In God's word, we read the following:  ¹⁵Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 NKJV  The solution to lust? The will of God.

That's a simple solution, and it's actually the solution to ALL sin.  As we've seen over and over again through this series on the Seven Deadly Sins, God's will and purpose prevails when we live it out in the power of the Holy Spirit.  It's been said that repetition is the mother of learning. If that's so, then we need to keep repeating the importance of knowing God's will--which we find in His word and applying it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

John reminded us, as we've already seen in other scriptures this week, that lust often operates in the physical realm--through our eyes and flesh--as John puts it in today's reading.  It is in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, we find the way to love the world and the things of it.  But John reminds us the world  and its lust are passing away, so we must grab on to God's will since it abides forever!  As we go about another day in the world (but not of it!), let's start with a reminder that God's will is to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves AND let's ask Him to fill us with His Spirit so we may live out that will!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, thank You so much for telling us not only what IS Your will for our lives, but also what to avoid in life.  Fill us right now with Your Holy Spirit that we may glorify You in all we are and do today.  This we ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.