Scripture reference: Isaiah 24:3-6 (KJV)

3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. 4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

The flock has gone astray.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and led his flock in righteousness, but now many false preachers are leading the flock astray. When Jesus returned to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father, He left earthly shepherds to lead His flock. Many of these shepherds are leading in a worldly way and the flock is turning its back on God. Too many shepherds let the world’s influence make them greedy and selfish, and that harms the flock.

God put man in charge of His creation and man is supposed to take care of it. Who is polluting the water, land, and air? It’s not God! God designed Earth to sustain life, but greed and selfishness have caused man to harm God’s creation. If we are smart enough to design technology, we should be smart enough to build it without destroying the land. What are we leaving to our children and grandchildren?

We see tornados and earthquakes where they never occurred before. We suffer drought and intense heatwaves. Earth is suffering due to human sin and our rebellion against God. The flock needs to repent and turn back to God.

Scripture reference: Nehemiah 8: 9-10 (KJV)

9And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

The true joy of salvation is gone from this world.

Many popular ideas and activities are making the world turn dark. The world sees evil as good and good as evil.

Satan has been taking his time (many, many years) to remove God from the world. Satan is subtle and sneaky. He starts working on younger generations, and they in turn teach their descendants. He managed to take God and prayer out of schools, sporting events, and most of the government.

Jesus warned of a great falling away, and it’s happening right here! For example, there was a 17 year-old girl killed in Abilene by a stray bullet fired when two men were shooting at each other, and gun play is becoming more common in Anson.

In Nehemiah 8:9 the people were weeping because they learned they were not only living but worshipping wrongly. They were not keeping the Sabath holy and were not sharing their excess food with those who had none. In verse 10, Nehemiah reminds the people the joy of the LORD is their strength. The same is true for us today.

Our joy is in our salvation. We can communicate God’s salvation plan without forcing it down people’s throats. If we communicate with love and share God with joy, Jesus will bless it. In Philippians 4:4 Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (KJV). Our authority to share Jesus with others comes from God through the Holy Spirit.

Scripture reference: John 3:19-21 (KJV)

19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Why is there so much darkness in the world? Where is the light?

God created the sun to bring physical life and exitance to the world. It provides grass, trees, and other food sources for all living things. God also gave us spiritual life through Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, who gives eternal life.

Spiritual light exposes the darkness, the evil, in the world. Many people who call themselves Christians are still walking in darkness because “religion” is teaching that it’s okay to do whatever you want because Jesus will always forgive us. Yes, Jesus does forgive if we truly repent of our sins. But repenting means feeling such deep regret or sorrow for a wrong you have done that you make a firm choice to change your behavior for the better.

The world has gotten away from the truth, the light; most parents don’t teach it, society doesn’t teach it. We, as Christians, need to let our spiritual lights shine to expose the darkness of the world, and to lead others into the light of the truth which is found only in God’s Word.

Remember, God loves you whether you love Him or not!

Scripture reference: Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Is the world burdening your life?

People are looking for the world to bring them joy, and the world is always searching for peace but will never find it. Peace and joy come only from God through Jesus.

God created us to be a part of a community in order to help each other. We are commanded to love one another and we bear each other’s burdens. Hardships and burdens don’t disappear from our lives, but God helps us through them.

God chose to love us whether we love Him or not. He loves us so much that He provided Jesus as the way for us to have eternal life with Him.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 4:17 – 32

Question: Is the World Controlling Your Life?

Paul, writing to the Church at Ephesus, reminds us to put off the old man and put on the new man. (vv. 22 – 24) We need to live for Jesus and go out and tell the world about Him.

Paul also tells us, “grieve not the holy Spirit of God” (v. 30) and do not give the devil a way to defeat us. (v. 27). Instead we are to be kind, loving, and forgiving to others. (v. 32)

Ways we grieve the holy Spirit: lying (v. 25), being angry (v. 26, 31), stealing (v. 28, 31), saying hurtful things (v. 29).

Ephesians 4 (KJV)

Living as Children of Light 17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But ye have not so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil. 28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.