Self Controlled and Sober Minded

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7 ESV

Did you feel your world shift yesterday? We’ve been climbing through the first half of 2020 and yesterday we hit the peak. Now we are sliding down to the end of the year. Being the 1st of July, I thought it would be a good time to reevaluate some of the dreams and goals that you made for this new decade. Sometimes life can get so tough you end up looking at your feet just to stay focused. Look up! See where you are going and observe your progress.

Peter understood that we are nearing the end of all things. Today is one day closer to the return of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Then he adds a “therefore”. Understanding the time that we are living within and the amount of time that we have left, calls forth an action. Stop spinning in circles, jump off the merry-go-round, and move toward your goals.

• Be self-controlled. Enough said Peter, you can go ahead and drop the mic. What does life look like for you in the category of “self-controlled”? 
  • Renew commitments for your exercising, fasting, proper eating, your healthy body, and abstinence. 
  • Review your time usage in relationship to the goals and dreams for your life. Are you spending the right amount of time with your family and close relationships? Exercising? Too much TV? How much time do you spend on entertainment? Church engagement? Take some time to look over your calendar and adjust it to your values of what you believe is important understanding time from God’s perspective.
  • Restart disciplines, 
    • Behind on your Bible reading plan? Start fresh and new today. 
    • Out of sink with your giving? Recommit to give habitually and with joy.
    • Ask God to help you be more intentional in your prayers of faith.
    • Scripture memory, thank you’s, returning emails, encouraging ministers and ministries
• Be sober minded. This word really focuses on having a clear mind. There are so many issues surrounding our lives that we can lose focus on pursuing our King and His Kingdom.
  • Sharing Jesus with others. When was the last time that you shared the good news of Jesus with a person who needed it? Seeking and sharing with the lost is still the great commandment.
  • Gratitude check. The onslaught of bad news can cause one to be jaded and cynical. Expressing thankfulness to God restores the joy of our salvation and a whole lot more.
  • Speak God’s word often. Peter declared to Jesus, “where else can we go, YOU alone have the words of life.” Saying God’s thoughts from the Bible can help bring clarity to the mind. Paul said our minds are transformed with God’s word.

Peter instructed us to be self controlled and sober minded so that our prayers will be effective. These are prayers for our on life concerns and prayers for others to be healed and set free. If your prayers are so so, check the areas of self controlled and sober mindedness.

We can’t go back and redo our lost time. We can make the most of today. What adjustments will you make after your “therefore”?

Blessings Love y’all