Living in wicked times

We live in wicked times, when we are trying to serve the Lord by living in obedience to His word, and we are attacked by a wicked society, and a floundering church that has sold out to worldly values it becomes a struggle.

Jesus lived in such times also, but He lived in total obedience and submission to God the Father.

The hard part for us is when we take our eyes and hearts off of Christ, we only see us, and our problems, but really it is not that the world is striving and we are struggling, it is the world struggling because we are striving in Christ and they are trying to steal our hearts and minds.

We must learn to live in total obedience to Christ, by submitting to Him in all things.

This is a natural battle that we are in, but we have a responsibility to keep our hearts and eyes on Christ, instead of envying the world and it’s pleasures or treasure, pray that Christ will be revealed and the world would turn from the false hope it holds onto, to the hope that we have in Christ for eternity.

This is why Jesus taught us to pray,: “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew‬ ‭6:9-13‬ ‭CSB‬‬

We can’t do this life, that is a christian life without Christ, we must surrender all to Him.

Is Christ the desire of our hearts?

If so let us keep our hearts and eyes on Him for He is the author and finisher of our faith.

Let's not trade the eternal for the temporal, Jesus was tempted and tested by the devil himself, yet He overcame and so can we when we ask for His help and guidance.

God’s word says this:

“Don’t let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the Lord. For then you will have a future, and your hope will not be dashed. Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your mind on the right course.”Proverbs‬ ‭23:17-19‬ ‭CSB

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. ” Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. ” Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God. ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him. ” Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.” Matthew‬ ‭4:1-11‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains.”
‭”Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew‬ ‭24:4-14‬ ‭CSB‬‬