That's good. Turn your Bible with me here this evening to 1 John 2, beginning at verse 15. We've been on this particular passage of Scripture for the last number of weeks, actually for four messages. This will be the fifth, and then, Lord willing, next Sunday evening will be the sixth and final message from this portion of Scripture and the truths that we find in it. I would ask you to stand with me for the reading of God's Word, the title of this portion of our study. We've been studying for a while, since the end of last year, for a portion of the end of last year coming into this year, on Sunday evenings, a very broad study we're doing, the believer's relationship to the world. We've looked at various points kind of on the positive side in the world, but not of the world. That's kind of the side we're looking at now. The different responsibilities or should I say separation matters that we should have because we're not of the world and therefore we should have a level of separation. We have to have a level of contact to minister to the world, but we also have to have a level of separation in order not to become world late. And so the Word of God says in 1 John 2, verse 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. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth. forever. Let's have a word of prayer. We'll take up the truth for this evening. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I pray that You would guide us now here tonight as we look at this first truth from verse number 17, that the world and the lusts thereof passeth away. Help us to understand that any investment in this world really is an empty and worthless investment because it really will end in vanity and in emptiness. So teach us this to value biblical, spiritual, heavenly things are right, and to devalue worldly, earthly things of this life are right as well. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. You may be seated. I mentioned to you that in these three verses there are six truths to be considered, two from each verse. And the first truth is the prohibition against loving this world. You find it in verse 15. Verse 15 actually has two completely separate sentences. right in the same verse. You see two periods in that verse. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. There's the actual command in this portion of Scripture, these three verses, and it is a command to the negative, something we ought not do, and thus we call it a prohibition, something that's prohibited for our behavior. So the prohibition against loving this world, loving the things that are in this world. Then the second sentence of verse 15, Any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. That's the problem with loving this world. Why is it such a big deal that we not love this world? Because whenever the love of this world is in our hearts and has taken hold upon us and has begun to root itself within our heart and soul, then the love of God is being shoveled aside. We love the world or we love God, but we cannot love both at the same time. We cannot serve both masters. We cannot love both masters. We either love God and despise and hate mammon, the things of the world, or we love the things of the world and we despise and hate God. It's one or the other. Spiritually speaking, there is no compromise in that spiritual and biblical principle. Then we see in verse 16, The first portion of verse 16, the pattern in loving this world. Here in this portion of Scripture, He does not set the pattern as a big long list of different things that are of the world. You know, snaps on your clothing, that's worldly. Buttons are worldly. You know, wire rimmed glasses are worldly. Bright colored shirts are worldly. You know We could go through a lot of things that have actually been preached on as being worldly down through the last few generations And then I could do that playing pool is worldly What else could I think of that's been preached against but he doesn't list a bunch of things like that by the way I'm not sure sir. All of those things that have been preached against are actually worldly they may have been connected to the world at one time, and therefore it was wise for believers to stay away from them. But sometimes things that were a big deal at one time in the culture are not nearly as big a deal in the culture now. By the way, some of you guys need to be careful because I remember a time when mustaches and beards were preached against as worldly. You remember that, Roger? Yeah. And whenever there was a standard in the church, you know, dress standards, one of the standards was if you're going to sing in the choir or you're going to sing special music, you're going to be up on the platform. You cannot have any facial hair. If you're going to be an usher, you can't have facial hair. I really don't know where they found that one in the Bible. But I've told you before, I know why they did it. It was at a time period, and now I'm kind of getting off on a hobby horse here for a moment, but to understand why it was preached against, and this will help us, I think, there was a time period when facial hair on guys became a symbol of an ungodly movement in our country. Some of you are old enough to remember that movement, right? Some of you may just know history well enough to know that movement, but we would call it maybe now the hippie movement. And there were different symbols that they had, but that was one of