not the world. It's about the heart.

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Some of you have been in church for a long time, again that does not guarantee you any change of your heart. You know if you have a change of heart, if you really love God today, you will obey His commandments, you love the brethren, and you love not the world.

Jesus said this,"You want to be my disciples, you want to be a believer, you want to be a Christian, you want to be a follower of Christ, by the way, there is no such thing as a Christian who gets saved and he also lives the same way. No, when you trust in Jesus Christ. When He is your Lord, you will do what He says, it says here, " If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it, for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeit his soul."

Then Jesus told his disciples, ?If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul (Matthew 16:24-26)

Many people from the Gospel of Jesus Christ is just a message, I say yes to and God takes away my sins, God gives me a ticket to heaven, and I can live the same way I used to live. The Gospel is primarily a call of God for us to forsake sin and to love Him. That's what the Gospel is, it's calling His children away from the world, to belong to God. Now, of course, we have no ability to love God, until He first changes our hearts, but you know if you really been born again, you know if you really know Christ, if today , there is a change in your heart desire. A real Christian is someone who has had a heart transplant. God has so worked in him.

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It is sad, when I see many, many people who say they believe in Jesus, but they live absolutely for the things of the world. But I can't know your heart, but I fear for you. I'm concerned for you and hope your concern for your own life, your own soul. Now please, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you love God, in order to be saved, no, you don't get that, you can't do that, but I am saying if you are saved, you will love God. Why, because God has changed your heart. The day you repented of your sin and believe in Jesus that He died for your sins, is the day where God has changed your heart, you will forsake the world, you will, not that you forsake the will, in order to be saved. But if you saved, you will turn from the world and follow Jesus because you love Jesus and if you love Jesus, you cannot love the world, very simple.

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That's why, Billy Sunday says it makes as much sense to talk about the worldly Christian as it does to talk about the heavenly devil. They are mutually incompatible. Have you heard about a heavenly devil, have you heard about a godly devil, anyone heard of that? No, la, pastor, don't be silly. He is an evil devil, there is no godly devil, they are are absolutely right. And the Bible has nothing to say about a worldly Christian, no such thing. You are a worldly unbeliever or you're a godly Christian, meaning that you are not perfect, not saying that you are sinless but you are sincere, you move towards the love of God.

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Some of us, says, today, pastor, I'm a Christian but I'm worldly lah, I am a worldly Christian. No such thing, Billy Sunday says, there is no in between, there's no gray area, who are you today? What about Tozer, he says a whole new generation and this he spoke years ago, Tozer says, a whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to accept Christ without forsaking the world, you can't, you can't.

The Gospel is a call away from sin, away from the world, to belong to Jesus Christ. That's what the Gospel is, we have cheapen it, to become a kind of a sales thing where oh, sign up for this and God gives you all these goodies. No, it's a call from disobedience to obedience, from loving the world, loving your sins to loving Jesus Christ and God alone.

That's why, the prosperity gospel is a dangerous thing. The prosperity gospel is where people tell you that when you believe in Jesus, God gives you money, God gives you health, God wants to give you the things in this world. It doesn't work, and if you think about it, it is outright dangerous. Why, because the prosperity gospel built into it, feeds the love for the world. So if they say, love God and love the world, it doesn't because there's only room in your heart for one. And that's why, the prosperity gospel is not just a minor error. It is a core fundamental, departure from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that's why Paul says in 1st Timothy when someone teach these things that are contrary to doctrine and so on, supposing that gain is godliness wealth gain and prosperity is godliness, from such, you don't engage with them, you don't listen to them, but you withdraw from them, because it's a damnable heresy folks, it's teaching you idolatry, it's teaching you to put the world into your heart, when the Gospel is about putting God alone in your heart.

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Because there is only room for one. God and the world, there is a choice that you've got to make, 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.

I pray today that we will be a people where the love of God is seen. Some of you, you say, I want to be a good evangelist, I want to share the Gospel with my family, my friends and you learn about the techniques of sharing the Gospel and that's great. Be clear about communicating the Gospel. But you know that there's more to communicating the Gospel that your lip, its your life. God has called us to be the salt and light of this world. The inference that it, there is no sound, , salt and light, no sound, but it's visible. I ask you today is your life visible, visibly different from the world. You say, how do I dress a T-shirt that says, Jesus loves me? No, that's not the way you become visible, the visibility is seen in the way you live. Do you have the same ambitions and desires as your friends, the way you spend your money, the way you raise your kids, the pursuits you have in your life. Can everyone see any difference in your life.

