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“… But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power…” 2 Timothy 3:1-5; cf Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 4:5-6.
More to Life Than the
Mortal Time
It’s evident that we are living in a far different world
than ten years ago; evil is on the rise today more so than ever as it seems.
Well, at least as far as I see it viewing from my timeline. Corruption has been
rising since humanity’s fall (see Genesis 3:22-24) in the Garden of Eden,
somewhere in the land of the four rivers – the Pishon, the Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates (see
Genesis 2:8-14). And evil continues to be the culprit of rousing rebellious and
untruthful schemes. Many have fallen to the lies of the evil one (see Ephesians
2:1-3; First John 5:19), who is desirous that everyone else falls with them.
Wow, I’m sure glad there’s more to life
than this mortal time;
other than the immortal, life would make no sense. Ah, then what is the meaning
of our mortal existence?
Finding God’s Direction
For me, my life’s meaning after finishing high school,
obviously some decades ago, I had not truly discovered it then. My fault,
perhaps, but I’m glad now I waited until I got further down the road in finding
God’s direction for me. (See Proverbs 16:9.)
And yet now, my mind entertains a thought: the
end of this mortal time is nearer than ever before. These days, how
can we look very far “down the road” in making plans as to what to do next.
These days, I’m catching most appropriately the meaning of “one day at a
time.” There’s nothing wrong with planning, of course, except as the saying
goes, “should the Lord tarry.” Meaning, I think, it’s good to plan, yet
with the end in view. As the Scriptures read, “If the Lord wills, we will live and
also do this or that,” James 4:15. (See the context James 4:13-17; cf Proverbs 27:1; Job 7:7; Psalm 39:5; 144:4).
Of course, for the Christ-follower, whatever we do – job, career,
vacationing, playtime – living in this mortal time, it’s to be as a
witness of our faith, I believe. As all through the years, our schedules
should incorporate. Of course, if all there was to life was the mortal time, it
would not matter what job or travels to take. All that mattered then would be
fattening a financial portfolio,
maintaining our earthly “mansion,” and enjoy a “vanity fair[1].” (Consider Luke
12:18-20.)
And so as I consider it, let this be my prayer that
whatever my daily tasks may it be as God’s enabling to carry on in the
higher cause until Christ's return, and then comes the best life.
(See Matthew 6:25-34.)
The
Real World Discovered
My life has
been renewed, and the real world discovered. In viewing these “signs of the times,”
however, (see Matthew 24:4-7; 2 Peter 3:3-4), I can’t help but realize more so
now that the end and the Lord’s return is near.
Yet, consider Matthew
24:36-37, "...concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even
the angels of heaven, nor the Son[2] but the Father
only. 37 For as were the days of Noah [see
Genesis chapter six], so will be the coming of the Son of Man."
With me, viewing the current events, I can’t imagine another 20, 30, or
40 years, or more, maybe not even ten years. But, thinking biblically, until
all peoples hear the Good News – every nation, tribe, and language. (See
Matthew 24:14.)
Nevertheless, eager for that day, praying, "Come Lord Jesus (Adonai
Yeshua). Make all things new." (Consider Isaiah 43:18, Isaiah 43:19, Revelation
21:5, Isaiah 65:17.) But until then, in so watching, let us keep our lamps
trimmed and burning, and shining brightly that the “nations” (peoples), too, may
discover God’s (Elohim’s) direction for them. (See Matthew 25:1-13; Philippians
2:12-18, Ephesians 2:1-13.)
Philippians 2:10-11 (TLV) “…that at the name of Yeshua every
knee should bow,[3] in heaven and on the earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue profess that Yeshua the Messiah
is Lord—to the glory of God the Father.”
[1]
Vanity Fair “(in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress) a fair that
goes on perpetually in the town of Vanity and symbolizes
worldly ostentation and frivolity. (often lowercase) any place or group, as the
world of fashionable society, characterized by or displaying a preoccupation
with idle pleasures or ostentation,”
[3]
Philippians 2:10; cf. Isaiah 45:23