No, I don't think so. When I first read the following scripture I thought, but how could you do that? "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, year, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26)
Now I know how that can be done. First, I have been told and believe that the word "hate" should be "love less". (He would not want us to hate, especially our family when He tells us to honor our parents). We must love our family less than Him. As difficult as that is I have reached that point. His love can save them and I do love Him more. I trust them to Him.
Feeling that way I can honestly tell you that I am ready and wish His time was NOW. I want the evil to stop. I do not love the world more but there are times that I ask for His protection in this life so I can allow Him to touch someone through me.
You quoted: For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him -- Phil 1:29
I have a very blessed life and am strong and healthy physically (and I hope mentally :) I have an easy, happy life with family I love. In that respect I don't "suffer for him", but when I see what is happening in the world, when I see people's head being cut off, disgusting perverts harming innocent children, our innocent children being bombarded by filth on television, radio, schools, drugs, pornography, hate, starvation, stupidity, cruelty - then I suffer and can't wait for it to be over and Him to be in control.
Ping-Pong: No, I don't think so
The Bible seems to disagree with you.
For [in the last days] men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good — 2 Tim 3:2-3
When I first read the following scripture I thought, but how could you do that? "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father...he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26) ... I have been told and believe that the word "hate" should be "love less"
Nice rationalization, as is usually found in commentaries, but the Greek word used (miseo) unequivocally means hate. It is the same word used in Malachi 1:3 (Septuagint), and corresponds to the Hebrew word used in the same verse in the Palestinian Old Testament (sane), "And I hated Esau."
There is no inference whatsoever that miseo can mean "love less," that Malachi 3:1 could read "And I loved Esau less."
The OT simple tells us to honor our fathers and mothers, so that "days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives" — Exod 20:12
I want the evil to stop
We all do.
I do not love the world more but there are times that I ask for His protection in this life so I can allow Him to touch someone through me
Absolutely.
when I see what is happening in the world, when I see people's head being cut off, disgusting perverts harming innocent children, our innocent children being bombarded by filth on television, radio, schools, drugs, pornography, hate, starvation, stupidity, cruelty - then I suffer and can't wait for it to be over and Him to be in control
Our thoughts are the same, but He is always in control. He gave us what was needed. But what have we done with it? Rather than cry and moan, why not ask ourselves what examples are we to the world? Does anyone recognize Christ in us as a nation? Or in us as individuals? Is all the evil in the world in many ways not our failure?
Have Christian nations been free of wars, malice, murder, crime, arrogance, love of money...etc, etc. etc.? I don't think so. We are to blame for our lip-service to God, even more, than those who don't believe, because we—who cover ourselves with His righteousness—are unrighteous in the way we live, love and desire. Now, there are a few true saints among us...very few.