With current and looming problems in full effect around the world, bringing about increasing instability, due to ongoing threats, terrorism, and unrest all around, how are we to deal with this and where are WE to place our trust? Members and associates of the true Church of God are admonished to “be sober, be vigilant,” or, in other words, self-controlled and watchful, “because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  

Being sober and being vigilant both go hand in hand, for if we are not sober or in a clear state of mind, then we can be caught off guard, which could lead us to sin because of temptation.  Sobriety and watchfulness are very necessary for our Christian life, and if we are not sober in body and mind, we would not be watchful over ourselves and also over world events in fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Peter continues on explaining why we are to be sober and vigilant by saying, “…because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  Satan is our enemy, our opponent.  The Bible commentary, Barnes’ Notes of the Bible, explains that “Satan opposes man in his best interests. He resists his efforts to do good; his purposes to return to God; his attempts to secure his own salvation. There is no more appropriate appellation that can be given to him than to say that he resists all our efforts to obey God and to secure the salvation of our own souls.”

So then, Satan will do everything in his power to deter us, to throw us off guard, making sure that we will fail.  He will use any means possible in ways we probably wouldn’t recognize at first, and that is why we need to be circumspect at ALL times.

We are aware that Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31), and he is responsible for many terrible disasters to occur, keeping in mind that God allows them to happen.  Insofar as the Church is concerned, we may not necessarily fall victim to those who have lost their lives in such extreme and horrific ways, but Satan uses his cunning craftiness to attack us, to strike us where we are weak and where we may struggle, tempting us to sin, trying to make sure that we will not succeed, but only to FAIL. 

We CAN succeed and God expects that of us.  God provides us with tools and promises if we put our trust in Him.  By remaining vigilant, we can protect ourselves by putting on the whole armor of God (compare Ephesians 6:11-18).

We have a bigger challenge ahead of us, compared to the rest of the world, for we have the knowledge and the understanding as to how to defeat Satan, to overcome our trials and to live a righteous godly life, for God has chosen US now to come out of this world, and He has given US, as the firstfruits, the first opportunity to inherit eternal salvation, ahead of all others.

Because we know this, we can also expect to go through trials continuously which God allows, to test our strength and commitment to see whether or not we will overcome until the end and be counted worthy, so we can ultimately be a part of God’s Family (compare Matthew 24:13; Luke 21:36; Revelation 2:26). 

Satan is compared to a roaring lion that seeks those whom he wants to devour.  Yet in Revelation 12:12, a warning is placed to everyone on this earth, especially God’s elect, when Satan will attack. “…Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Satan will strike as a roaring lion, implying his violent and voracious thirst for prey as a hungry beast.

We continue to preach that we are living in the end time and Christ’s return is near, and therefore we must understand how QUICKLY things can materialize.  If we are not watchful, but rather ignorant to what is happening around the world, as things continue to progress in light of biblical prophecy, then we will be in the same category of people as Christ explains in Matthew 24:48-51 where “the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of” and we will be caught unaware (also compare Mark 13:32-37).

We have a duty to fulfill. Jesus Christ makes it very clear how vigilant we must be at ALL times, in ANY situation.  Our calling to the Truth should not be taken for granted; neither is it a free pass to everlasting life, but it is something we need to work at continually, asking God for more wisdom and strength so that we can overcome Satan’s schemes. 

When playing a sport, focus is crucial, especially where a ball is involved.  When keeping your eye on the ball, all your attention and focus are fixed on that object.  The moment you look away, it becomes challenging to successfully achieve what you are trying to accomplish, whether it be kicking the ball or catching it, hitting it, etc, depending on the sport. 

Based on the fast-paced nature and need for precise ball control, table tennis is often considered the sport that requires the most focus when using a ball, as players must react quickly to the ball’s trajectory and spin while maintaining a high level of concentration.

Baseball is another sport that uses complex hand-eye coordination, requires rapid decision-making and a need to track a fast-moving ball with precision, where focus on the ball is vital.  Pitchers can throw a variety of pitches with different speeds and breaking motions, demanding intense focus from the hitter to track the ball’s trajectory while players in the field must react quickly to batted balls, often requiring them to anticipate where the ball will land and make split-second decisions.  It’s a mental game, and baseball heavily emphasizes the mental aspect, with players needing to manage pressure situations and stay focused even when facing adversity. 

