A man is able to struggle with his heart and mind only about so long, then there comes a time when all logic collapses and he falls back upon the instincts which are strongest in him.”
              –Ernest Haycox (Wipe Out the Brierlys)

    “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.”
              –John 16:33 (NASB)
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         “We do not live enchanted lives; we are all here in the flux of history, and the great question is, what are we to do; what is the difference between us; how are we to adjust ourselves; what is to be our attitude towards current events and affairs; what is our duty with respect to life in this world, and how are we to conduct and comport ourselves?”
                   –D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

    In this crazy and foolish world how are we to conduct ourselves as Christians?  The trumpet has yet to sound and Jesus said that we must occupy until He comes.  The Key:  God’s Word.  We are to live by God’s Word.  We are to be according to what the Word of God says.

         “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” –Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)

         “I have treasured Your word in my heart, So that I may not sin against You.”  –Psalm 119:11 (NASB)

We must have God’s Word in our heart so that we can obey in these evil times.  I fear that far too many Christians do not “treasure” God’s Word, that it is just something to carry around, or set on the table, or once in while read a favorite verse.  We must have the whole counsel of God so that we do not sin.
    There can be no excuse saying that it’s just too hard to live in a pagan world.  There are too many temptations, too many pressures and stresses.  That is no excuse, we are to live and obey, or as the great hymn says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” (John H. Sammis)  Let me go ahead and share the first verse of that grand song:

         “When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word,
          What a glory He sheds on our way!
          While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
          And with all who will trust and obey.”

    I want to take you to the pagan empire of the Chaldeans and the city of Babylon.  Judah had been conquered by the Chaldeans and Daniel, along with several other young people had been in the process of preparing themselves to be leaders, and teachers in Judah, but now were sent as captives, slaves, to live in a new culture.  Daniel “purposed, determined, resolved, set his mind” that he would not defile himself.  (Daniel 1:8)  Now this was in regard to the king’s table, but it went much deeper than that as we will find in the rest of Daniel.  In a pagan, apostate, and foolish world we must “purpose, determine, resolve, and set our mind” that we will not defile ourselves.
    It is our duty to live as a testimony in this type of culture.  We are to be salt and light in the midst of evil and darkness.  We are here, in this time and place, to live according to the Gospel.  We are to let our lights shine, we are to be “living letters” and “Christ’s ambassadors” to a sin-sick world.  

         “And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every kind of literature and expertise; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.”
                   –Daniel 1:17 (NASB)

Notice, they did not defile themselves, however they did continue to learn.  It is important to realize and understand that a person can discern truth and not turn to falsehoods even when it seems that all around are lies (fake news) a “woke” society.  In the midst of the falsehoods we are to continue to prepare ourselves.  One never knows when God may tap them on the shoulder for some special duty so we must be prepared.  Daniel continued to word and serve God in this pagan society.
    I might add that by doing so we leave a testimony.  Look at what happened to Nebuchadnezzar during the time of Daniel and the others.

          “Your God truly is a God of gods and a Lord of kings…” –Daniel 2:47
          “there is no other god who is able to save in this way”  –Daniel 3:29
          “the Most High God has done for me.” –Daniel 4:2
          “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just; and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” –Daniel 4:37 (NASB)

Did Nebuchadnezzar become a believer?  Only eternity will reveal that to us, however, he definitely made strides in his knowledge of God thanks to the testimony of those who lived according to God’s Word in this pagan culture.

