LOVE THE LORD WITH A PURE HEART
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 JOHN 2:15 ).
1 Timothy 1:5 says, “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” A pure heart is a heart that loves the Lord truly and believes His Word absolutely (without any questions or doubts).
Something you should do often is to check the condition of your heart that it’s pure towards God in love. Your love for Him must be unfeigned. In reviewing what we read in our opening verse, the example of Demas, a certain character in the Bible, readily comes to mind.
Demas worked closely with Luke, the writer of the “Gospel of Luke” and “Acts of the Apostles.” He also worked very closely with the great Apostle Paul. In fact, Paul listed him among his fellow-labourers in the Gospel: “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers…Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you” (Colossians 4:12-14 NKJV).
Paul also mentioned him in Philemon 1:23-24 NKJV: “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers.” So, Demas was a co-labourer with Paul. He was in very good company, and had a ministry to fulfil.
But in 2 Timothy 4:9-10, Paul tells Timothy: “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica….” This explains why some people start well and end up badly: their love for the Lord is not genuine. Paul said Demas forsook him, because he loved the world. You can’t love the Father and love the world at the same time. To love this world is to not have the love of the Father in you.
All the while Demas was labouring with Paul, Luke and the other ministers of the Gospel, he was lusting after the world and the things of this world. And for that reason, he ultimately couldn’t fulfil his divine destiny and purpose.
Love the Lord with a pure heart. Serve Him truly. Let Him be all that matters to you, for the Bible says, “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” (Ephesians 6:24).
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, you reign in my life; you’re all that matters to me. Thank you for the grace to live for you and serve you with a perfect heart; you’re everything to me. You’re holy, pure, righteous, loving and true! You’re the only true God; and I love you forever. Amen!
FURTHER STUDY
GALATIANS 6:14, COLOSSIANS 3:1-2, 2 PETER 3:11-14
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Acts 12 & Nehemiah 4-6
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Luke 4:14-32 & Deuteronomy 24
