*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*CRUCIFY YOUR AFFECTIONS AND LUSTS.*
*Scripture Treasure.*
James 4:4 *Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
Galatians 5:24 *And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.*
The life of Demas teaches us that many who started well may not finish well.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Some may not finish well, mostly because of who and what they love to associate with.
We are all born to be affectionate but not in the way of lust.
No matter what our affection is to our spouses, we must crucify it when required in order to please God, Eccl 3:5.
Lust is not negotiable. It must be crucified to please God, Matt 5:28.
Affection becomes lust and sinful when uncontrolled, Jam 1:12-16.
Demas was a missionary and fellow companion of Paul. He was mentioned in the company of Luke by Paul in Col 4:14.
In Philemon, Demas is mentioned as a "fellow worker, Phil 1:24.
It is believed his name means "popular."
Most disturbing was in 2 Tim 4:10 when Paul records, *Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.*
Scripture says he left Paul because he loved this present world. He left Paul and headed to Thessalonica, a large, wealthy, cosmopolitan city.
James warned that *“....friendship with the world is hostility toward God."*
It is most likely Demas caught interest with the world on his many journeys with Paul.
We must be very careful.
Our interests in God's work are divided by our lustful affections to the things we ought to be preaching against.
Often, falling away from God is due to desperation without the fear of God, desperation without caution, overzealousness, lack of patience, comparing oneself, the kind of messages we listen to, the people we follow etc.
Our wrongful affections are battles on their own. The devil is doing his thing, and so we are doing our thing . If care is not taken, we will become our own enemies.
Demas became his own enemy and became a lesson for every one of us.
Do you have any other affection besides Jesus?
*Remorse corner.*
The strife or war will not be over when the heart is a battlefield. Who is first in your heart? Jesus, you or the world?
*Call to Word action.*
1 John 2:16 *For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
1 John 2:17 *And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.*
*Prayer.*
1 Peter 2:11 *Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.*
Lord, help me in Jesus name.
Good morning all and have a blessed day today.
God bless you.
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