Word on Wednesday: 1 Peter 5:8
As a mother with a marvelously efficient metabolism, I have always been amazed at the amount of food my sons can pack away without gaining so much as an ounce of fat.
Several years ago, I brought a carton of 2½ dozen eggs home from the grocery store at 9:00 p.m., but couldn’t find an egg in the house by breakfast time next morning: my boys had scrambled and eaten all 30 for a bed-time snack!
Later, one of my sons learned to make bread. He’d bake ten loaves at a time, then polish off two of them single-handedly while they were still warm.
Teenage boys are bottomless pits: always hungry, always on the prowl for something to eat.
The Bible tells us that Satan is something like that: constantly on the prowl. But he’s not looking for eggs and bread. He will only be satisfied with human souls. He hopes to feast on us.
And the mess he leaves in his wake amounts to a lot more than a few dirty dishes in the sink.
He isn’t happy unless he’s wreaking havoc, destroying lives, demolishing reputations, robbing us of dignity, stealing every last glimmer of hope and joy.
And so the Bible warns us guard against his wiles:
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
– 1 Peter 5:8, NASB
The tricky thing about it is that Satan seldom shows his true colors — at least, not initially. “He disguises himself as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14)
As he did with Eve in the garden, he pretends to be trying to help, to be fair and open-minded and progressive, to be acting in our best interest.
He appeals to our pride or our greed or our lust. And he promises things he can’t deliver, nor does he have any intention of trying.
Quite the opposite.
He says whatever is necessary to draw us in. He twists the truth to serve his own purposes.He lies. (John 8:44)
That is why it is so imperative that we are well-versed in Scripture — so we can recognize Satan’s lies and reject them.
And that’s why I designed these Bible memory flashcards in the first place.
This week’s verse can be found in the third set of our Scripture Memory Flashcards:
And for extra practice on 1 Peter 5:8 (and other passages), I’ve made more handwriting printables, as well:
Plus, in case you missed them, here are links to the first two sets of flashcards and practice sheets, too:
- Scripture Memory Cards – Set 1
- Scripture Memory Cards – Set 2
- Memory Verse Copywork – Set 1
- Memory Verse Copywork – Set 2
May God honor your efforts to hide His Word in your heart!
Wow! You did so every well Jennifer with the word picture about “prowl” that your sons do with food in the house!! Yes, they understand and you have brought keen understanding to this “on the prowl” way of satan that we must be “be on the alert.” for! I’m so glad that the Word of God reveals we are being on the alert of such an adversary, the devil that prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” You did so very well revealing specifics about our adversary: wreaking havoc, destroying lies, demolishing reputations, robbing us of dignity, stealing every last glimmer of hope and joy; seldom shows his true colors-at least not initially, disguises himself as an angel of light. Thank you for telling how the devil “appeals to our pride or our greed or our lust.” And “he promises things he can’t deliver, nor does he have any intention of trying.” How he can “draw us in.” How he “twists the truth to serve his own purposes. He lies.” The Word of God says not to be ignorant of the enemy’s devices and you have really aided us not to be ignorant of his subtle strategies against us.