Do you feel entangled with the world?

When we demonstrate a life of friendship with the world, we become characterized by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. (see I John 2:16) And once we are entangled in the world, we find ourselves trapped, living a life of bondage rather than a life of freedom in Christ.

But…you don’t have to STAY entangled!

“for Demas, having love this present world, has deserted me.”

These chilling words from II Timothy 4 describe a collision course of the Christ-life and culture for Demas, a friend of Paul . He became a casualty of the culture because he loved the world and was caught in the compromise that loving the world brings.

Satan, the ruler of this world, doesn’t show us the heartache and heartbreak that comes with embracing this world. But like Demas, when we embrace the world’s ideas, philosophies, and view of life, we can find ourselves trapped.

Sometimes I find myself a bit overwhelmed with the collision that is happening with Christ-followers and culture today. It makes me long for Jesus to return and take us home to heaven. But then I remember what Jesus prayed in John 17. He didn’t ask the Father to take us out of the world; but instead, to be protected from the evil one.

I believe that brings us to the mission and purpose Jesus gave us before He returned to the Father - be light in a world of darkness, be hope in a world of lostness and be truth in a world of lies.

Several years ago, I heard a conference speaker declare that the United States was the 4th most unreached country in the world with the gospel.

I was shocked. The idea that the United States, founded on Biblical principles and entrenched with a strong history of God at work, has now become one of the most unreached countries in our world was overwhelming to me.

That was over ten years ago and today, we might be even higher on that list!