Awake, O sleeper

Ephesians 5:11-13

Awake, O sleeper, what is the meaning of that statement?  To awake is to be fully conscious and not asleep, to be alert and vigilant about what is going on all around you.  History is clear on what happens to nations when they are not fully conscious and alert to what is going on around them.  We have an example of Neville Chamberlain the Prime Minister of Great Britain totally asleep, while many were yelling for him to be alert.

Once more, we have many who are calling for the Congress of the United States to awake, awake to the dangers of enemies from inside of our own house, enemies that hate freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom to own property, freedom to own weapons to protect your family and home, and the right of a child to be protected even in their mother’s womb.  To be asleep while your nation, your state, your county, your neighborhood, and your family are under attack is inexcusable, but what about the real you?  Jesus tells us we have a clash of two kingdoms, good totally opposed to evil, in John 10:10. 

Looking back, most would agree that while we were sleeping, our culture was taken captive; our culture calls good evil, and evil good.  We have moved from the authority of Scripture, to each of us turning our ears to what will give us the desires of our heart.   It is not a new occurrence, Isaiah the prophet spoke of this in Isaiah 5:20-21, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight.”

I am not writing to the non-Christian; this is to the body of Christ, this is to His church.  “Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:14-17)  We are told in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”  “The heart is the creative powerhouse within you.  It is the connecting point between you and others – between you and God.” John Eldredge (Waking the Dead)

The enemy of our soul, our mind, our heart, has done a great job of removing our understanding that we are at war.  Few see the world we live in as a combat zone between good and evil, many have been taken captive by the enemy and his schemes.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice blog; http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/