The Stability of Our Joy
Staying Alert – Part II

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:13-25

Key Verse: John 16:22
“… then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.”

I have never liked teaching filled with theories. I always want the practical application of any theory.

Yesterday’s devotional was the theory part of how to keep our joy in the Lord: “Stay alert and sober” in our daily walk with God. If you are like me, those words beg the questions: how do I know if I’m staying alert and sober? What does this kind of lifestyle look like in everyday life?

The first thing I think of is your level of passion. What does that look like? Passion is something that you cannot hide. If you had a passion for sports, anybody that knows you would be able to confirm that passion. What a person thinks about and talks about a lot are their passions.

If you think about how to walk closer with God and be a stronger Christ-follower, that is a sign of passion for God. If you read your Bible every day, and your prayer life is active in your life, those signs that you have a passion for God. If you look forward to being in church with your church family, that is another sign of your passion level.

Of course, the opposite is true. If you seldom open your Bible or pray, or you go to church out of guilt, or you skip it all together when other opportunities pop up, these are signs that you lack passion for godly things. The Bible says you are not alert but have fallen asleep spiritually.

Jesus and the New Testament writers taught much about how to handle money. How you handle your money is a great way to measure your spiritual alertness. Like our passions, our close friends can see how we handle money. People around you may not know exact figures, but they see where you spend your money. More importantly, you know whether God’s Kingdom is a priority when it comes to your money. (continued)

Father, I want to stay alert when it comes to our relationship, correct me when I get slack in any area. In Jesus’s Name I pray, amen.