The other day my wife and I were getting home, as we drove up we heard a horrible sound. It was a bird chirping but it was not your normal chirp. This bird chirp sounded like screeching from a horror flick, it was as if you can hear the fear and pain this bird was experincing.

As we drove closer to our porch we proceeded to see a couple of other birds flying by our front door, swooping in attack mode. They were on a mission and nothing was going to stop them, not even are minivan, or so we thought.

As all this was going on, we started looking around to see what was going on. We discovered Knox, our cat, was in attack mode. He had a bird in the grips of his claws and was not going to let go. His attention laser focused on his prey and the birds swooping in, attempting a rescue. Knox, was the victor on this day.

But as I thought about this circle of life flick on my front porch I was reminded of one truth and one command.

Satan Is Like A Roaring Lion

The truth I was reminded of is found in 1 Peter,

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

I am sure the bird was flying through his day looking for some grub when our prowling cat rocked its world. But isn’t that true of life. We go through life living unsuspectingly we have an enemy, the devil, who is prowling and ready to trounce on us.

The devil’s goal is to devour, to rock your world, to steal, kill and destroy your witness for Christ in this world. To wound you and plant seeds of bitterness and unforgiveness. To instill a paralyzing fear, your Christian walk is paralyzed by the roar of this fake lion. If he can’t have your soul he will try and ruin your effectiveness in the growth of God’s kingdom.

Peter’s exhortation to us is to be on the lookout for the ways the devil may be trying to wreak havoc in our lives. How is the devil trying to influence our thinking? How is he trying to distract us from Christ and His Kingdom?

We Need Gospel Friends

We need Gospel friends, people who we can lean on when times our rough, celebrate the good times with and everything in between. People we can be real with and can come to our rescue. In our digital age it is easy to replace true friendships with artificial, social media interactions.

We need Gospel friends who are there for us, who will swoop in and rescue us when we are falling. People we can screech for help when life gets hard. Just like we need Gospel friends, we need to be Gospel friends to others. Paul issues this command to us,

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1–2 ESV)

Paul gives a couple of commands here, a criteria for Gospel friends, to restore those who have fallen in a spirit of gentleness and to bear one another’s burdens. To those who are struggling with sin we are to restore him in love and kindness, not with judgement and gossip. To those who are loaded down in life, we are to come along side them and help them carry the load, this is what Gospel friends do. Paul also says while your being a Gospel friend keep an eye on your own life lest you fall into temptation. When we live out these commands we are loving God and loving our neighbor which is fulfilling the law of Christ.

Until Next Time

Soli Deo Gloria