The world is a brutal thing.  Full of scoundrels and made up of torment.  There is a curse upon it, made by men.  The race of man is small.  We’re nothing better than ticks scattered in the sage.  Maybe we started clean but now we’re livin’ in filth made by ourselves and we breed upon our own ignorance and vice, the smell which rises to heaven.”
              –Ernest Haycox  (The Wild Bunch)

    “I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will hand you over to brutal men, craftsmen of destruction.”
              –Ezekiel 21:31 (NASB)
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Several years ago I developed a study/course which I titled, “How to Live in a Pagan and Apostate World.”  I’ve decided to review and upgrade it some and along the way in doing so I will be sharing with you.  I have not forgotten the Psalms, but in my current state I do not have my study books with me.  
    The first thing I am going to do is change the title:  “How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World.”  The New Testament world was the world in which the Church was born.  It was a pagan world from Augustus and the birth of Christ through several evil and immoral emperors:  Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian.  The New Testament was written under the rule of these individuals and then carried on into the next century by the early church fathers.  Eventually the Church grew and prospered (often to its detriment) and soon one-third of the Roman Empire would be Christian.
    One of the main purposes of this study is to recognize that the Church, the true Church, the body of believers, will survive in any type of culture.  Another purpose is to heed the warning of Solomon:

         “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”
                   –Proverbs 4:23(NASB)

Holman translates it this way:

         “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.”

Our heart, our soul must be guarded and protected at all cost.  Our life depends upon it, not only here on earth but for eternity.  In this evil world we must be diligent in protecting ourselves and our loved ones.  The world and its evil leader is out to destroy anyone who is a Christian, and to wreck havoc upon the Church of God.

    The New Testament was written in the pagan atmosphere of Rome.  The Church grew despite this influence and persecution.  It would be a few years before apostasy started to affect the church.  Look at a few simple terms and their meanings.

         pagan–professing no religion, a heathen,
         heathen–one who adheres to a religion that does not acknowledge the God of Judaism or Christianity; one who is regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened,
         apostasy–“defection, departure, revolt, rebellion” from previously held religious beliefs.  It is defined as “a willful falling away,” but at times it can be a subtle accepting of false teaching,
         fool–someone who lacks judgment or good sense, one who makes silly, stupid mistakes.  He does his own thing without thinking of the consequences.

Our Christian foundation is bombarded today by multiculturalism, cancel culture which includes woke, pluralism, globalism, and postmodernism just to name a few.  Truth has become subjective and relative.
    I am adding “Foolish” because that is exactly what is happening.  One cannot escape the foolishness in society if the news is watched for any length of time.

         “Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” — Romans 1:22 (NASB)
         “Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].”  –Romans 1:22(AMPLIFIED)
         “Behind a facade of ‘wisdom’ they became just fools.” — Romans 1:22 (Phillips)

Look at the news and it will be clear to see that the world is clearly pagan, apostate, and foolish.  Only a fool could say that a person can choose their gender and that goes along with their belief in relative truth.  
    I urge you not to be swayed by the trends around you.  Guard the truth!  Hold it dear to your heart!  Three lessons to remember:  do not be compromising, curious, or complacent as you live in this world.

We’d better thank God we live in a place where words like honesty, decency, and integrity still have meaning, because those words lose all meaning in this system.  Let’s work to keep meaning in those words as long as we can.  Civilization is coming all too fast.”
             –William Wayne Dickson (Sagebrush)

    “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”
             –Philippians 3:13(NKJV)
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These are trying times!  I try to stay away from political scene but sometimes it just sort of jumps out and grabs you, sort of like jumping cholla.  Those barbs get all over you and it seems like it takes a week to get them all out.  An executive order to fund global abortions–how the Holy Spirit must be grieved.  Then Congress is expected to pass the Equality Act.  Doesn’t sound bad with the title, but the act is an abomination.  I don’t know if this grieves the Holy Spirit or if it will provoke Him to action.  Yes, certainly trying times.
    Put that with the trials of the virus, and the recent devastating cold, along with the normal trials that can come upon a family:  suffering, sickness, injury, loss of job, death, and on…  Yes, definitely trying times.  In the midst of it all, I like what Arthur Pink said, “They who are right with God are neither daunted by difficulties nor dismayed by dangers.”
    This world is not going to get any better, therefore, we must get our focus right.  It should not be on the problems, the dangers and difficulties, but upon the Lord.  We do too little reflecting on our heavenly Father and His Word and too much on the world around us.  There is a great old hymn, written back in the 18th-century, by Katharina von Schlege who was a Lutheran involved in the Pietist revival.  Just the title alone gives the soul relief:  “Be Still, My Soul.”  In all of the commotion that comes our way we need for a quiet spirit, for our souls to be still.  Contemplate on the words of this grand hymn.

