Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants who the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.

Luke 18:8b “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

While January 1st is the first day of the new year, many spend their day recovering from the previous night’s festivities. It is not wrong to enjoy and partake in merriment, but we must always be sober minded when we do. If we don’t, we can find ourselves caught up once again by the world’s trappings.

1Corinthian 1:18-19 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Those types of trappings have never enticed me. They are not my cup of tea and make me very uncomfortable, so they’ve never been an issue for me and I tend to avoid them at all costs. However, I have many other stumbling blocks that can thrust me away from that sober mindedness. I have to be diligent to make sure when I am angry or down that I do not feed my soul with them.

Ecclesiates 2:24-26 Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also sees that this is from the hand of God. For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment? To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to the one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

It is the world’s allure and temptations that lead to death. Have I shed those trappings and easily besetting sins and allowed the Lord to reveal what is right and just for my life? Do I continually seek the Lord to help me with them? Or am I like the man who chases the wind and every enticement that comes along and then gets caught in its snare?

Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the Lord that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Today or any day, I can’t afford to slip back to a piece of my former self. I certainly know that the adversary is at work and looks to even distract, let alone, destroy me. I must remain sober minded, thinking on His kingdom and not something to appease my temporary ill.

1 Peter 1:13:15 Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

2 Timothy 4:5-8 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For, I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.

Lastly, I need to remember He will be faithful to complete all good things He began in me so I must remain steadfast in Christ. I give thanks to God in all things, even in my trials that bring me closer to Him and bring me soberness of mind running my race to completion of a life lived for Jesus.

Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God every time I remember you. In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

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