Awake and Sober

 Awake and Sober
Bible Reading 1 Thessalonians 5
Focus Verse: "But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Jesus is coming back.  It's what believers long for and what makes those without Christ to tremble.  Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of the great Evangelist Billy Graham, recently made a pledge at her father's funeral.  She explained that on the date of her father's death, the Jews' scripture for that day was about how Moses led the people of Israel out of bondage. Her father led millions out of the bondage of sin to the very edge of Heaven.  

She said, "Could it be that God is going to bring Joshua to lead us into the Promised Land, lead us to Heaven and – you know what the New Testament name for Joshua is? It's Jesus. And I believe this is a shot across the bow from Heaven. And I believe God is saying: 'Wake up church! Wake up world! Jesus is coming!" she declared. "I pledge to you, Daddy, that in view of His appearing, and in front of all these witnesses, I will preach the Word! I will do the work of an evangelist and I will share the Gospel and I will run my race and live my life so that five minutes before I see Jesus I have no regrets. I will live my life to glorify and exalt the name of the Lord Jesus Christ," she concluded.

What do we do as we wait for this glorious day, of which we have no knowledge of the day?  See verses 12-27 of 1 Thessalonians 5 for the long list that includes things like:
Acknowledge those who work hard among you and those who care for you.
Live in peace with each other.
Encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
Rejoice, pray and give thanks.
Test the spirits and hold onto good, while rejecting every kind of evil.
Let God sanctify (purify and cleanse) you.

We are also to go into all the land and preach the Gospel, starting with the neighbors. There is no time to be idle, disruptive, drunk or playing with the edge of evil.  We must be awake and sober to be doing our Heavenly Father's business.

~Page Johnson