Be Sober

        Apostle Paul warned Believers about a particular DAY that will come: A DAY that will catch many in the world unawares. As sons of God, he warned us to be vigilant and be sober, so as not to miss this DAY, because it will come like a thief in the night (2Thessalonians 5:1-11). Looking at the happenings in our present world, it looks like this warning is not only misplaced but incredible. So many plan, pray and carry on as if that spoken of DAY has been shelved or events have overtaken its coming! 

       Variously across the land, as the year draws to a close and a new decade begins, if the Lord tarries, many will have life-changing encounters with God, many others will only have an enjoyable experience without a corresponding change to their lifestyles. Beloved, ‘the’ Day is coming, whether we like it or not, ready or not! A DAY like no other, when the Lord will call away His saints from this world: “For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with the Lord” (1Thessalonians 4:16-17). Daniel referred to this event as an “Escape”, we call it in our time, ‘The Rapture’, catching away of the saints! Beloved, if you believe this, what manner of life should you be living then? 

       The legitimate hope of every Believer is that one day he/she will reign with Christ – this hope can be redeemed through death (for it is given to man to die once, then judgment) or through the Rapture (Escape – catching away of the Saints). Whether we believe this or not, it is surely going to happen! Sadly, many are under the deception that it will not happen in our time, hence the buying into the culture of the day with its deprivation and falsehood! However, if we believe this, the life we are to live is a life of readiness, sobriety and being alert to the things of the Spirit. Sadly, so many are drunk with the distractions of the world, thus, they can barely see that the message they carry has been compromised! If the Master should come today, what will be the state of your mind? Beloved, He is coming back for a chaste and pure Bride. This means one that is untainted and unsullied with the putrid culture of the world. 

       We live in a time that is truly difficult to be called a child of God. In fact to be a child of anything else is good, but being a child of God is gradually becoming an offence to so many across the globe. This is a pointer that the days are not only evil, but the coming of Jesus Christ is close! He warned the Disciples just as He is warning us today: “Be ready for service and have your lamps lit. You must be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once…You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect” (Luke 12:35-36, 40). 

       Therefore, don’t let us get caught in the ‘material getting craze’ and lose sight of the most important thing – which is Christ Himself. As we go about this season, let us be vigilant and sober: “For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We’re not of the night or of darkness. So then, we must not sleep, like the rest, but we must stay awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But since we are of the day, we must be sober and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8). God bless you!