them. And certainly God's people, truly godly believers, did not want to be viewed as being a part of the free love hippie movement. Amen. That would have been appropriate. And so preachers began to preach against one of, not just that one, but others of the various symbols that were part of that movement and saying, we shouldn't look like them. We shouldn't act like them. We shouldn't dress like them. We want to be separate from them. And thus they preached on those different elements of standard. Now, I would ask you, are there still hippies in America somewhere today? Yeah, there are. Actually the term that's used for them now, I don't know if you realize this, is the term hipster. Okay, but it's kind of a different movement in its structure. It doesn't use that particular symbol in the same way So that symbol doesn't carry the same weight of ungodly representation of an ungodly movement So can should we let go of preaching on it? I think so. I understand during its time, but I also believe we need to understand times have moved on. It's not a symbol of that anymore. And so let's move beyond it. Yes, there was a time when preaching against wire rim glasses, some of you guys, along with myself, we're in trouble, aren't we? How many of you have glasses? How many of you have wire rims? Well, you know, if you have plastic rims, you're okay. But, you know, that was preached against. There was a time. And again, it was because of somebody in a movement that was ungodly who had made it very famous and everybody wanting to be like him and that movement began to wear those round wire rim glasses. If you're old enough, you know what I'm talking about. All right. And it had become a symbol of their movement. That's why those things happen. And I'm telling you, there's ungodly movements going on today in America. and they have their symbols. Sad to say, sometimes things that God put in His Word as godly and ungodly, culture takes up as their symbol, and we have to be careful about it. Can you think of one today? I can. And I say, I don't wish... You know, when God puts the rainbow in the sky, He's not representing their movement. He's representing His promise. Amen? OK, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to put rainbows and everything and then tell everybody what I'm really trying to do is represent God's promise, because I know that in the general public, what they see is a symbol of a movement that is ungodly. And I don't want to be incorporated with that. So I need to be very careful what I'm doing in the symbols I take up today because of the movements that they represent today. Now, 20 years from now, might that go by the wayside? Sure it might. And then we don't need to be as concerned about it. But there's ungodly movements today, and they all have different symbols they use, whatever they are. They'll pick, they'll create their own and whatever they are, we have to be careful about joining with that using the symbol because it represents a communication. All right. So when, when the Lord handles this matter, though, the pattern of loving this world, does he list off a bunch of different things? Don't don't wear this kind of clothing. Don't wear this kind of outfit. Don't wear these colors. Is that what he does? No, that is not what he does. And the reason is because he understands. that a color in this culture may not represent the same idea in another culture or at a different time. So what does he do instead? He lifts off the pattern of three basic foundational motivations that are always, in every culture, worldliness. He says it in verse 16, for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, does that cross cultural boundaries? Does that cross historical boundaries? Absolutely. The lust of the eyes, same thing, and the pride of life. I can go back 5,000 years to people in China, and you'll still see worldliness is built on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. I can find a couple that are living completely by themselves in an ice cube house in Alaska. Yeah, they call them an igloo. And the lust of flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life will still be the foundation of worldliness for them. The clothing, their attire will be completely different, won't it? I would dare to say, you know, their music probably will be completely different. Various and sundry other things about their cultural and their behavior will be completely different, but the lust of flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life will still be there, will be the same, and it will be the foundation for worldliness for them, just as it is for us. So that's how the Lord handles it, the pattern in loving this world. And then we see the position in loving this world at the end of verse 16. And we looked at this one last week. It says, for all that is in the world, the lust of flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And that we need to understand. All that is of the world, that is of the world in the sense of the lust of flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is completely in every way contrary to that which is of God. But it is in favor of the God of this world, the devil. And therefore we need to understand worldliness is not a general thing that's not that big a deal. It's a very dangerous spiritual thing because it's contrary to the father and it's in favor of the devil. because He is the God of this world who set it up. But here