”6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
Thessalonians 5:6-8
When it comes to sobriety, God doesn’t mess around.
In His Word, the Lord commands us to be of sharp mind as we strive to overcome the challenges brought on by the world.
Yes, life will be challenging with or without faith.
As a matter of fact, life dedicated to following Christ will likely be far more challenging than existence without faith.
And that’s because the Christian walk is a marathon, not a sprint. The path that leads to Heaven is not meant to be twisted left and right, without direction, instead the hand of God takes His servants through a narrow path that travels through peaks and valleys.
The peaks take us closer to God, and the valleys even more so.
So why do it? Why become a follower of Jesus, if it’s gonna hurt that much?
Ever heard the saying “No pain, no gain?”
And no, that doesn’t mean there is no gain unless there’s pain involved.
What this saying translates into is, pain leads to gain in recovery, in overcoming the challenge that comes along with pain.
And this is precisely why failure is not only an option, as a believer, often it’s part of God’s predestined plan for us.
You see, we are His beloved children, and He is our heavenly Father. Just as any loving father would, it’s God’s intention to equip and empower us to succeed in life.
But what if we’re hard headed and choose to sin against God, for example, by abusing alcohol, drugs, porn, social media, gaming or gambling?
Yes, it’s very possible to sin against God through social media without even offending or hurting anyone, if or when it becomes an addiction.
And that’s why God used the apostle Paul to deliver instruction to those who will seek understanding in God’s Word, then strive to spread divine wisdom along the path that leads to eternal life in Heaven.
Temptation will find us. And that’s what Paul writes about in his letter to the congregation in Thessalonica.
God’s message was simple: Sober up! The party is over.
But what about my pain? Timothy’s wine?
If you find it comforting to find one Bible verse that encourages the use of alcohol, for a medical condition, than go ahead and print it on a t-shirt and make it your legacy to justify pain based addiction.
Truth is, life is hard.
Serving Christ is not for the faint at heart. In many circumstances, God’s servants pour out love endlessly, without ever reaping the rewards we expect.
If you’re “in it” for the rewards, then you need to re-examine your motives. Heaven is not the place for result driven individuals, it’s the eternal resting place for people who are lead by faith, not addiction.
Take a good look in the mirror today and ask yourself this simple question: Is there anything standing between me and God?
If yes, deal with it. If no, good for you! Either way, there’s work to be done and it’s going to be a whole lot easier to complete the work gives us to do if we’re of sober mind…
Were you able to glean and grow from this message so God can be further glorified and His Kingdom magnified? If so, I would love to hear from you. Follow this link to get in touch… Let’s pray!
Father God;
We thank you for your presence in our lives,
We praise you Lord for the wisdom bestowed upon Paul and John,
And we ask you Lord to help us find joy in your perfect plan.
Allow us to praise and love each other through faith in you Jesus,
Shield us from evil through your Word, salvation and prayer,
Guide us to abide by the truth as we spread the good news to one and all,
And lead the lost to You.
God we pray that you will continue to bless us,
To bless our lives and fill us with hope.
We ask you Lord to guide our footsteps and lead us to the way everlasting,
Through faith in you Lord we seek salvation and our place with you in Heaven
According to your ways, your everlasting wisdom and strength.
May your will be done, here on Earth and through the vast Universe,
May our hearts be filled with your everlasting love and grace.
Praises to You God, Amen!
This message was written by Daniel St.Pierre