To help counter this I was given an MP3 player, a Christmas gift from my beautiful wife. On this player I have installed the complete New American Standard Bible. This allows me to listen to God's word as I work. Being somewhat an audio/visual person I have been able to hear the Scripture as I work inspecting parts (I am a quality control inspector at Titan Specialties). If I miss a verse or idea I can just rewind or re listen to each chapter, or even specific verses, over and over. This has allowed God to show me many wonderful concepts and ideas over the last several weeks as I go chapter by chapter through a book in the Bible. Over the last couple of weeks I have gone through 2 Peter first and this last week 1 Peter. Don't know why I went through them backwards, just did.
Thursday morning I was listening to chapter 5, in 1 Peter for the about the third time and was drawn to verses 6-10...
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
While I have read and heard these verses many times, God really impressed me with them that morning. Not 20 minutes earlier Dr. David Jeremiah had used these same verses on his daily radio show, telling of how Satan will use many things to distract Christians and then attack and destroy us. Going back to work from lunch I happened to hear Dr. Michael Youssef preaching on the same verses and same topic. One of Satan's his most important tools is discouragement, according to Dr. Jeremiah. Satan uses our work, relationships with others, debt, the economy or any of many other ploys, to get us discouraged leading us to anger, fear, distrust, not spending time with our families, and most importantly not spending time with God!
After hearing not just one, but two message on this made me realise that God was trying to tell me something. (sometimes it takes a 2 x 4 upside the head for me!) Am I letting my job, uncertainty in world events, bills and the cost of living, and any number of other "distractions" lull me into discouragement? Sometimes, will have to be the answer. Then I read back to vs 6 and 7 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." I have to realize that when I humble myself before God and pursue Him daily then I will be better prepared to deal with Satan's attacks. Daily reading (or listening) to God's word and prayer is essential in keeping me "alert" to the "prowling lion". Trusting and placing myself under the hand of God, letting him have all my fears and anxiety, because He cares for me can only be accomplished by spending time with Him. Don't get "devoured" by all the stuff going around us in the world, but keep your eyes on God!
Photo from Earth-touch.com