tonight, we come to the fifth of the truths that we need to consider, and that's the prospect in loving this world. The prospect is something in the future, something for which to look forward, in a sense, a conclusion or a result. And we see that at the beginning of verse 17. And the world passeth away, and the lust Thereof that's the prospect in loving this world when we pursue The motivations and the way of this world when that becomes the pursuit the driving pursuit of our lives When the driving pursuit of our lives is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life and all that the world has To fulfill the lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life when we're pursuing that and that's the driving pursuit of our lives This is the prospect we have for the future. It all passes away and If that's how you invest your life, if that's how I invest my life, if that's how I invest the time and future of my home, if that's how I raise up my children to invest their lives and eventually their homes and then my grandchildren and their lives, what's the end of all of that? Emptiness, vanity, worthlessness. It's all spiritually passing away. There's no eternal value to it. No eternal value. It all eventually will just end in spiritual emptiness. That's where it ends. That's where it ends for all of us. In fact, the Word of God on various asundry passages reveals this to us. So let me touch on a few of these points. The wealth of this world flies away faster than it can be obtained. Has anybody ever found you can spend it faster than you can earn it? Yeah, I'm not sure all of our children have figured that one out yet, because right now they're spending our money. So to them, they're not really working to earn it, so they don't mind spending it. But once you get into the work world and you start paying your own bills, you'll find out very, very, very quickly that it can be spent way faster than you can earn it. It may take me an entire eight-hour day to earn $100, and I can write it all in one electric bill in one moment. I mean, boom, it's gone. It may take me months to earn enough money that can all go out. In fact, it can take me years to earn enough money that can all go out like this and buying a vehicle. Months of earning could go like this and buying one television. It depends on the television you buy. Suppose if you do what my wife did the other day and buy a television for just about $25 at a yard sale, that's a whole lot better, right? Works even. Amen. You know, that doesn't take quite as much time, but still. Do you understand what I'm saying? You know how quickly we can spend our money? Oh, a lot faster than we can earn it. So we need to understand this. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 23. Proverbs 23, verses 4 and 5. Labor not to be rich. Cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings. They fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Now he's not saying, he's not saying there in that verse, don't work, be lazy, don't earn money, don't provide for your family. That's not what he's saying. He's saying don't set your life and its drive and its purpose and its whole future on the idea of becoming rich. And the reason is because no matter what riches you earn, eventually they will fly away. Did you see the word he used? They certainly fly away. Let me ask you a question. Does anybody know what kind of billionaire Donald Trump is? I'm not speaking of him now as the President of the United States. I'm speaking of him as a businessman. Does anybody know how much? I don't. Did not check that out before I came in here tonight. I don't know but did you know that all he has? There will come a moment when it flies away Either it'll fly from him or he'll fly from it He will not retain it all forever As much as he's obtained and he's obtained a bit actually if you know anything about his history You know that he's not always done well. I He's always kept at it, but there are times that he has filed for bankruptcy. Why? Because it can fly away quicker than you can earn it. The Bible tells us in Psalm 39, verse 6, Surely every man walketh in a vain show, surely they are disquieted in vain. He heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them. I would dare to say that President Donald Trump, Mr. Donald Trump, if we're going to think of him as this businessman, he has probably some kind of a will already in place. In fact, he probably has, better than you and I, an entire entourage of lawyers that have been hired in order to handle his business affairs and so forth, and when the day he dies, that they're all supposed to handle the will and partition all of that business and all of what he owns off. But can he be certain that after he's dead, it will all go where he wants it to go? He cannot. He heaps it up, but on the day that he dies, he doesn't take any with him, and he doesn't have any say, ultimately, where it will end up. Ecclesiastes 5, verses 13 through 15, there is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by evil travail, and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. He tries to earn riches, he heaps it up, but somehow or other something comes along. What he's saying here when he talks about Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt, but those riches perish by evil travail. The idea there is he can build up riches and build up riches and build up riches, but something can happen. Something along the line