1 Peter 5:8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Ah mih people, like the weather has decided to play April Fools or All Fools Day jokes on us this Friday, the first day of April 2022. When I got up and looked outside earlier this morning, wet snow was raining down from the skies. Then on looking out again, a li’l later on, I was greeted by no wet snow but fairly sunny skies. So right now, the ground’s wet, but the skies are shining with some dark clouds hovering dangerously around like rebellious children intent on disturbing the status quo. (smile)
But foolishly, like the prince of darkness, they have reckoned without taking the awesome sunshine of Jesus Christ into their planning. They don’t realize that if He so desires, with just one wave of His mighty hand, He can scatter, obliterate ALL the darkness in the land and turn it into one of perpetual sunshine. He’s already defeated the prince of darkness, made him a toothless tiger, by dying and resurrecting from the grave, so that all his satanic majesty has now is a bark but no bite.
That’s why we need not fear what he can do to us, for he can only do what we allow him to do. Therefore, Peter dutifully warns us: ‘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 (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world.’ (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
Yes friends, though the devil has no teeth he can frighten us with his loud roar, and thus manage to get his evil claws into us. Consequently, we must be very careful of where and with whom we walk in this uncertain and unpredictable world. No wonder Peter gave us the solution to the problem before the warning. He firmly advocates: ‘Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 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.’ (1 Pet. 5:5-7)
Those are indeed wise words my brethren, words that we ought to sincerely and continually heed! Why? Because they are the indisputable truth! Cousin Sol tells us the first half of the story in Proverbs, when he decrees: ‘The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation (dwelling) of the just. Surely he scorneth the scorners (proud): but he giveth grace unto the lowly (humble).’ (Prov. 3:33-34)
And if you don’t believe Cousin Sol, then listen to the prophet Isaiah as he proclaims on the Lord’s behalf, as he condemns the idolatry of his people Israel. ‘For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite (remorseful, repentant) and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’ (Is. 57:15)
That says it all friends! The Lord only deals in repentant and contrite hearts and spirits! The proud He has no use for, because they don’t believe they need Him, like so many of us wrongly believe in these evil and dark times. And it’s so sad to note that in these enlightened times of technology and other advances in human endeavours that we are turning back to the dark ages in spiritual matters. We are trying to remove God from our society. Even shouting out that there is no God! But friends, now is the time when we should be seeking God more than ever, because the end times are in sight.
Jesus spoke to the disciples about the horrific happenings that would take place before the end came. Wars and rumours of wars, false prophets, plenty devastation and human suffering, much persecution, much deception with an inordinate amount of evil, but little LOVE. However, that would just be the beginning of the end. (Matt. 24:4-12) And in these beginning of the end times that we’re currently going through, it is ever so necessary for us to hold on to the end, as Jesus specified to the disciples. ‘But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’ (Matt. 24:13) So my brethren, we have to hang in there, living for Jesus, right to the very end, if we want to be saved.
Then Jesus continues: ‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.’ (Matt. 24:14) Now, we’re quickly coming to that stage where with the magnificent technology we now possess, the gospel abounds like it’s never done before. But Jesus isn’t finished. He says: ‘When ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand.) (Matt. 24:15)
And what is this ‘Abomination of Desolation’ that Jesus is talking about eh? Well, according to the scholars, ‘it refers to Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; where Antiochus Epiphanes’ profanation of the Jewish temple worship would foreshadow a similar and more severe act by the eschatological Antichrist. (theology concerned with the end of the world). Whereas Antiochus offered a pig on the sacred altar of the temple, the Antichrist will present himself (2 Thess. 2:4 – Please read it). The action of desecration by Antiochus, which Daniel had predicted, will now be repeated in the future by the Antichrist as the signal of the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the breaking of the covenant “in the midst of the week” Dan. 9:27).’
So friends, there’s still some time to go, but how much, we don’t know, that means we ought to be prepared for whenever whatever happens! As the scripture says above there ‘whoso readeth, let him understand.’ And since we’ve read, I want us to understand. (smile) And understanding means being prepared, because we know it will come, just not when. That is a point we can’t hammer home enough my people, because Jesus said He could come at any time; today, tomorrow or years into the future…but come He will!
And the first step in our preparation is going to Him in sincere prayer. So, let’s do that right now nuh, through our Friday Chant. As one humble and contrite voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the anxiety, the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus and our many other problems are causing. We can’t seem to fix it on our own Lord, that means we desperately need your help.
Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, and avoid any more serious setbacks.
And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest in the streets as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
And all of that will only mean anything when God checks the motives of our hearts and finds them in agreement with the words of our mouths. Much LOVE!
…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…and let him prepare…be in a state of constant readiness…
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