Discern The Times

As I discern the times and look upon the state of our world, my heart grieves. The more I lift my eyes, the more darkness I see seeping in. The more I search this way and that, the more hostility and hatred there is towards God, the Father, and Jesus Christ. All around the world, confusion, deception, discord, corruption, brokenness, pain, lawlessness, and selfishness are spreading like a disease that only surfaces once it is too late, once it has completely taken over the body, and all that awaits is death.

The world is dying, and we do not see it, nor do we see that we might be dying along with it, because we have our eyes fixated upon other things: entertainment, goals, ambitions, money, fame, self-empowerment, education, innovation, landscapes, sceneries, games, fun, and videos of countless people doing countless things.

And what about us Christians? We, too, have fallen asleep and become blind to what is taking place outside our distractions. The Lord had taught us to number our days, yet we strive to store up the temporary pleasures of this world. The Lord had taught us to love one another with brotherly affection, yet Christians are constantly at war with one another, refusing to work towards unity in Christ for the sake of His kingdom. The Lord taught us that whoever wants to be great among us must be a servant, yet we exalt ourselves above God and exploit His people in pursuit of power, riches, and esteem.

How will the Lord be pleased with a church that resembles the world so? A church where the pastors no longer fear God. A church where the congregants only seek Him to meet their earthly comforts – a nice home, a healthy family, a well-paying job, and a life free from distress and troubles. A church that has drifted away from sharing the true message of the Gospel for fear of rejection, forgetting that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation – the gospel is good, it is how we share our love as Christians. However, we have rejected the fundamentals of our faith; thus, it is no wonder the darkness is spreading so rapidly. We are failing to be the light of the world, the city built on a hill, radiating the glory and splendour of our Father in heaven.

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The more I lift my eyes, the more I pray that my beloved brethren awake from their slumber and discern the times, too. Soon, our Lord, Jesus Christ, will come on the clouds with loud thundering to execute His righteous judgement upon the world. Thus, as His younger siblings and servants, we should actively fight for His kingdom by spreading His Truth and being serious about the things of eternity – those that are unseen, which might cause suffering and discomfort in this world. For we were never meant to make our beds here. But if we do, we will have to lie in them eternally.