Tag: sober-minded

5.u. For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets

Revelation 1:1-3  The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

Daniel 2:28-29    but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:  To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.

Amos 3:7     “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Romans 16:25     Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages

Galatians 1:12    For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:8   But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Romans 13:11    Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

James 5:8-9    You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

1 Peter 4:7    The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

At the right time, God reveals His mysteries (what has been hidden for ages) to us.  A day is coming and has been foretold when the end of this world and life as we know it will cease. The book of revelation is not some rambling of a weirdo imagination but rather the words of God Himself given to man so that we might know that the end time is at hand.  God makes these revelations known to reveal His all-knowing, all-powerful, and supreme control over His creation.  He makes it known to reveal His love.  He makes it known knowing that it will harden some hearts more and other hearts will be softened and come to saving grace knowledge of Jesus Christ.  He makes it known to give people warning.  He makes it known to give people hope.  Just because some of this revelation seems hard to understand and the full mystery of it has not been made clear does not make it less certain.   Man will choose to believe it or not but the fact remains the end of the world will come.  To some, they do not believe there is life after death or that there is a judgment after death.  They do not believe in heaven or hell.  They do not believe in God.  Oh that their heart would soften, the scales would fall off their eyes and they see, and their deaf ears made to hear of the Love of God through Jesus Christ and be saved.

4.l. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Revelation 12:9-10    And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.  And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

1 Peter 5:8    Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Satan the deceiver and accuser.  The false one.  The liar. The tempter.  How many have never seen the love of Jesus Christ because of this liar?  How many have been tempted away by his lies?  How many have believed his accusations?  Satan will try to deceive us.  He will show us the tempting shining lights of health, wealth, prosperity, and fame.  He will accuse us and tell us we are unworthy of the Love of Jesus Christ.  He will tell us we are a failure.  He will tell us we are not or cannot be forgiven.  He will tell us God can’t help us or won’t help us.  Satan is very real.  He knows are weaknesses, pride, jealousy, envy, greed, and hatred.  He will prowl looking for the opportunity to attack us with lies and temptations for he knows our sinful nature much better than us.  How are we to stand against this foe?

Are we worthy of the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ? No.  Are we good enough to warrant forgiveness? No.  Have we done anything that Jesus Christ should grant us eternity with Him? No.  Have we sinned? Yes.  Do we sin? Yes. Does Jesus Christ know all of our sins past and present? Yes.  Satan will use questions like these and offer answers that seem to proper and true, but they are lies intended to confuse, intimidate, worry, pleasure, gratify, and delight self-worth, self-esteem, self-regard, self-respect, self-love, self-importance, self-satisfaction, and self-reliance.  He does this to get us to reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to live self-centered lives that are blind and deaf to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the awesome power, might, strength, and love of God.

Jesus went to the cross while we were yet unworthy sinners.  He did this for us as we were and are.  He did this because He loved us.  He did this to give us hope.  He did this to give us purpose.  He did this to give us opportunity of forgiveness, joy, peace, strength, grace, mercy, and love in and through His redemption made possible and perfect through His sacrifice on the cross and the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit to all those who believe in Him, confess their sin, repent, and by faith cling to, rely on, and trust in Him.  “Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world!”

John 3:16-21  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.