Observation:
John is writing this while living in Ephesus. Ephesus is a booming city, whose remains are in Turkey. Ephesus didn't last. During John's life Ephesus was a mixing pot of various idol worship and sexual sin. In doing research on Ephesus I found the only thing different about Ephesus and America is that there isn't the persecution of Christians. The sin is all there, we just do a better job at appearing to have it all together. Just like it is difficult for us not to chase after the trappings of this world, it is difficult for for the Ephesians Christians as well.
Application:
The world, not people, the world is our enemy. The world is all about appearance. And the standard of appearance is unrealistic at best. Just take a look at how the world describes beauty, success, relationships, if you examine the definition it will make you laugh. How could starving yourself, baking in the sun, having surgical implants and hair extensions, plus air brush make you beautiful? Yet that is the standard of beauty that we chase after. Let me rephrase that, it is the standard of beauty that I chase after. To add insult to injury, I beat myself up that I am drifting farther and farther from this unrealistic beauty the older and older I get. Can we say CRAZY. When I do this I edge God out, which is more than crazy, its heartbreaking. I would say this is the one area of my life that there is a stronghold and I need God's truth to set me free!
Prayer
Father, please set me free from this stronghold. My belief and thought system is warped. I've consumed junk and believed the lie of the world and it edges you out of my life. Please set me free with your truth.
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