Playing the harlot - Part 3

If I’m not regularly in the Word of God, my thinking gets worldly real quick. When this happens, I begin to pursue the things of this world above the things of God. That’s friendship with the world or playing the harlot and this realization makes me sick. But praise be to God, His Word is alive and active and adjusts my thinking (Hebrews 4:12, Romans 12:2). God’s desire is that I am set apart or different from the world in my behavior and He does that through His Word, which is TRUTH (John 17:17). It absolutely amazes me how His Word pricks my very heart and causes an amazing transformation in my thinking and behavior. God is awesome and His Word is WOW. Now, I’m not talking about just sitting and reading the Word, okay? I’m talking about sitting with the very Word of God and allowing God through the power of His Word and His Spirit to penetrate my heart. You know, when you have a real heart to heart with someone and you share openly and honestly? It’s like that. I’m allowing God to share openly and honestly with me. And, when I hear God’s heart – I melt. I realized I was playing the harlot when I read and studied James 4:4. So what did I do? Exactly what the verses that followed told me to do!

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:4-10