can happen and suck it all away in a moment. Some who become very wealthy have lost it all in lawsuits. in things like divorce court. Some who've become wealthy have lost it all in medical bills, trying to fight a disease that will not go away. It can go faster than it was earned. And then he says, all that was earned and they said, well, I'll leave it to my children. There's really nothing left to give to the children. That's what he's saying here. He's saying, Don't give your life to riches because riches don't last The wealth of this world does not last he says as he came forth of his mother's womb. This is Ecclesiastes 5 verse 13. I said sorry verse 15 verses 13 through 15 We've read 13 and 14 verse 15 as he came forth of his mother's womb naked Shall he return to go as he came and shall take nothing of his labor which he may carry away in his hand None of it not a single point Let me add another truth, the benefits of this world. This is beyond the wealth, the actual financial wealth idea, but the benefits of this world includes including its pleasures, its popularity, its prestige, its position, its power, all of those kinds of benefits in the world, they fade away. In Ecclesiastes 2, verses 1-11, the preacher proclaimed, I said in mine heart, go to now, I will prove thee with mirth. Therefore enjoy pleasure, and behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter it is mad, and of mirth, what doeth it? I sought in my heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men." Now there, I believe in this context when he talks about folly, that he's not talking about Just was being foolish to be foolish like I played in the street to see if the cars might hit me kind of foolishness All right. I believe he's talking about I chased folly in the sense of using the word like we use the word amusement Amusement Now I don't know if you've ever looked at what you would call, and some of you won't even know what this word means, but the etymology of the word amusement. Etymology means how it was created, what its basic meaning is. Does anybody know what a muse is? That's two separate words, a muse, like a car, okay? Does anybody know what a muse is? M-U-S-E. Do you know what that is? What was that? No, not necessarily. All right, a muse is somebody who engages in thinking. Okay, that's what it is, somebody who engages in, it's a thinker. That's what the word muse means, thinking, a muse, yeah, like Jason Lee, a thinker. Amen, you can all laugh at that. Okay, now here's the thing. Many of you may not be aware of this, but in the English language, in many, many cases, when you put the letter A in front of a word, I don't mean A as in A or the, I mean actually attached to the word, you put the word A in front of it, what was that? As a prefix, yeah, well, if they know what a prefix is, right? In front of the word, it actually reverses the meaning of the word. Okay, so what is amusement? If... Yeah, Jason can be an amusement often. The etymology of the word amusement is non-thinking. Activities wherein I can engage, have fun, but I don't really have to concentrate and think. And actually, many of our amusements, not all of our recreations are unthinking recreations, all right? But our amusements, when you go to an amusement park, is that a place you go to to do heavy thinking? No. Yeah, that's about the most thinking you're doing. Which ride do I ride first? Do I really wanna stand in line that long? But you don't go there to do heavy thinking. No. When you sit in front of another amusement for us today is television, movies, that kind of thing. Do we really sit there to do heavy thinking? Not in most cases, no. In fact, I remember growing up and my father always would say he would watch some of those things to wind down a period of time when he didn't have to concentrate on thinking. So he could just kind of, you know, have an empty period here. I think that's why some people sit in front of the television set until they go to sleep. They're not thinking anyway. They might as well sleep, right? Oh, yeah, every once in a while that happens to me. Huh. You know, another place of amusement that we do, anybody want to tell me? The young people are really involved in this. Video games. I know when Dylan is playing his video games, he's really, really heavy thinking at that time. He's formulating whole volumes of philosophy books. while he's playing, I don't even, yeah, Pac-Man. He probably doesn't even know what Pac-Man is. Amen. But you know, while he's playing whatever his video game is. You follow what I'm saying? That's what amusement is. It's a period of time where we can kind of just release a little bit, not be focused on life. It's intended that way. But you know, we get overly involved in it, and you know what happens? Well, yeah, we we really do let it eat our brain to pieces and we don't have thoughtfulness of all about anything anymore This is amusement. Well, that's what Solomon is saying, he's saying basically I had the money, because I had the money, I could buy servants to do all of my work for me, I had a lot of free time, so I decided to pursue folly. I decided to pursue all the different amusements that were available to me, not thinking time, but amusement time. Later in the book of Ecclesiastes, he talks about getting involved in study and book learning and so forth. But here he's talking about the pleasures of life, recreation, amusement, all of that. And this is what he says, I