When a man escapes death…he may mature in a few hours as much as he normally would do in years.”
–Wayne D. Overholser (Day of Judgment)
“But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety.”
–Deuteronomy 12:10(NKJV)
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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)
So many people, including believers, go through life living in fear. They wander about wondering what is going to happen to them. They worry about sickness, they worry about health issues, they worry about money, and they worry about dying. Some even go so far as to have their bodies frozen so that, hopefully, somewhere in the future a cure will be found for whatever killed them and they can be brought back to life (hopefully no Christians would do this).
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
–Hebrews 9:27(NKJV)
Death is inevitable (unless the Rapture occurs) for all of us. However, we should not go through this life worrying about death. If we are abiding in Christ then we are happy to be in this world, and therefore, should be more happy about the next world. There will come a day of judgment and we should not fear that day. The man or woman who is abiding in Christ has no fear of the judgment for they know that the judgment of their sins took place on Calvary. We should not be ignorant of the judgment, but neither should be fear it. In fact, we should be looking forward to the “blessed hope,” for we are children of God. Lloyd-Jones writes, “Love and fear are incompatible; love drives out fear; love comes into the heart of a Christian and drives out fear; so we have not right to be fearful in this sense.”
We walk through this world knowing that Christ is with us and in us. We do not have to fear what men or the enemy can do to us. The sting of death has been taken away; fear has been removed because of the love of Christ. Through the trials of this life, the sorrows, the suffering, the pain and anguish–put away fear, trust wholly in the Lord, not only go to Him, but abide in Him. It brings to mind the first couple of phrases of my favorite song:
“Rock of Ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee…”
–Augustus Toplady
To live in this pagan world, rest in Jesus Christ. Hide yourself in His love, and let it drive fear away.
———————————-
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)
So many people, including believers, go through life living in fear. They wander about wondering what is going to happen to them. They worry about sickness, they worry about health issues, they worry about money, and they worry about dying. Some even go so far as to have their bodies frozen so that, hopefully, somewhere in the future a cure will be found for whatever killed them and they can be brought back to life (hopefully no Christians would do this).
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
–Hebrews 9:27(NKJV)
Death is inevitable (unless the Rapture occurs) for all of us. However, we should not go through this life worrying about death. If we are abiding in Christ then we are happy to be in this world, and therefore, should be more happy about the next world. There will come a day of judgment and we should not fear that day. The man or woman who is abiding in Christ has no fear of the judgment for they know that the judgment of their sins took place on Calvary. We should not be ignorant of the judgment, but neither should be fear it. In fact, we should be looking forward to the “blessed hope,” for we are children of God. Lloyd-Jones writes, “Love and fear are incompatible; love drives out fear; love comes into the heart of a Christian and drives out fear; so we have not right to be fearful in this sense.”
We walk through this world knowing that Christ is with us and in us. We do not have to fear what men or the enemy can do to us. The sting of death has been taken away; fear has been removed because of the love of Christ. Through the trials of this life, the sorrows, the suffering, the pain and anguish–put away fear, trust wholly in the Lord, not only go to Him, but abide in Him. It brings to mind the first couple of phrases of my favorite song:
“Rock of Ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee…”
–Augustus Toplady
To live in this pagan world, rest in Jesus Christ. Hide yourself in His love, and let it drive fear away.