The Slide Begins in the Heart

Today's #BattleDrill: This week we are challenged to choose God’s values over the world’s values. How can your Christian friends help you to tread this path? #salvationarmy #basingstoke #devotional Read 1 John 2:15-17. Christians are sometimes guilty of thinking the choice between God’s values and the world’s values depends on our external behaviour. So, if we don’t drink, don’t smoke and don’t take drugs, we must be on the right path. But that’s not the heart of it. Choosing worldly values begins in the heart. It’s our attitude to the world that matters the most. John says it’s when we crave physical pleasure, when we crave for everything we see and when we are obsessed with our achievements and possessions that worldly values start to take over our hearts. They begin to affect our souls and we grow apart from God. To avoid this temptation, we must exercise self-control. There may be people we should not associate with – friends who lead us astray. There may be places we should avoid – where the temptation is too great. There may be activities we should stop doing. All so we can exercise control over the choices we make. We should choose to practice generosity, holding the possessions we accumulate lightly, and using them for others’ enjoyment as much as our own. We can serve others humbly, focusing on their needs rather than what we get from serving. Our small group of close Christian friends can encourage us and keep us accountable as we make these choices each day. Let’s all choose God’s values today, spending time in the world and loving those around us, but choosing to adhere not to worldly values, but to God’s values. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: o Do your actions reflect the world’s values or God’s values? You can subscribe in your favourite podcast program using this link - https://feeds.podcastmirror.com/battle-drill-daily You can also subscribe on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/battle-drill-daily-devotional/id1547999905 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0RtXUU5VTM00EJGLyriyzA Android: https://subscribeonandroid.com/feeds.podcastmirror.com/battle-drill-daily Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/rob-westwoodpayne/battle-drill-daily-devotional Email: https://subscribebyemail.com/feeds.podcastmirror.com/battle-drill-daily