MORE SLUMBER = MORE POVERTY…!

Let’s read Ephesians 5:8-14, Proverbs 6:9-11 & Matthew 6:19-21 in tandem

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light  (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)  and find out what pleases the Lord.  Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.  But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber,  a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“Darkness” is simply the absence of “Light” but “Light” is not as simple as mere “absence of darkness”. There is no such thing as a “source of darkness” because darkness need not be produced. On the contrary, “Light” needs to be produced by a source and that source needs to be a constant spender of energy (for example think of a burning candle - clear illustration of a living sacrifice).

The reason for life to sustain on this earth is this – the Sun shines every day, equally and un-biased to bring light to our planet. And with light comes life. Without Sun the Earth would eventually die to become another lifeless planet suspended in dark space. With the coming of this life-dependent light, there are those who rise-up, be awake and begin their day of toil for a living. Yet, there are many who do not like the rising up of the sun every morning. They wish they have more time to sleep tight and snooze in darkness. This is what we call “laziness”. Man did nothing great to end up in Sin and darkness. But God had to sacrifice His only begotten Son, to unleash the Light of Life that drives out all Sin and darkness. Just as the Sun is impartially given for all, the Son (Christ) was also given for all “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life….” (John 3:16b - KJV).

Physical awakening (the body waking up from sleep) is mainly for the purpose of earning treasures on earth, to live and to eventually die, to try and have all bills & wills sorted. Spiritual awakening is similar to physical awakening but only within the limits of an illustration. Spiritual awakening is for the purpose of storing up treasures in heaven, which is to live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might….(Colossians 1:10-11a)

BE AWAKE - let CHRIST shine on you…!