It Starts with the Heart
You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
—James 4:4
Some people may have a lot financially, yet they’re not all that attached to it. They understand it came from the Lord and that it could be taken back from the Lord, so their hold is light. Then there are people who hang on to everything. They’re all about their stuff.
Abraham and Lot had acquired great wealth, but they reacted differently to their prosperity. Abraham had possessions, but possessions had Lot. There’s nothing wrong with prospering, by the way. If someone works hard, saves, invests their money, and tithes, if they honor the Lord and live a life of integrity, then it’s likely they will do well financially. It should not come as a shock to us that God would bless someone as they honor biblical principles.
But this disparity between Abraham and Lot was not a result of the land they owned, the famine, their wealth, or even their herdsmen, because the heart of every problem is the problem of the heart.
Lot’s heart was in this world, as evidenced by where he ended up living. Lot wanted to have all the world had to offer, but he still wanted friendship with God. Abraham, on the other hand, was content with what he had. Lot wanted a lot more. Lot wanted stuff, but Abraham wanted God. Lot wanted to be the world’s friend, but Abraham wanted to be God’s friend.
The Bible warns, “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God” (James 4:4 NLT).
You must make a decision: Do you want to be God’s friend? Or, do you want to be the world’s friend? You can’t be both
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