chased it all. I chased it all. He said, I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom, and to lay hold and folly till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made great works, I builded me houses, I planted me vineyards, I made me gardens and orchards. Now that's why Beth left, because she didn't want to hear about this part. I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits. I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees. I got me servants and maidens, and servants born in my house. Also I had great possessions of great and small cattle, above all that were in Jerusalem before me. I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men. has musical instruments and that of all sorts. There can be another amusement, by the way, is music. I'm not saying all music is that way, but we can give ourselves to music just as a way of just non-thinking, just letting it go. So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem Also, my wisdom remained with me and whatsoever mine eyes desired. I kept not from them I withheld not my heart from any joy for my heart rejoiced in all my labor And this was my portion of all my labor. He says basically I worked for it So because I worked for it, I earned the money. I bought whatever I could and Solomon man. He earned a lot of He became very wealthy. He said, so I just bought whatever I had a desire for and I enjoyed it and I took pleasure in it. And then he said, then I looked at all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labor that I had labored to do, all of this amusement, all of this that I did. And behold, all was... Anybody know the famous phrase? All was vanity and vexation of spirit and there was no profit under the sun. Because it all flies away first Corinthians chapter 7 verse 31 God's Word declares in the second portion of that verse For the fashion of this world all of the benefits all the fashion all it's not just fashion as in clothing fashion It means all of the things that you can acquire of this world all the different benefits amusement recreation all of that all of the fashion of this world passeth away James 1, verse 8 through 11. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, but the rich, he ought to rejoice in that he is made low. Why? Because as the flower of the grass, he shall pass away. Notice it doesn't just say his riches will pass away. It says that he and all that is a part of his life as a rich individual will pass away. The next verse. 11 James 1 says for the Sun is no sinner risen with a burning heat It says because as the flower the grass he shall pass away. That's the illustration now He goes on with that illustration for the Sun is no sinner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass The rich man is as the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth. So it's not just the rich man, but the rich man's riches and the rich man's riches fashion all the benefits that he can buy with those riches. What does it do? It passeth away. It vanisheth away. It perisheth. So also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. not just in his riches, but in all of his ways, all of the benefits of this world that money can buy, it fades away. Our life in this world, not only the wealth of this world, not only the benefits of this world, but our life in this world appears for only a little time and then vanishes away. Psalm 90, verses 9 and 10. for all our days are passed away in Thy wrath." We spend our years as a tale that is told, like somebody sitting down and just telling a story, that's about how long our lives are in relation to God's eternity. We spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are three score years and ten, that's seventy, and if by reason of strength they'd be four score years. I've taken dibs on that one. Somebody at the nursing home today said I was gonna live to 95 Miss Diane, isn't that true? Yeah, she said I could I could be assured of it. There was a certainty Although some of the other things she said I'm really concerned. She may have been a false prophet but But the fact of the matter is that's what she told me you're gonna live to 95 don't even worry about it All right, well, amen. But the word of God goes on to say the days of our years are three score years and ten. And if by reason of strength, they'd be four score years. Yet is there strength, labor and sorrow for it is soon cut off and we fly away. That quickly, James four, verse 14, whereas, you know, not what shall be on tomorrow for what is your life? There's even a vapor. Has anybody ever tried to calculate How quickly, when the, do they even use these anymore? When you heat water on the stove and you have a tea kettle? Do they even use tea kettles anymore? Now with microwaves and so forth. Mom, do you still use a tea kettle? All right, so it blows off, you know. Has anybody ever tried to calculate the first amount of vapor that comes out and then you pull it off the stove? If you're right there when it goes off and immediately it goes, and you pull it off the stove, how fast it goes before the vapor's gone? Ever tried to count? One, two, ah. Let's try that again. One, two, ah. Yeah, that's what God says our lives are like. It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 1 Peter 1 verse 24, For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man, all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. The wealth of this world, the benefits of this world, our lives in this world, it all vanishes, passes, goes away. But I present to you yet two more. This very earth itself shall melt away with a fervent heat and fire when that future day of judgment comes. 