In An Instant

1Peter 5:8
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The apostle Peter addressed Christians in Asia Minor about ways of life. We now live in the "instant" society. We can get a meal and coffee/tea in an instant. Doctors' visits have been narrowed down to 15 minutes per patient and we have the "minute-clinic". Drive-thrus and pre-packaged products are the way of life. In an instant means we don't need to wait or don't have to if we decide not to. The more of an instant society we've become the less self-control we seem to have. When  we know we can get or have anything right now, we see nothing wrong with it. But what the apostle Peter has said is the in an instant and not having enough control to WAIT is an easy way for the enemy to take up residence in our lives. As long as we have no self-control we can become food addicts, alcohol addicts, etc. These addictions lead to problems in other areas of our lives. And remember, the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. What better way to destroy us then with our own addiction to having everything in an instant or right at our fingertips. Did you know that self-control is a fruit of the spirit that the apostle Paul mentioned? Exhibiting self-control whether in one's temperament, speech, eating, etc is all part of the way God imparts wisdom. Self-control allows one to be alert. As Peter said, lacking self-control puts us in danger of destruction. Lacking self-control allows us the continued justification for the "babe in Christ" stage when many of us have been sitting on the pews and fed the Word of God for years. And if we are so bound by our addictions, it's nothing that God can help us overcome through consistent prayer. He can do the impossible!! Next time any of us has an opportunity to have something in an instant, let's stop and think, "do I really need it?" Need and want are two different things. Instant isn't always better.

P.S. A special thank you to the Church Beat Radio family on www.churchbeatradio.com for all you do!!