Awake and Sober

Awake and Sober

1 Thessalonians 5: ⁴ But you, friends, are not in the darkness, and the Day should not take you by surprise like a thief. ⁵ All of you are people who belong to the light, who belong to the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶ So then, we should not be sleeping like the others; we should be awake and sober.

 

============

 

After the discussion about expensive ties, I wanted to fit in, but did not have the money. I found a discount store and bought suits and ties. I got compliments. We all went to lunch. On the way, a homeless person asked us for money. “Sorry, I don’t have anything” was my lie. The others mumbled “Get a job” after we walked away.

 

• I was drunk with trying to fit in with “successful” people.
• I was following darkness by withholding from someone in need.
• I was asleep to serving the Kingdom of GOD.

 

Paul, Silas and Timothy continue the discussion about the “Day of the LORD.” They bring great news that believers will not be surprised by the coming of the LORD. They also explained that believers belong to the “light” and to the “day” and warned everyone to remain “awake and sober,”

 

My Observations

• Living in darkness feels right and acceptable, BUT GOD wants my sins to be brought to light.
• Getting drunk on fame, fortune, power, politics, money, mayhem or substances can hurt me, BUT GOD wants me to sober up to see HE is the answer.
• Falling asleep to hurt, pain, and agony of others can make me experience the terrible side of the “Day of the LORD” BUT GOD rescued me by belief in JESUS an d wants me awake to see HIS people.

 

Awake and sober means something special to GOD. I mean, when life truly gets hard, it is easy t want to fall asleep to all the trouble others are facing. When I go into dark places, I get feel more comfortable getting drunk on what the world has to offer. BUT GOD wants me to remain awake and sober.

 

HE not only wants me to wait on the coming of the LORD, but also be actively pursuing HIS Kingdom when HE returns. Life gets hard and the answer is the LORD. I am glad HE is the Day and the Light to shine on my path.

 

Challenge

• What does “belonging to the day” mean?
• What warning do the writers give?
• Have you ever been asleep about something important or drunk with something not good for you?
• Will you remain awake and sober to see others in need and to see the return of JESUS some day?

Belonging

Belonging

1 Thessalonians 1:¹ From Paul, Silas, and Timothy—

To the people of the church in Thessalonica, who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

 

May grace and peace be yours.

 

============

 

Many schools, churches and other organizations have given me a tee shirt to proudly wear. Each shirt would have the name of the organization and sometimes its colors. People have walked up to me and asked me questions about the shirt I was wearing at the time.

 

• I felt obligated to represent the organization well.
• I felt I was part of something bigger.
• I felt a sense of belonging to a group.

 

Paul, Silas and Timothy sent their greetings to everyone who “belongs” to GOD the FATHER and the LORD JESUS CHRIST. They had no shirt to pass out so they gave a wonderful gift, grace and peace.

 

My Observations

• When calamity hits, GOD steps in and says to me “You belong to ME.”
• When wonderful things happen, GOD says to me “Because I love you.”
• When I need direction or feel lost, GOD says to me “Do not worry or doubt because you are MINE.”

 

Belonging to GOD is amazing! I mean, HE has all the power, knows everything and is everywhere. No person or power or situation can stop GOD’s love for me.

 

Though I may take my eyes off of GOD, HE holds me tight. In fact, HE has written my name in HIS hand and no one can snatch me out. I belong to GOD. I gratefully give my life to HIM and try to act like I belong to HIM by telling people of the grace of JESUS.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer added the word “belong?”
• Have you ever been part of an organization and wanted other people to know about it or even join?
• Do you belong to JESUS?
• Will you praise GOD for the grace and peace HE provides because you belong to HIM?

Called to Belong

 

Called to Belong

Romans 1: From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus and an apostle chosen and called by God to preach his Good News.

 

² The Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets, as written in the Holy Scriptures. ³ It is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: as to his humanity, he was born a descendant of David; ⁴ as to his divine holiness, he was shown with great power to be the Son of God by being raised from death. ⁵ Through him God gave me the privilege of being an apostle for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nations to believe and obey. ⁶ This also includes you who are in Rome, whom God has called to belong to Jesus Christ.

 

============

 

Feeling out of place became the norm. Everywhere I went, I felt alone, even in the middle of a crowd. One day I sat in my apartment, grousing about my situation. “Why am I here in this place?” I cried out. “Where are the good parties and clubs? I don’t belong here!” Little did I know, it was the perfect place to get off a destructive path I could not see.

 

• Looking back, there were situations I went through that grew my patience.
• Looking back, there were situations I went through to change my path.
• Looking back, there were situations I went through that seemed painful, but opened my eyes to GOD.

 

Paul begins his letter to the Romans with a salutation that recognizes his purpose in life, namely to preach the Good News of JESUS. He spent his life trying to do what was right in his own eyes, but GOD arranged situations to blind him to what was wrong and open his eyes to JESUS. Paul now had a purpose that made sense.

