1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Peter states in his 2nd Epistle:
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come
in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.
Undoubtedly, those things that the Bible spoke of are coming to pass.
Peters's words to those that were scattered are still applicable today.
Scoffers, (mockers/false teachers), have come in unaware. Peter states:
2 Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom
the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
Because of the pernicious ways of these mockers and false teachers,
many shall follow them. So, what is the answer, what instructions
did Peter provide for them that are scattered, and what instructions are
there for us?
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Here are the instructions the Apostle Peter gives: be sober and vigilant.
These are the same instructions that I present today. (1) Being sober deals
with a person having a sound mind. A mind that allows one to be careful of
what they say and how they act. It amazes me that these instructions from
the man of God Peter, deals with the way we think and the way we act. If
we are not sober-minded, if we are not careful about how we speak and how
we act, we could find ourselves following these false teachers/
mockers.
Then he says, be vigilant. (2) Being vigilant deals with us being
watchful. Jesus states that we should not only pray but watch as well. Be
on guard, watching out for the approaching enemy. Being on guard for the
slightest form of division. Watching out for every trick of the enemy, why?
Because Peter says that your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion is
seeking whom he may devour. The bottom line is, as one saint puts it, we need to be
focused. Focused on the times we are in, focused on the things of God. Even as
this world becomes more ungodly, we need to stay focused on Jesus who is the
source of our strength and the center of our Joy.
So then, be Sober, be Vigilant, BE FOCUSED!
-Pastor Mike