His Way or Ours

     To be "in the world, and not of it" is one of the hardest delineations, as a Christian, that I know of.  I want to know where the lines are. It's my personal belief that when we continue to take in more and more of the world, that we become more and more blind to the fact that we are living in it, and so it's harder to come out of it. Only by God's grace as He brings His light on that realization, can we then see, repent and come out of our involvements with it.
     God says that if we love the world, then His love is not in us. Now that is a dramatic, and seemingly extreme statement, but we know it's true because He said it in His Word. I've been pondering about this lately; wondering how "loving the world" means one does not have His Love. Could it be that if someone does love the world, that they love themselves more than God, by wanting to procure for  themselves the things of the world that could benefit or advance them personally? The lust of the flesh is a strong force, which leads many astray.
     I am presently dealing with that force in some areas of my life. The "I want" or "I need" aspect of us (our flesh) works against God's will and ways for our lives. Sometimes we choose those other things which will ultimately bring destruction into our lives, or are death producing, with our eyes wide open. Doing this is another way of choosing the world over God. Our flesh is at home in the world; our spirits are not.
     We have to accept and settle the fact that we have 2 opposing natures in us, and the war will go on until one of them gains victory. It is not a natural thing to "walk in the Spirit," because it opposes our flesh, the enemy and the world.
     This world has a prince, and his name is satan. It is him that is running things his way for now, and the only part of us he can appeal to is our flesh, the part of us that God says has nothing good in it. Are we flesh men or spirit men? We are supposed to be allowing God to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ, the original Spirit man.
     If we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us because as we love the world, we are in effect worshipping it's prince, and 2 opposing forces cannot co-exist. I'm realizing as He grows me in Him, how strong the force of the world (or satan) really is, and how much of the world's programming I still have.
     In the 60's, there was a motto which said; "if it feels good, do it." With no regard for anyone or anything else, just filling one's own pleasure, was proclaimed. His Word says that in the last days, people will be "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." (2 Tim. 3:4) This self-worship explains why we don't have the love of God in us, if we love the world. We are putting ourselves and what we want or think we need or to feel good before Him, pure and simple.
     What a travesty and scary place this is to be whenever we look at this in reality! We have chosen us over Him.
     Oh Lord, help us see where we are, and bring us out!!! Show us where the world has taken possession of us, unknowingly, and where we have chosen it over You and Your love! Give us the courage and the strength to choose your Kingdom, it's King and it's values, instead of the world, it's prince and it's values. Only by your Grace, can we be delivered and not go back.