PLEASURES OF LIFE
2 Timothy 3:4 (NLT) They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
The pleasures of life are another thing that keep the soil of our heart in a thorny state, or just full of weeds, which choke out the Word of God we have put in our heart. This soil is so frustrating for anyone who has it because they have the roots, the plant, and even the fruit of what they have planted, but it never gets to harvest. How do we change that? By identifying the cause of the weeds. Jesus was clear about it. He gave us four definite weeds that will choke out the Word of God in our heart, and the pleasures of life were one of those weeds He identified. Our scripture says that people will be lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God. What does that mean? It’s people who place their personal happiness over the desire to serve God. In other words, they will not sacrifice anything, even for God. What makes them happy, what makes them feel good, what pleases them comes before what pleases God. There has never been a time when people are so obsessed with what makes them happy and what makes their life and their children’s lives easier. God has given us all things freely to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17), but don’t mistake that for the many times we will have to sacrifice the comfort of our flesh to please God.
The pleasures of life can be a sin. Hebrews 11:25 says, “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” What is the weed Jesus warned us about? It is the pleasures of this life. Who should be concerned about that? All of us because the pleasures of this life are all around us. Moses is a great example of this. He lived in Pharaoh’s house as his adopted grandson. He had every right and privilege. He had the best of everything: education, food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and on and on, but Moses chose God. You and I will also have to choose. If my flesh has to suffer to please God, so be it. If I have to give up some worldly pleasure that other people get to enjoy, even though it is not sin to them, ok. Whatever it takes to please God, to keep the weeds out of my heart, I will do. My soil has to remain free of weeds, and this is something you will have to decide for yourself by asking, “Is this pleasure a weed in my heart?” We all have to deal with the lust of our flesh, and one of the main ones is your flesh never wants to suffer. It always wants to take the easy way, thinking, “I shouldn’t have to give up anything.” If you want to serve God, He will try the reins of your heart. Some things you have to give up will be temporary, while other things may be permanent. I can testify that anything the Lord has told me to give up that I would consider a pleasure of this life, He has made up for in many marvelous ways. A small price to pay for clean soil so that I can receive the promises of God that are yes and amen in Christ Jesus!