         Be still, my soul; the Lord is on they side.
         Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
         Leave to thy God to order and provide;
         In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
         Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
         Thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

         Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
         To guide the future as He has the past.
         Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
         All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
         Be still, my soul; they waves and wind still know
         His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

         Be still, my soul; the hour is hast’ning on
         When we shall be forever with the Lord,
         When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
         Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
         Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
         All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

There are several things to reflect upon:
    1)  The Lord is on our side.
    2)  In every change, He faithful will remain.  He changes not.
    3)  The mysteries of the day will one day be bright.
    4)  Don’t fret, God guides the future.
    5)  There is an hour when we will be with the Lord. (Kenneth W. Osbeck)

    The road does sometimes make a person weary.  In those times remember that the Lord is there whenever you take a step; there to guide, to protect, and to strengthen, not only body, but mind, emotions, and soul as well.

Men who live always in cities rarely notice the sky.”
              –Louis L’Amour (Catlow)

    “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
              –Luke 21:28 (NASB)
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Have we lost our perspective, our sense of direction?  Do we even have a sense of eternity anymore?  John Piper stated, “We have lost our sense of being aliens and exiles.”  There is so much ado about immigration, aliens–legal and illegal–in our country today.  Perhaps the Church should take a revived look at its residence.  Is is just a tent, or is it a permanent dwelling?

         “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
                   –Philippians 3:20(NKJV)

         “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”
                   –1 Peter 2:11 (NKJV)

    We live in this old world, but remember, this world is not to be our final destination, our final home.  There is a dwelling place prepared for us in God’s eternal kingdom.  A place where we no longer have to trod through a wearisome world.  We are part of this world, this country, but our higher goal in that home in heaven.
    This nation has lost its perspective.  To move more and more to the liberal agenda is to bring more havoc and disruption to the lives of the citizens of this country.  I recognize that I am a citizen of heaven, but I am also a citizen of the United States–I am not a citizen of a global community.
    Will this nation survive?  Not unless there is a national revival.  There you go, point blank–there must be repentance, or else there will be collapse.  I am not normally a pessimist, but I wonder if the people of this country have not taken a final step, made that final choice of which there is no return for the country.  I have always believed something has to happen in the U.S. for the Antichrist to appear.  It will–this nation will collapse with the Rapture.  When the Lord returns to take His people think of what will happen in the leadership of this nation.  Think of what will happen with the nation’s relationship with Israel.  Ahh, the stage is being set, the trumpet has been tuned, are you ready?
    I can fully understand the truth of the great song by Dottie Rambo.  It is playing over and over in my mind.  See if it doesn’t get your spiritual feet moving toward that heavenly home.

         “There’s a light in the window,
          The table’s spread in splendor
          Someone’s standing by the open door;
          I can see a crystal river,
          I must be near forever,
          See, I’ve never been this homesick before.

          I can see the family gather,
          Sweet faces, all familiar,
          And on one’s old or feeble anymore;
          And my lonesome heart is cryin’
          Think I’ll spread my wings for flyin’
          See, I’ve never felt this homesick before.

                  I see the bright lights shine,
                  It’s just about hometime,
                  I can see my Father standing at the door.
                  This old world has been a wilderness,
                  I’m ready for deliverance,
                  Lord, I’ve never been this homesick before.”

Think of it!  “I must be near forever.”  Don’t lose your direction.  Remember that you are only a traveler going through this land, looking, longing, for that final home.