He’s like a parasite tick that gets on a cow’s ear and sucks blood till it busts itself. He’ll use you for all he can get out of you and then complain because you didn’t give him more.”
–Elmer Kelton (Shotgun)
“In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.”
“In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.”
–Philippians 2:14-15(NLT)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World
Key Verse: “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one.” –1 John 5:19 (NLT)
More and more I find myself thinking the words of that old song, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through…” There’s not much here that makes me want to stay around to see evil abound. More and more evil will be coming as the day approaches the appearing of our Lord. Jude warns us that the Lord will come to execute judgment upon the earth upon the ungodly.
Are there good people here, sure. Are there those that want evil to stop, yes. But there are many who are evil, those whose very thoughts and imaginations are evil. Look around you and you can see them. Here are some of their characteristics:
They are grumblers, complainers, and murmurers. The complain about the way society is, how unfair it is, and how wrong they are being treated. They complain against God and His guidance. These individuals are critical about life in general. They love to disagree, they love to fight, and they live bitter lives. They are complainers and about the only thing they will praise is more evil.
Another characteristic is that they are faultfinders. No matter what good someone might try to do, they will complain and find fault in it. They would rather tear apart, than build. They especially want the work of the Lord destroyed, and refuse to listen to anything that would build up His kingdom.
They are governed by their own desires. The Book of Judges says that men did what they thought was right in their own eyes. The same is true of evil men today. They can only see and adhere to their agenda. God’s moral law, to them, is a burden and nuisance. For them, it reins them in, and they wish to be cut loose to do as they wish. Honor and duty have no claim on them and they mock such things. There is no real sense of responsibility. Why do you think they bounce from job to job? They want the top pay to spend it on themselves in their lavishness, but do not want to accept the responsibility of the position. They live and are controlled by their passions. “I want, I want, I want…” They are people who distort the truth, for the only truth they recognize is that which follows their opinion and agenda. In the old days I would call them “boot-licking lackies,” for they try to flatter anyone who might offer them an advantage.
“These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.”
–Jude 16 (NKJV)
These men are ungodly. They are what John would call “antichrists.” The do the work of their father the devil, and they not only do it they also delight in doing it. Matthew Henry says that these type of people are those “who please their sinful appetites, are most prone to yield to their ungovernable passions.” They do what they want, they go where they will, and phooey on anyone, especially Christians, who try to give them godly guidance.
Do not get caught up in the trap of complaining and grumbling. The children of Israel were severely punished because of this attitude. Paul says that we are to,
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
–1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NKJV)
This is how we walk through this evil world.
————————————–
How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World
Key Verse: “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one.” –1 John 5:19 (NLT)
More and more I find myself thinking the words of that old song, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through…” There’s not much here that makes me want to stay around to see evil abound. More and more evil will be coming as the day approaches the appearing of our Lord. Jude warns us that the Lord will come to execute judgment upon the earth upon the ungodly.
Are there good people here, sure. Are there those that want evil to stop, yes. But there are many who are evil, those whose very thoughts and imaginations are evil. Look around you and you can see them. Here are some of their characteristics:
They are grumblers, complainers, and murmurers. The complain about the way society is, how unfair it is, and how wrong they are being treated. They complain against God and His guidance. These individuals are critical about life in general. They love to disagree, they love to fight, and they live bitter lives. They are complainers and about the only thing they will praise is more evil.
Another characteristic is that they are faultfinders. No matter what good someone might try to do, they will complain and find fault in it. They would rather tear apart, than build. They especially want the work of the Lord destroyed, and refuse to listen to anything that would build up His kingdom.
They are governed by their own desires. The Book of Judges says that men did what they thought was right in their own eyes. The same is true of evil men today. They can only see and adhere to their agenda. God’s moral law, to them, is a burden and nuisance. For them, it reins them in, and they wish to be cut loose to do as they wish. Honor and duty have no claim on them and they mock such things. There is no real sense of responsibility. Why do you think they bounce from job to job? They want the top pay to spend it on themselves in their lavishness, but do not want to accept the responsibility of the position. They live and are controlled by their passions. “I want, I want, I want…” They are people who distort the truth, for the only truth they recognize is that which follows their opinion and agenda. In the old days I would call them “boot-licking lackies,” for they try to flatter anyone who might offer them an advantage.
“These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.”
–Jude 16 (NKJV)
These men are ungodly. They are what John would call “antichrists.” The do the work of their father the devil, and they not only do it they also delight in doing it. Matthew Henry says that these type of people are those “who please their sinful appetites, are most prone to yield to their ungovernable passions.” They do what they want, they go where they will, and phooey on anyone, especially Christians, who try to give them godly guidance.
Do not get caught up in the trap of complaining and grumbling. The children of Israel were severely punished because of this attitude. Paul says that we are to,
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
–1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NKJV)
This is how we walk through this evil world.