1 Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Those are very wise and timely words my Friends. Bruh Paul wrote them to the Thessalonians long ago, but they still ring true for us today, especially in the current turbulent and tumultuous times we’re facing. And when there’s lots of upheaval in the air, like now, one has to be particularly careful in all one’s endeavours, for it’s in those times of unrest and indecision that the enemy comes out voraciously seeking prey, astutely knowing that in all the confusion, we’re much more susceptible to his evil lies. ‘Therefore let us not sleep, as do others.’ We don’t want to be like the five foolish virgins who went to meet the bridegroom with no extra oil for their lamps, but rather like the five wise ones who took extra oil, just in case. And wouldn’t you know it, the bridegroom was late, but when he did show up, those five wise ones had enough oil to light his way, but the foolish five didn’t, and by the time they went to buy oil and returned, the bridegroom had shut his door and wouldn’t let them in. (Mat.25) Oh Friends, that’s how Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven. If you are not prepared when He comes again, you’re likely to get shut out. And that would indeed be a sad day; the saddest of your life. But that doesn’t have to happen to us, ‘For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night… But ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” (1 Thess.5:2,4-6) Oh people, I could not have said it any better. And Peter dutifully adds to the warning. ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet.5:6-9) Yes Friends, we all experience the same cajoling of the evil one, but because we are followers of Jesus, having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we have a mightier weapon than unbelievers, to fight off his destructive and deceitful wiles. But to be successful in that respect, we must be very careful in all we do, always watchful and self-controlled. For as Sol warns: ‘Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids…Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth and thy want as an armed man.’ (Prov.6:4,6-11) Yes my people, that’s how poverty comes; like a prowler; slowly and stealthily. The ant knows this, though they have no brains like us. By natural instinct and experience, they know to be prepared. And as the Lord’s most wonderful creation, we should learn from them; be prepared, first for whenever Jesus shows up, and also put aside for a rainy day. That’s why we’re in such a mess now; we weren’t saving anything for a rainy day, not putting aside anything for the winter of our discontent, just concentrating on the heady, but false good times, getting deeper and deeper in debt, possibly not expecting the bubble to ever burst, certainly not as soon as it did. And that’s exactly where the wisdom and common sense of the ants comes in my Friends. They know that winter is going to come and food will be scarce, so if they want to survive, they need to put away some. And nobody should have to tell us that a bubble will burst at some time, that’s its very nature, to only last for a while, so we need to be always prepared. That’s why Sol cautions us to: ‘LOVE not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.’ (Prov.20:13) Which Bruh Paul interprets as being, ‘Not slothful in business: fervent in spirit: serving the Lord. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality.’ (Rom.12:11-13) Yes my brethren, that’s the kind of stuff we should be concerned with. Being active in the service of the Lord, not being lazy and laggard. Remember, Christianity is an action word. It implies getting up and doing, paying attention to detail, seeking excellence in all we do and being prepared for as many situations as humanly possible, but most of all, for the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which can occur at any time. So, ‘let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and LOVE; and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1Thess.5:8-9) My people, let’s be constantly on the lookout for the enemy, but yet prepared for whenever Jesus returns, so that we won’t be found wanting and be deprived of eternal life. Much LOVE!…and the moral of the story is…be prepared…be prepared…be prepared…
Those are very wise and timely words my Friends. Bruh Paul wrote them to the Thessalonians long ago, but they still ring true for us today, especially in the current turbulent and tumultuous times we’re facing. And when there’s lots of upheaval in the air, like now, one has to be particularly careful in all one’s endeavours, for it’s in those times of unrest and indecision that the enemy comes out voraciously seeking prey, astutely knowing that in all the confusion, we’re much more susceptible to his evil lies. ‘Therefore let us not sleep, as do others.’ We don’t want to be like the five foolish virgins who went to meet the bridegroom with no extra oil for their lamps, but rather like the five wise ones who took extra oil, just in case. And wouldn’t you know it, the bridegroom was late, but when he did show up, those five wise ones had enough oil to light his way, but the foolish five didn’t, and by the time they went to buy oil and returned, the bridegroom had shut his door and wouldn’t let them in. (Mat.25) Oh Friends, that’s how Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven. If you are not prepared when He comes again, you’re likely to get shut out. And that would indeed be a sad day; the saddest of your life. But that doesn’t have to happen to us, ‘For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night… But ye brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” (1 Thess.5:2,4-6) Oh people, I could not have said it any better. And Peter dutifully adds to the warning. ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet.5:6-9) Yes Friends, we all experience the same cajoling of the evil one, but because we are followers of Jesus, having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we have a mightier weapon than unbelievers, to fight off his destructive and deceitful wiles. But to be successful in that respect, we must be very careful in all we do, always watchful and self-controlled. For as Sol warns: ‘Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids…Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth and thy want as an armed man.’ (Prov.6:4,6-11) Yes my people, that’s how poverty comes; like a prowler; slowly and stealthily. The ant knows this, though they have no brains like us. By natural instinct and experience, they know to be prepared. And as the Lord’s most wonderful creation, we should learn from them; be prepared, first for whenever Jesus shows up, and also put aside for a rainy day. That’s why we’re in such a mess now; we weren’t saving anything for a rainy day, not putting aside anything for the winter of our discontent, just concentrating on the heady, but false good times, getting deeper and deeper in debt, possibly not expecting the bubble to ever burst, certainly not as soon as it did. And that’s exactly where the wisdom and common sense of the ants comes in my Friends. They know that winter is going to come and food will be scarce, so if they want to survive, they need to put away some. And nobody should have to tell us that a bubble will burst at some time, that’s its very nature, to only last for a while, so we need to be always prepared. That’s why Sol cautions us to: ‘LOVE not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.’ (Prov.20:13) Which Bruh Paul interprets as being, ‘Not slothful in business: fervent in spirit: serving the Lord. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality.’ (Rom.12:11-13) Yes my brethren, that’s the kind of stuff we should be concerned with. Being active in the service of the Lord, not being lazy and laggard. Remember, Christianity is an action word. It implies getting up and doing, paying attention to detail, seeking excellence in all we do and being prepared for as many situations as humanly possible, but most of all, for the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which can occur at any time. So, ‘let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and LOVE; and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1Thess.5:8-9) My people, let’s be constantly on the lookout for the enemy, but yet prepared for whenever Jesus returns, so that we won’t be found wanting and be deprived of eternal life. Much LOVE!…and the moral of the story is…be prepared…be prepared…be prepared…
SCRIP-BITS 