2 Peter chapter 3, verses 10 through 12, declares, but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heaven shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." Did you notice he didn't just say the earth, but he said all the works of this world, they will be gone. All of the highest buildings, all of the greatest Bridges all of the accomplishments of man and all that man is built will burn up With a fervent heat seeing then brethren that all these things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? He's saying why live for this world? we ought instead to live for God in godliness and true holiness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Finally, I present to you that all that we as believers pursue of this world will burn away at the judgment seat of Christ. All that we pursue of this world will burn away at the judgment seat of Christ. The wealth of this world flies away faster than it can be obtained. The benefits of this world, including its pleasures, popularity, prestige, position, power, etc., fades away given time. Our life in this world appears for only a little time and then it vanisheth away. This very earth itself shall melt away with a fervent heat and fire. All that we pursue of this world as believers will burn away at the judgment seat of crimes. According to 2 Corinthians 5, verse number 10, we as believers must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in His body according to that He hath done, whether it be good or bad. 1 Corinthians 3, 11-14 teaches us further, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now, if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day, that's the day of the judgment seat of Christ, shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire. And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is, whether it's good or bad. Well, I think you all can follow with me. When you light stubble on fire, what happens to it? When you light hay on fire, what happens to it? When you light wood on fire, what happens to it? What happens to gold and silver and precious stones when you light them on fire? I think we can discern from that list of items there that the good works will be those valued as gold, silver, precious stone, and the bad works will be valued as wood, hay, and stubble, and the fire of God will consume the wood, hay, and stubble. the judgment seat of Christ if we live for this world, and all in whatever way in which we've lived for this world at the judgment seat of Christ, wood, hay, and stubble, gone. Anybody know how quickly God's fire can burn something? I believe... What was that? Yeah, Elijah does. In fact, the matter is, I believe there won't even be ashes left. Just like in Elijah's fire, the fire of God comes down, licked up the wood, the sacrifice, the wood, the stone, the water around it, and there wasn't even any ashes left. Oh, that which we do that God values as wood, hay and stubble, not going to be very profitable, not for our eternal future. The Bible goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 3, there in that passage, we started in verse 11, now we're looking at verses 13 and 14. It says, "...if any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward." Whatever is gold, silver, precious stone, that'll represent a reward from God's own hand. "...if any man's work shall be burned..." Well, we already know what's being burned, the wood, hay, stubble. He shall suffer loss, no reward, but he himself shall be saved. We'll praise the Lord for that. Our eternity is still secure. Get Suez by fire. Brethren, at that time, when we close with this, at that time of the judgment seat of Christ, all that we've done in this life as believers shall be valued by God as either gold, silver, and precious stone, or as wood, hay, and stubble. Then the fire of our Lord God's judgment shall try, shall come down and fall upon that gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, stubble, and shall try it, shall reveal whether it was valuable or not. So try this substance to see whether it will abide the fire as truly worthy, or whether it will be burned away by the fire as spiritually worthless. All that we've done after the direction of the Holy Spirit of God for the Lord our God shall be valued as gold, silver, and precious stone, and shall abide the fire. However, all that we have done after the desires of our selfish flesh for this present world shall be valued as wood, hay, and stubble, and shall be burned away." Burned away. You understand what the Word of God means then when it says in 1 John 2, verse 17, this world passeth away, and the lust thereof. It's emptiness. Now, praise the Lord for the second half of the verse. I'm not going to preach the second half of the verse now. All right? But it does say, this world passeth away in the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. There is a way to invest our lives in forever reward. Amen? There is a way to invest our lives as believers in eternity and in eternal reward and in eternal value and eternal investment. There is a way. But we can't live for this world. We have to live for the will of God. That's the way. We'll be looking more significantly at that point, Lord willing, next Sunday evening.