There are of course several other sports where this is the case, as well as sports that don’t require a ball, but internal focus is a necessity and can be mentally challenging.

The world, in general, can be quite distracting, and it can be easy to get caught up in it to where our focus is affected.  Getting back on track and regaining our focus is a constant task that we must accomplish.  Our “ball” is the Kingdom of God; something that we must never lose sight of, and our mental and spiritual strengthening is through God in whom we must always look to when trials, struggles, doubts, worries, uncertainties, and need for ANY help are affecting us in some way.  

Keeping our eye on the prize is something that Paul famously depicted in Philippians 3:14, using the imagery of a race where the goal is the prize and the runner must concentrate on reaching the finish line, signifying the importance of staying focused on our ultimate goal, not giving up, despite challenges we encounter along the way. 

We are to continue running with determination, “to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2; New International Version). This encourages us to focus on Christ at all times and not get distracted by other things, for Christ, the captain of our salvation, overcame every difficulty imaginable and was thus made perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10). He expects us to do the same—to overcome all obstacles, to remain faithful and obedient, and to keep our eye on the ultimate prize.

God tells us in Isaiah 43:18-19 (New International Version) to “forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” This shows us that we should not dwell or linger over or spend time thinking about the past (except for the purpose of not repeating past mistakes) because God is always working something new for us, and providing for us the path which affects our future. 

God has predestined us, called us before time began for a specific purpose (Romans 8:28-30).  Even though this refers to the past, it still alludes to what is present and what will come in the future. We may have been shown the Truth through someone else, for instance through family members, and through them we were able to receive the knowledge we need to inherit eternal life. 

Someway or somehow, we became knowledgeable of the Truth, and God granted us this gift for us to use.  Because we have this understanding now, we shouldn’t be ashamed of what we know NOW (2 Timothy 1:8-9).

Yes, we are to learn from past mistakes so we can be successful in the future, just as Paul explained in Philippians 3:14-16, pressing on toward the goal and the prize of obtaining eternal life.  We are to go forward with our understanding, not drift backward.  The Bible teaches us many examples from the past of those who went through difficulties that we can learn from for our benefit as explained in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Many of those who were confronted with challenges and trials will be in the Kingdom. They were not perfect, and yet, they overcame their imperfections.

Insofar as our future is concerned, what we do NOW is vital, as we have pointed out countless times. We are to watch what is going on in the world and warn the world about what is coming! (Matthew 24:42, 14).  We have to be prepared, vigilant, focused, and look to God for help in fighting our battles (Ephesians 6:10-18), and also use the Holy Spirit that God has given us at our baptism which will help us to continue and to grow in wisdom and understanding so that we can inherit eternal life (John 6:63).

We are not to base our lives on physicality alone, but we have to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).  We need to focus on what the Bible says and must not be fooled by Satan’s tactics which may have been used by some people with whom we have associated with throughout the years. Satan is using the same tactics presently and will also use them in the future.  What does Satan do? How did he tempt Christ? How does he tempt us? He questions the Truth and appeals to human nature.  He then quotes Scripture, but out of context, to twist the meaning which adds to confusion and questioning.  He uses people today to do the same thing.  

This is where we need to remain focused and diligent, continuously asking God to open our understanding so we can comprehend His Word (John 8:31-32).  Only He can call us and the ONLY way we can understand is when God opens our minds.  This is what separates us from the people of the world who don’t understand what we understand.  

This also determines our future for we need God’s Spirit to be successful. David understood this as well. He needed to trust in God insofar as his future was concerned (Psalms 51:10-11).  More often than not, the future is based on trust, and putting trust and confidence into something now hoping that it will come to fruition in the future.  We trust that God will protect and provide for us now, and also in the future. 

In the meantime, God has appointed certain specific people to do a job, to teach, and to spread the word on what is coming (Ephesians 4:11-16). We are all working together for something better.  We have our individual talents, and we all have a certain part to do in the Church.  This unified effort will bring about success. The end is something we all look forward to because ALL things will be made new, and if we overcome, then we will inherit ALL things (Revelations 21:1-7).

We can see how the past, present, and future all work together. The Bible shares with us experiences that even the most faithful had to go through, and their experience can also be for our admonition. The Bible shows us how we are to apply the Word of God in our present lives by obeying Him so we can then experience what the future indeed has in store for us.