If you would not fall short of the kingdom of heaven, take heed of worldly-mindedness. A covetous spirit chokes holy affections, as the earth puts out the fire.
"The riches of the world, are the snares of the devil!"
Riches are golden snares! If a man were to climb up a steep rock, and had weights tied to his legs, it would hinder him in his ascent. Just so, many golden weights will hinder us from climbing up the steep rock which leads to heaven.
The world is no friend to grace. The more the babe sucks, the weaker the mother is. Just so, the more the world sucks, the weaker our grace is.
Had a man a monopoly of all the wealth of the world; could he heap up riches to the stars, yet his heart would not be filled. Covetousness is never satisfied. Joshua could stop the course of the sun but could not stop Achan in his covetous pursuit of the wedge of gold. He whose heart is locked up in his chest, will be locked out of heaven!
Some ships which have escaped the rocks have been wrecked upon the sands. Just so, many who have escaped gross sins have been wrecked upon the world's golden sands!
[Thomas Watson]
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James 4:4 ... Ye adulterers and adulteresses, 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.
John 12:25 ... He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
1 John 2:15 ...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.❤
