Cpr For A Healthy Walk Part 12 Series

“This World Is Not My Home”

Supplementary notes to Part One

Note: the following is intended to supplement the notes from the previous message with the same title “This world is not my home”. Included here is a basic outline of the message and addition notes added or revised.

CPR is and invitation to life. In this series are all the basic elements of a vital walk with God.

I. Continually cultivate a dynamic relationship with Him.

II. Persistently pursue, develop and maintain meaningful community within the body of Christ.

III. Resolutely resist the world the flesh and the devil

Last week we projected a chart not included in the notes. That chart is duplicated here for your reference.

A. Renew and purify Your heart

Having addressed uncleanness in the soul, we are ready to take a firm stand against the agents who try to defile the soul. This morning I revisit the biblical direction concerning this seductive enemy called the world. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God’s heart. I offer you life this morning by offering you truths by which to structure your life. What does the Bible teach about the world and how are we to live?

The basic instruction regarding the evil of the world is to refuse to be conformed to it.

B. Refuse conformity with the World

1. A biblical view of the World

a. The entire universe as created by God

b. Mankind in general

c. The theater of human history

Revised definition below.

d. A devil-directed society of beings dedicated to devil-dictated philosophies, principles and practices.

Paul talks about a society of people who live by a particular philosophy which appeals to the flesh and results in specific practices we might call worldly. These all work together to capture and defile the soul that it might not reflect the nature of the one who created it and inflame the wrath of God.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

1. Lust of the flesh

This is the unbridled pursuit of what feels good, what satisfies my base passions and senses. This is the passion for and pursuit of pleasure and pleasant sensations.

2. Lust of the eyes

This is the unbridled pursuit of what looks good, what increases material wealth. The appeal is to feel important and significant through the accumulation of things. Love things and use people to gain things. This is the passion for and pursuit of possessions .

3. Pride of life

This is the unbridled pursuit of what glorifies self, what promotes self importance and significance. This is the passion for and pursuit of prestige or power. The whole world system promotes and pursues a rebellious desire to feel alive apart from dependence on God. This system of philosophies, principles and practices focus on glorifying man not God. The world deftly draws our attention to the creature rather than the creator.

It all started with Lucifer son of the morning who expressed dissatisfaction with His God appointed gifts and ministry and sought to become an equal with God. The disease infected Eve and Adam with the temptation to be like God by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve saw that it was good for food, pleasant to the eye (good thing to have) and able to make one independently wise. Paul certifies the core of worldliness.

But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3

This wicked world system perpetuates and appeals to a selfish desire for pleasure, possessions and prestige or power. The world’s value system or what it considers important is personal feelings of pleasure and happiness, accumulation of material possessions and wealth, building a personal kingdom of power and prestige and significance.

Satan tried to tempt Jesus along the very same lines.

He tempted Jesus to try to demonstrate his worth by performing a self satisfying miracle. Jesus proclaimed the Father’s principle that life is more than food. True life is found in the Word of God.

Satan tempted Jesus to demonstrate his worth and drawing attention to his importance by a self-centered display of miraculous protection. Jesus proclaimed the Father’s principle of faith, not presumption.

Satan tempted Jesus to circumvent the plan of God in order to gain the wealth of the world.

Jesus proclaimed the principle of whole hearted devotion to the Father.

Anytime we fall for the lie that genuine life may be found through the self-centered pursuit of pleasure, possessions or prestige we buy into a system contrary to God and contrary to how we were designed to function in selfless community. Worldliness begins with a belief or attitude before it blossoms into behavior. The belief that there is more to life other than what God provides and when He provides it.