This Flattering Enemy

[Fragrant Grace]

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.
James 4:4

From: The Christian's Charter.......Thomas Watson

The world is a deadly enemy.
This enemy courts us.

It smiles—that it may deceive.
It kills—by embracing!

The world's music enchants us.
It has a golden apple in one hand and a dagger in the other hand!

Riches are but golden dust, which will sooner choke us, than satisfy us.
Riches are called thick clay, which will sooner break our back, than lighten our heart.

Marcia gave poison in sweet wine, to the emperor Commodus.
Such an aromatic cup does the world present us with—that we may drink and die.

The ivy, while it clasps about the oak, sucks away the heart of it; such are the world's embraces.
Judas-like, whom the world kisses—it betrays.

The world is a silken halter.
The world is a golden fetter.

Some have been drowned in the sweet waters of pleasure!
Others have been choked in silver mines!

Oh arm, arm against this flattering enemy!


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

 

[Eddy Fire]

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Proverbs 27:6

it's true

 

[mackem lady]

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.


it's true

All very thought provoking.

 

[Fragrant Grace]

These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips;
but their heart is far from Me.
Matthew 15:8


How many, O how many of those who sit in our chapels amid the people of God are perishing in their sins with . . .
the Bible and hymn-book before their eyes,
the sound of the gospel in their ears,
the doctrines of grace on their lips,
but the love of the world in their hearts!*

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.
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.
1 John 2:15-16


*( Contemplations & Reflections - Philpot)

 

[Fragrant Grace]

You can't love God and the world

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:4


It is my firm conviction that worldliness is destroying the church of Jesus Christ. The church is more and more becoming . . .
like the world,
indistinguishable from the world,
pursuers of the world,
lovers of the world.


Our relationship with Jesus Christ is hardly more than an appendage or appendix to our busy, worldly lives. We are no longer distinguished as separate, consecrated, pilgrims, sojourners, or holy unto the Lord; instead, we have . . .

eyes full of the world,
hearts in love with the world,
ears attentive to the world,
lips filled with worldly speech,
hands filled with worldly things,
feet comfortable with worldly paths, and
bodies no longer ready to depart and be with Jesus since that would mean giving up the world.


There is a heaven to be won and a hell to be shunned, and all those who have no visible, practical, transforming, determinative, self-denying, world-abhorring love for Jesus Christ — will be anathema at His coming!

(James A La Belle)


Do not love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions — is not from the Father but is from the world.
1 John 2:15-16