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The Days Are Evil
The Days Are Evil
Pay careful attention, then, to how you live—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16 csv)
Pay attention, make the most of your time, the days are evil—as I sit here thinking about these words, it just seems as if this is a much needed message that we should, as it were, be shouting from the rooftops. Today we are seeing all kinds of things that are soundly condemned in God’s word being accepted, encouraged and promoted (2 Tim. 3:1-5, 2 Tim. 4:3-4, Rom. 1:24-32). We truly live in a troublesome and perilous day, a time in which hatred, evil speaking, corruption, wickedness and immorality abound on every hand. Add to this the fact that possessions, creature comforts, pursuit of monetary wealth, amusements and recreational activities have become idols in the hearts of multitudes of people. There is a mad rush on the part of many to have more and more of worldly things. Truth is, with most people, the more they have, the more they want. It is just an endless cycle (Luke 12:15, Matthew 6:19-21, Colossians 3:1-2, 1 John 2:15-17). Thinking about all this, the words of Colossians 3:5-6 come to mind, “Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire and greed which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient.”
O, how we need to pay careful attention as to how we live in these evil days. We must be watchful, wary and cautious to guard our hearts against every lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life lest we fall prey to them and lose our soul (1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4, Matthew 6:22-24). If we let the word of God fill our hearts, mold our thoughts and direct our footsteps, it will create within us a spirit, frame of mind as it were, that will help us tremendously in our effort to make the most of our time on this side of eternity.
I love to sing, “Just a closer walk with thee, Grant it Jesus is my plea, Daily walking close to thee, Let it be dear Lord, Let it be.” I believe with all my heart that everyone of us should desire that closer walk with the Lord but in order to have it, we must be willing to pay the price for it. All of us are familiar with the words of the Lord found in Mark 12:30, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is a passage we have read and quoted many times but I wonder sometimes if we really realize what is involved in the passage for you see, the key word is that little three letter word, all. This means with no reservations whatsoever, nothing held back. I don’t want to offend anyone but I tell you that the Lord does not want the crumbs or the leftovers of our life and unless we are willing to make that total commitment to him, we will never have that closer walk with him that is so desperately needed in order to be wise and make the most of our time on the pathway of life Matt. 5:16, 1 Cor. 15:58, Col. 3:1-2, 1 Tim. 4:12, Rom. 12:1-2, Eph. 4:21-32, 1 Thess. 5:12-22).
I close this message with the Good News Bible version of Eph. 5:15-16: “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like ignorant people, but like wise people. Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days,”
Charles Hicks, Gallatin Tennessee
