"ENEMY OF GOD!"

James 4:4                             (ESV)

"You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with GOD? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an "ENEMY OF GOD"."

The similarity of the time of JESUS living on earth and modern day times have to be rather scary!  JESUS was loved by most ONE week prior to HIS death, as HE rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to throngs of people shouting "Hosanna in the Highest!" (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark  11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19).  According to one source "The word hosanna (Latin hosanna, Greek ὡσαννά, hōsanná) is from Hebrew הושיעה־נא, הושיעה נא hôshia-nā’ which is short for hôšî‘â-nā’ from Aramaic הושע נא meaning "save, rescue, savior".  JESUS was recognized by nearly ALL of Jerusalem one week as a Savior, yet HE was quickly rejected and crucified.  No one (save HIS Mother and a few family friends) stepped up to prevent HIS being a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.  

Not realizing what I was thinking, I used to think that I would have never allowed my JESUS to be crucified on a cross.  But had HE not been SACRIFICED for my sins we would still be under the "old covenant", trying to live a blameless life in a imperfect world!  

Today "this world" is moving at such a pace that it is easy to get caught up in the enemy's rat-race and not recognize when JESUS is speaking to us.  We try to fit into a "worldly" system, when we are "not of this world"!  JESUS said in John 15:19 "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you".  Then in James 4:4 scripture says "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with GOD? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an "ENEMY OF GOD."  We tend to act offended when "the world" rejects us, but JESUS lets us know to expect this.   HE also lets us know that "they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.  And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end will be saved."  

"This world" has no claim on JESUS (John 14:30), and since HE lives in me "this world" has no claim on me either!  Those who are friends of "this world" makes themselves an "ENEMY OF GOD, according to James 4:4.   Don't get caught up in the enemy's trap of making us so busy that we don't take time for JESUS!  We need to make certain we aren't an "ENEMY OF GOD"!!