us vs. the world

::For some reason, it didn't post the whole thing the first time...so, if you've already read it...skip to the bottom :)::

Last night at Youth Group we split the girls and guys up and talked about, yep you guessed it...sex. Kevin said some really awesome things to the guys and I really enjoyed the time spent with the girls and talking about our value in God's eyes!

Afterwords one of the girls and I talked about how her friends bug her because she has never had a boyfriend or kissed a guy. I told her that its a great thing! That she hasn't given in to their words and that they notice!

So, I have been going through 1 John on my own and this is what I read today, I thought it was awesome and ties so perfectly into the conversation I had last night!

1 John 2:15-17 (New Living) 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.



Now, The Message version...



1 John 2: 15-17 (Message) Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

How often do we choose to give in to our wanting, wanting, wanting? Wanting the thing that will satisfy the moment, or make us happy for a second? The cool thing is...we DO have a choice, a choice to say, "NO." whenever we need to.
When I talked to the girls last night, we talked about the difference between, "NO" and "hehehe...noooooo" (imagine and smile, giggle and tilt of the head :). When we "play" or "flirt" with the world and our wants, it is not saying "NO."

One more really cool verse:

James 4:7-10(Message) So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.

So, I choose to say a firm, "NO.".

Do you?