The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 5:8-10, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about 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 And 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.”

Sobriety is essential to alertness. Certainly, it applies to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. But, it also applies to the use of common sense. Whatever captivates our thinking also captivates our alertness. Satan is unmistakably our adversary. The very word “prowl” bespeaks a nefarious activity. Check your dictionary or thesaurus. He is clever. Paul wrote, “…we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). Not to add to Paul’s inspired words, but if we are “ignorant,” that is, if we ignore Satan’s devices, we ought not to be. “To devour,” (????????, katapino) means to overwhelm, to swallow. Satan is not someone to trifle with!!

Furthermore, Satan can be resisted! Faith is the key to resistance, just as it is to salvation in Christ Jesus! Other believers are successfully thwarting him, you can, too! You are not alone in this battle. Others are suffering from the devil’s attacks.

These attacks are not comfortable, to say the least. However, they offer the LORD opportunity to rescue us, His children.

Peter knows personally of what he speaks in this passage. Yes, there is suffering, which makes our rescue and spiritual recovery all the more exciting and pleasant.

Notice the four capstone words in the last verse above: perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish. The LORD is both able and willing to perfect and confirm and strengthen and establish His children. Are you one of His? If you are, just stay alert! The battle is always victorious when Christ is directing it.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”