With every day that passes, we have a choice to make: Will we live for this world and everything in it, or will we live for God and His kingdom? The truth is, what we choose to live for each and every day impacts everything, from the decisions we make to the ways we honor God with our lives and everything in between. If we live for the world, we will end up empty and disappointed. After all, the things of this world will not last. This world is fading away day by day. If we, however, choose every day to live for eternity and the Kingdom of God, we will never be disappointed. God's kingdom, after all, will last forever.
John wrote about the importance of living for eternity rather than the things of this world in 1st John 2. In this chapter, he wrote, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you…For the world offers only a craving of physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions” (verses 15-16). In other words, the things of this world offer momentary satisfaction. They will never fulfill the deep desire and longing of our hearts. John continued writing in this passage of Scripture, “And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever” (verse 17). The things of this world, John explains here, are not worth living for. Why? They will not last. There is nothing in this world that holds eternal value. The successes we achieve will fade away. The new items we purchase get scratched up or become outdated. This world does not hold eternal value. The things of eternity, of God and His kingdom, however, will never fade away. They will last forever. These, my friends, are the things worth living for.
You have a choice today and every day: What will you live for? You will never regret choosing to live for the things that hold eternal value, God and His kingdom. Choose today to live for what will last forever. Focus on the things of eternity rather than the things of this world that will fade away. Choose to make an eternal impact with this precious life God has given you.
One of the ways we can set our minds on Christ and His kingdom is by worshiping Him during church services each weekend. Make plans this weekend to attend one of our weekend services, setting your mind and heart on God and the things of eternity that will never fade away.
1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
12 I am writing to you who are God’s children
because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children
because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
and you have won your battle with the evil one.
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
