Sittin’ on my porch.  Enjoyin’ the sunset.  I do believe this is why we were created.”
              –Stephen Bly  (It’s Your Misfortune)

    “Foolishness is joy to one who lacks sense, But a person of understanding walks straight.”
              –Proverbs 15:21(NASB)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we ourselves are children of God, and we also know that the world around us is under the power of the evil one.”   –1 John 5:19 (Phillips)

This world is evil, don’t compromise with it, do not deny it, and do not become complacent in it.  First of all, know the truth.  Get into the Bible, study it, mark the doctrines then do your  job as a believer:  live by them, guard them.  When you know the truth you can confront what others in the world call “truth.”  The foolishness of those living today make this harder to do as they continually change the truth.  For instance, truth states that there are two genders (and the laws of biology confirm them), yet there are those in the world whose “truth” says that there are many genders.  Not only is that not of the truth, but it is idiocy.  The postmodernist with their relative truth can jump all around a subject simply by stating that is truth to them, and you have your own truth.  Foolishness!  Apostasy!
    When we know the truth we can avoid subtle heresy.  I don’t see the gift of being an auditor in the Bible, but I can fully understand what Kierkegaard what saying, “An apostle proclaims the truth, an auditor is responsible for discovering counterfeits.”  We must know the truth, and it is our responsibility to spot heresies or counterfeits to the truth.  This can only be done if we have knowledge of the doctrine, of the truth.  It is then, when we know the doctrine that we have true fellowship with God and our joy may be complete.

         “And as we believe and understand and practice these things in our relationship to God, in our relationship to one another as Christians, and in our relationship to the world that is outside, the joy will remain in us.  Indeed, it will increase and continue, and at the end we shall find ourselves standing in His holy presence with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
                   –D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

         “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”
                   –1 Peter 1:9 (NASB)

I believe a song by Barney E. Warren, should be etched in our soul.  It will help us live in this world and walk in fellowship with God.

         “I have found His grace is all complete,
          He supplieth every need;
          While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet,
          I am free, yes, free indeed.

          I have found the pleasure I once craved,
          It is joy and peace within;
          What a wondrous blessing, I am saved
          From the awful gulf of sin.

          I have found that hope so bright and clear,
          Living in the realm of grace;
          Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near,
          I can see His smiling face.

          I have found the joy no tongue can tell,
          How its waves of glory roll;
          It is like a great o’erflowing well,
          Springing up within my soul.

                     It is joy unspeakable, and full of glory
                     Full of glory, full of glory;
                     It is joy unspeakable, and full of glory
                     Oh, the half has never yet been told.”

The world says this is pleasure, this is happiness, this will bring joy.  Come, eat drink and be merry, you have only this one life.  Ah, but when we find Jesus we find the pleasure we once craved, walking and talking and living in this world with Him.

Some people you can’t change; you just have to outlive them.”
              –Elmer Kelton  (The Time It Never Rained)

    “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
              –Revelation 21:8 (NKJV)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts].”   –1 John 5:19 (Amplified)

This epistle is not a doctrinal letter yet it is full of doctrine.  Doctrine seems to be neglected by the church today.  There are several reasons for that, but for the most part those in the congregation do not care to listen to doctrine, yet it is doctrine upon which we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ.  Without doctrine there is no comfort.  Without doctrine there is nothing with which to fight this pagan world.
    The Word of God is under attack from many quarters as is the Person of Jesus Christ, the living Word.  This is the fundamental doctrine, there is one way to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  The message of Jesus Christ cannot be denied or changed, or modified, or excused.  “God forbid that we should be so interested in the words of the Bible as to miss the Word itself.” (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones) Jesus is the Word!
    When this letter was written there were already attacks on the Word.  These false doctrines came under the guise of Gnosticism.  It was a mixture of philosophy and mysticism.  Gnostics claimed to have special knowledge and/or unique revelation.  Most of them denied the the doctrine of the God-man and the nature of sin.  There are several aspects to this, I will mention only three.
         1)  Jesus did not have a true body, it was a phantom body–the Word was not made flesh, but the Word, the eternal Son of God, came and put on a sort of phantom body, so that He never really suffered in the flesh on the cross.  (see, Colossians 2:9).
         2)  There is a sharp distinction between the man Jesus and the eternal Christ–the eternal Christ came into the man Jesus when He was baptized of John; on Calvary Christ went out of the man Jesus.
         3)  Matter was essentially evil and anything that belonged to matter was in and of itself evil–God could not have created the world; it was an emanation from God (i.e., angel worship)
    There were false reactions to sin and evil.  There became attempts to reason out evil and sin and how it affects man.  Monasticism came into being in which men attempted to mortify and mutilate the flesh and separate themselves from the world (which in reality is not possible).  Liberalism is not new, it began to seep in saying that yes, the flesh is evil, but the soul is not flesh, so it does not matter what the flesh does.  There is no such thing as sin, I may do something which is wrong, but it does not matter, the flesh will be destroyed and my soul will be going on to God.
    This is what John faced; this is what John wrote about and against in 1 John.  Keep in mind that the epistles were written to the Church, not to the pagan world.  John used a very tactful term, he called these people–LIARS!  Not very political correct today, not very tolerant, not very cancel culture, yet to the proponents of these ideas John would say the same thing, these people are–LIARS!