We are not just to give the Gospel. We live the Gospel and it is seen in the choices we make, because the choices reflect the heart we have, and the heart we have for God, will be seen in the choices we make. Nothing wrong with living in the world, nothing wrong for you to have a car, house, iPad whatever, there's nothing wrong with that, but be sure that the world doesn't get into you.

Spurgeon, he says, I believe that one reason why the church of God has so little influence over the world, is because the world has so much influence over the church.

Our thinking, our spending, our thirst, our appetite is like the world. 5 C's, American dream, make it rich, strike it rich, make yourself famous that is ethos of the world and that is, I'm sad to say the ethos that has crept into the church, into my life, into your life.

My friends, we started with this picture. What a man, you say, what kind of a man would sell his girlfriend for an iPhone, what kind of a man, are you, if you will sell your soul for the things of this world. Love not the world, because it is passing away, but he that doeth the will of God abides forever.

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The devastation of the world is too much for anyone of us, to bear, love God, know His love, you abides for ever.

Let's bow for a word of prayer together. This morning, I want to cause us to end on the time of reflection. You're Christian today, some of you, you know that, many of you, in fact. But in your heart, there is something that you are obsessing about. It maybe your appearance, it may be your looks, it maybe your family, it maybe your career, it may even be ministry, but this has taken the place of God in your life. My friends, the things of this world, the reputation, the fame, they will pass away. But worse than that, they war against the soul, your Father is graciously speaking to you through His Word this morning. Love not the world. But know My love. See how I've given you all things in Christ, see, how I have given you, Jesus, My Son, that is the proof of My love. Don't covert, don't long for the things of this world, because I will never leave you nor forsake you, be content, be satisfied, I am for you. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, would you return to God today, wherever you are, wherever you, how far you've gone, deep in your heart, because Jesus has changed your heart, you long for Him, you love Him and I know you will come back to Him. Would you do that today, right now, lay it at the foot of the cross.

Maybe some of you are here and you're not Christian, you're not a believer, this is the 1st time you have heard the preaching of God's Word and you say well, I realized that maybe, what I'm chasing in this life, amounts to nothing, so how can I love God, how can I be saved, too, I start attending church, go Bible study, I am glad you want to do all that, but let me say this, what really needs to take place, is that there must be a transplant of your heart, what really needs to take place, is according to the Bible, you must be born again. In other words, God got to do that work in your life, in your heart. He's got to do it, but this is what He has commanded you to do, He has commanded you to repent of your sin, he has commanded you to see your ugliness of sin, to see that sin and disobedience against God is a terrible thing and it has ruined you and will continue to ruin you, you have got to see that you are helpless to rid yourself of sin and that he wants you to realize that He has done it all for you, because He has sent His Son, Jesus to die on the cross. The Bible says if you repent and believe in Jesus Christ, you will have everlasting life. God gives you that new birth, God gives you that new life, God gives you the new heart, this is where it is all about. It is about your heart. It's about God, God changing your heart. Would you today humble yourself, repent of your sin and believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus saves. May we as a church, live in a way that is so different from the world. May you live in a way that is different from your brothers and sisters, your colleagues, from your schoolmates. Why, because you love God, in your heart. Why do you love God, because you know how much God loves you in Jesus Christ in the the Gospel. May the Gospel flood your life. Father, we thank You today. We are called to be strangers and pilgrims in this world, that we are to hold the things of this world loosely, because we look forward to that heavenly city, we look forward to meeting with You and so, I pray, each and everyone of us would follow the call of discipleship, that we will forsake this world, deny ourselves, pick up the cross and follow Christ, enable us to do so, I pray for our guests, for those who are yet unsaved, in particular, that they will turn from sin and believe in Jesus alone, bless each heart today. Bless each life, each family represented here. Thank You for Your loving Words in 1John. May these be etched in our souls. We asked all this now in Jesus Name, Amen.