BEWARE OF LIFE’S PLEASURES

1Timothy 5:6 KJV
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

Dear Believer,

Have you ever noticed that people generally see the pressures of life as the enemy and consider the pleasures of life as something to embrace?

Well, God wants me to sound the warning today that life’s pleasures can be as dangerous, and even sometimes more dangerous, than life’s pressures.

Our scripture focus today was originally written to some carnal women who had given themselves to the pleasures of the flesh, but we understand that the principle is applicable to everyone.

In the parable of Jesus about the rich man and Lazarus, we see a man who was an embodiment of fleshly pleasures. (Read Luke 26:29-31). He was always dressed in expensive attires and fed himself the best of food everyday.

Another man became successful in his business and began to play God with the future. His focus became his possessions. (Please read Luke 13:26-21).

Neither of the men mentioned above ended well, and I’ll tell you why.

Pleasure is very deceitful. We read of the deceitfulness of sin (Matthew 13:22); we see the deceitfulness of riches (Mark 4:19). This kind of pleasure we are speaking about gives a man a bloated and exaggerated opinion about himself while shortening his life, blinding him to eternity and drugging his senses. The man becomes like the ‘stoned’ drug addict who in a ‘trip of pleasure’ wants to fly off the top of a skyscraper. He is deceived by the artificial pleasure induced by the drug.

In fact, even churches can be deceived by pleasures. Some Christian congregations have made their elegant buildings, state-of-the-art equipment and abundant money their focus. Here’s God’s view about the Laodecian church:

Revelation 3:17 VW
Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing; and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

So, like the pleasure seeking women in our focus scripture passage, even a church can be dead while being alive! In Revelation 3:1, the church of Smyrna was told by Jesus, “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead!”

Well, that sounds to me like a zombie church.

One of the signs of the end time is that men shall indulge in pleasures at the expense of their relationship with God.

2Timothy 3:4 KJV
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

That is to tell you, Believer, that Satan will work so much on advertizing his sinful pleasure in these times. That is the easiest way to catch unsuspecting, unwatchful believers.

Don’t be a victim of your flesh. Like Paul, decide always to ‘put your body under’ so that you won’t become, like Paul said, a ‘castaway.’ (1Cirinthians 9:27).

Live a life of self-denial. The pleasures of this world never satisfies. The more you have, the more you want, and in the final analysis, they are worthless with absolutely zero eternal values, set to be consumed by fire.

You are a Believer, my friend, and your priority is the Kingdom of God.

Have a pleasant day!

Your friend,
Deon.