Sober-Minded

1 Peter 1:13
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

While doing a bible study the other day I read verse 1 Peter 1:13 and wondered what does “sober-minded” really mean. We all know that it means don’t be drunk, but what else does it mean. 

The NKJV uses the term “sober” 11 times, 10 in the New Testament. So I started looking up the word and this is what I found. 

Strongs (3525)

• To be calm and collected in spirit; to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.

HELPS Word-studies:

• Properly, to be sober (not drunk), not intoxicated; (figuratively) free from illusion, i.e. from the intoxicating influences of sin (like the impact of selfish passion, greed, etc.).
• Refers to having presence of mind (clear judgment), enabling someone to be termperate (self-controlled). “uninfluenced by intoxicants”) means to have “one’s wits (faculties) about them, “which is the opposite of being irrational.

Webster’s Dictionary:

• Having a disposition or temper habitually sober.

Normally when I read this word sober I thought of “solemn” or “long faced”. A person who is always walking around with a drawn look on their face. I knew that couldn’t be right because that isn’t how God wants us to live. We should be happy and content as Christians. 

My personality is not solemn or long faced and sometimes I try and reign it in thinking that is not the way a “good Christian woman” would act like. I should be more serious. But no matter how much I try, I can’t contain myself sometimes. Laughing and entertaining people is what I like to do. When I make someone smile and laugh I feel like I have done some good in the world. Life is hard enough, let me make you laugh. Maybe that is a “gift” from God. (Yes, let’s just call it that so I don’t feel guilty.)😊

Bottom line I think the Bible is telling us to think clearly about things. Don’t cloud your mind with physical or mental things. I like the expression – “have one’s wits about them”.

So as we go about our daily comings and goings, think on things above. Think clearly and don’t get caught up in your own craziness in life. Let God lead you.

May God Bless.

Praying Loud

Sometimes my prayers are determined and outlined. Sometimes I find myself saying the same thing over and over again to God. Other times things are so off the cuff that I wonder if they make sense to God at all. Of course I know God understands my heart and what I am trying to say. 

Then there are those times that I am almost yelling at God to help me. I am at the end of my rope, dangling waiting to fall into the great abyss. Alas, He saves me. Then I feel quilt for not having patience or enough faith to be calm and collected when I approach my heavenly Father.

It’s during those times that I am reminded of Jesus crying out to his Father.

Hebrews 5:7 (NKJV)
7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,
Vehement – I could understand this word in the context that it is used in this verse, but I really wanted to know what it meant. Here’s what I found.

The adjective VEHEMENT has 2 senses:

• marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid
• characterized by great force or energy

So Jesus wasn’t always calm during His prayers with His Father. Jesus was emotional. He cried out with extreme intensity and emotion. He reacted violently with His words to God the Father.

OK that makes me feel a little bit better. Jesus was human and felt all the emotions we feel. Somehow that gives me comfort. Hope it comforts you.

So don’t worry too much about how you pray, just pray.

May God Bless You

Happy New Year

Another year has left us. If you are reading this then you are blessed, you are one of those that survived.

Our world is in turmoil, but it has been since the beginning of time. The Bible is filled with war stories and challenges that are similar to the ones we face today. It is a New Year, a new day and new opportunities are in front of us. So let’s move on to the good stuff.

New beginnings are so refreshing and invigorating aren’t they?

• The new born baby that gives meaning to life.
• Blank pages of an unwritten book.
• A change in eating habits that will give us a healthier life.
• A new hobby that we have been putting off.
• Landing the job that will start us off in a new career. 

All new and exciting times in a person’s life; fresh and unblemished.

My goals are written and I have a list.  I'm ready to go. Ready to tackle this new world 2018.

Last year was a rough one for me and my family. Chemo treatments and everyone arranging their schedules to take me and help. But we beat it, together with God leading the way.

Books tell us to take baby steps when setting goals, small goals that are reasonable and reachable so that we reach the main goal at the end.

Last year I didn’t fully complete any of my goals. But that’s OK because I did better than I would have if I hadn’t set any goals. That within itself is an improvement.

Improvement is success. Are you better today than you were yesterday, last week, last month or last year? If you can answer yes to that, guess what, you are a success. You may not have succeeded in every area you wanted to, but you did succeed in some.

So today I want you to give yourself a pat on the back. I mean literally reach that arm over and give yourself the one-two good job pat on the back. Tell yourself you did a good job and keep up the good work. 

Isn’t that what you would like your boss to do once in a while? Well, you are your own boss - the boss of your life. So be kind to yourself at the beginning of this fresh New Year.

May God bless each of you.

Lillian Humphries