Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

Live for the World to Come!

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica…  2 Timothy 4:10  ESV

Demas started well but did not end well.  He had been one of Paul’s co-workers for several years (see Colossians 4:14;  Philemon 1:24).  But now, during Paul’s later years, Demas deserted him because he loved the world more than Christ.

If the enemy can’t keep us from trusting Christ, he will seek to mute our witness and stifle our growth in Jesus through this world’s temptations.  Demas gave in to that temptation and shipwrecked his faith.

We are not living for this world, but for an unseen world that is yet to come.  This current world is but a brief experience compared to life in our future home for all eternity.  We must not love this world for we will leave it behind.  We live for the world to come!

• We must be on our guard not to fall in love with this world.  What do the following passages say about loving this world? — James 4:4-10; 1 John 2:15-16

• The world to come is so much more in every way.  What is said about a believer’s future world in the following passages? — John 14:1-4; 1 Peter 1: 3-9

Question to ponder:  What worldly temptation is the enemy currently using against you and what can you about it?

Passages for further reflection:  Matthew 16:26; Colossians 3:2