 

• GOD wants me to preach the GOD News about JESUS being raised from the dead.
• GOD wants me to understand and “live” what the scriptures say about JESUS.
• GOD wants me to be grateful enough for what JESUS did for me to lead people of all nations to believe and obey.

 

Before I knew it, I belonged. I no longer felt lonely in crowds because I saw a need versus being needy. The crowd was searching and GOD called me to point them to HIM. HE opened my eyes to the fact that HIS family is huge and full of love. I am grateful to belong to JESUS CHRIST.

 

• Are you lonely?
• Does it seem like your life’s purpose is your school, job, family or friends?
• Will you ask GOD to give you HIS purpose of telling those around you about being saved eternally by JESUS today?

True Citizenship

 

True Citizenship

Acts 22: ²² The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”

²³ As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, ²⁴ the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. ²⁵ As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”

 

²⁶ When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

²⁷ The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes, I am,” he answered.

²⁸ Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”

“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

 

============

 

Feeling out of place became the norm for me. After a while, I accepted my misfit status and sat alone in many places. I did not like those who laughed at me or who talked negatively about me. I felt alone.

 

• There were times when I felt alone in a crowd.
• There were times when I felt I did not belong.
• There were times when I felt there had to be another place where I felt welcome.

 

Paul explained his background as a Jew, but when he said he was sent to the Gentiles by GOD, the crowd got angrier. The commander ordered him to be taken inside and flogged. Paul questioned this move, knowing the local law. Paul was a citizen and knew his rights.

 

• GOD wants me to know where I came from.
• GOD wants me to understand that this cursed world is not my home.
• GOD wants me to focus on HIS kingdom while I am still in this cursed world.

 

Before I was born, GOD made me. I mean, HE knew everything about me before I was ever born. HE chose me and I chose HIM. I believed in HIS SON JESUS as my Savior and HE added me into HIS kingdom as a citizen. The only kingdom that matter is HIS eternal one. I am glad to be part of GOD’s family and a citizen of HIS kingdom.

 

• Do you feel alone, even in a crowd?
• Do you feel like your life has a higher purpose than the one you are living?
• Will you become a citizen of GOD’s kingdom by believing that JESUS died for your sins and is now alive with all authority today and forever?

Part of something bigger

Part of something bigger

John 11: Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ² It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ³ Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

⁴ When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

============

“Five A.M.?” I questioned. I failed to see the purpose of getting up that early to run, so I did not join the college track team. “Weekly meetings?” I questioned. I wanted a bit more relaxation in my life so I did not join a group to accelerate promotions in the company. I mean, I was already driving over an hour just to get to entry level position.

• Many times I question something that seems painful to me.
• Many times I weigh the pain against the benefits to determine if “this” is useful.
• Many times I use my limited experiences to question what is going on around me.

Lazarus was extremely sick. Mary and Martha sent for JESUS, knowing HE could heal him. Lazarus was a close friend of JESUS so why did he have to become sick in the first place? The entire family “believed” HE was and is GOD, so why the calamity?

• JESUS says to me “You are part of something bigger when you believe in ME.”
• JESUS says to me “These things have to happen so I may be glorified through it.”
• JESUS says to me “Do not grow weary, for your suffering leads to perseverance.”

Questioning GOD’s motive and reason for pain is quite natural. Unfortunately, sometimes I think GOD is a sadistic scientist, using humans as lab rats to see the outcome. BUT GOD forgives my loathsome thinking. HE opens my eyes to HIS love, generosity and mercy towards me.

HE knows HIS fight is not against me, but against the deceiver. HE threw Satan to this earth and cursed the planet, and everything on it, and around it. This was a policy that could not be taken back. HE then died for my sins, just to redeem me. I am now part of the redemption story.

• How do you view GOD?
• Do you feel you cannot trust HIM because you do not see how HE can handle your situation?
• Will you stop looking through human lenses and let GOD handle your situation so HE may be glorified?

We are Family

Matthew 12: ⁴⁶ While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”

⁴⁸ He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

============

Outcast was how I felt when going to school. I mean other’s fit in and I stuck out like a sore thumb, or at least I felt that way. Ridiculed and unpopular, I trudged through my daily routines. Fortunately for me, I met a group who pulled me in as one of their own.

• Regardless of what I look like, I am part of GOD’s glorious family.
• No matter how I have sinned in the past, I am part of GOD’s wonderful family.
• Irrespective of what I want to be, I am a person in GOD’s family.

Belonging is what I craved from the world but the requirements were too steep. I had to look like the trendiest people and act like people who acted like brats. I could not be quirky in my humor or just relax when I wanted to. BUT GOD says different.

• GOD says to me “I made you just how you are.”
• GOD says to me “I created you with a purpose that only you can fulfill.”
• GOD says to me “I love you so now you belong in MY family.”

Being part of a holy family is a breath of fresh air. I can be valuable just by being me. GOD expects me to treat others the same. HE wants me to see their value as part of an amazing family that HE created and purposed. I belong.

• Do you feel like an outcast?
• Is your immediate family torn apart?
• Can you give your life to GOD so you can be part of an amazing family who are still sinners yet forgiven?