They sat together, talking very little, enjoying the night, the rest, and the food as well as the smell of wood-smoke and coffee.”
              –Louis L’Amour (The Californios)

    “Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.”
              –1 Corinthians 7:3 (NKJV)
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It happened a long time ago, way back.  Back even before the cowboys, so I’ve been told.  There was a day of joy that entered the Baker household–Anna, their first born daughter was born.  Now I can’t tell you much about those first 20 birthdays as I was not around, not even thought of, but I’ve know of the next …. birthdays.
    I came on the scene to help celebrate her 21st birthday.  We had just started dating and for some reason she thought we were seeing too much of each other (just can’t figure that one out) so we agreed to cool it some.  Then her roommate told me I needed to get her to the Joust (student union) for a surprise party.  I don’t remember how I asked her, probably something like I know we said we wouldn’t see each other so much, but I need to talk to you.  It was something like that.  Well, it was a surprise, and maybe even more of one, we kept dating.  Didn’t let a day go by without seeing each other until I went home for the summer and she stayed in Springfield for school.
    There are many things I could say, but I want to bring up something by Louis L’Amour.  It might not be part of the “woke culture,” but then again, neither am I.  It might not be accepted in some circles, but then again, neither am I.

         “This was a woman’s work, a woman who even under stress did not forget her men or the work there was to do.  She was not spoiled, this one.  She was a man’s woman.”
                   –Louis L’Amour (High Lonesome)

Wait a minute, “woman’s work”?  Absolutely!  There is a definite role for a women.  There are things that a woman can do that a man cannot.  Part of the modern culture wants to make a woman equal with a man and to do so she has to step down.  A woman has the role of nurturer, keeper of the hearth and home, teacher of the children at an early age.  Those are vital responsibilities, and today we want man to do them; well, he is just not equipped to do so.
    So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNIE!  You’re my woman, my dearest, my wife.  A person who has rode “shotgun” on all of our adventures.  The one who nourished and raised our girls to be God-fearing and God-loving ladies of virtue.  You are definitely worth more than rubies or gold.  You exemplify the Proverbs 31 wife, but I especially like the following verses:

         “Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.  She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.  She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her…  But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
                    –Proverbs 31:25-28,30 (NKJV)

    She is a stayer, traveling with me wherever I went from the Rockies, to the East, to the Gulf of Mexico.  She went where I went, she lived in various trials and circumstances, and stuck with me through it all.  When I was gone, and on my way back home, the soup or beans was always on the stove waiting for me.  Oh, and did I tell you that she is the best pie-maker — bar none!  

For himself the desert was enough…  But he enjoyed the giving of pleasure to others.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Taggart)

    “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.”
              –1 Peter 1:8 (NLT)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”  (1 John 5:19, NASB)

    Our joy should be full, complete.  We are to live in fullness of joy, in fact, we should live lives of joy, the woes of the world should not affect that.  Jesus Christ is the source of real joy, therefore the message of the Church should be that of Christ.  If one wants to have joy they can find it only, in its purest most complete form only in Jesus Christ.  He is central–He is essential!
    Is your joy not complete?  I believe there are four main hindrances to having the “joy of the Lord” and living a life of joy.

         1)  Sin and unrighteousness — Failure to keep the commandments of God will rob us of our conscious possession of eternal life, thus robbing us of joy in the present.  Sin leads to uncertainty, for Jesus said if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (1 John 2:3).  D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “There is nothing that so upsets our assurance and confidence as sin; the same thing that breaks fellowship with God leads to uncertainty about the divine life within.”
         2)  Lack of love for the brethren — This has to be a God-thing.  God must help us love, for there certainly are some brethren that make it hard to love them.  However, when we have feelings against a brother, it will rob us of our joy.
         3)  Love of the world — cannot mix God and evil.  People may try to enjoy the things of the world; it may bring them short happiness, but it will cause the spirit to grieve.
         4)  False teaching about the person of Jesus Christ — that will/should take the joy from us when we hear it.  The Holy Spirit within us will be grieved.  Joy will not disappear unless you would begin to follow that teaching.  For example, last week I read where one “woke” pastor said that Jesus was a racist and had to repent.  No! No! No!  Jesus never had to repent; He loved the world!

    If there are hindrances to joy, thus, hindrances to our testimony and troublesome to living this life there must also be practical aspects to having joy.

         1)  Believe not every spirit (1 John 4:1).  There are all kinds of spirits in the world–follow only the Holy Spirit.
         2)  Dwell in the love of God (1 John 4:7-21).  It is measureless; it will keep you from sin and if failing it will bring you back to Him.
         3)  Actively keep His commandments.  Oh, to fulfill our love for Him, but keeping His commandments.  What a wonderful thing it is to see Him smile at us.
         4)  Hold the right views of Jesus Christ (1 John 5:5-9).  Be certain of Who He is, of His love for you.  He cares for each one of us.  Know that He is the Son of God, who came to earth born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified, rose from the grave, and is now in heaven waiting to return to earth.

    There is joy in the assurance that you are a child of God.  Because of that it is easier to go to Him in prayer.  Knowing that He is your heavenly Father that makes prayer much easier for it is to Someone who loves you deeply.  Being a child of God, and recognizing that, makes it easier to have victory over sin.  It’s “victory in Jesus, my Savior, FOREVER” (E.M. Bartlett, emphasis mine).

         “Though the whole world may be rocking around about and beneath your feet, and though hell may be assailing your from every direction, in the confident, quiet knowledge that you are a child of God, you will have a piece of which nothing can rob you.”
                      –D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones