Wake Up And Smell The Coffee: God Is Trying To You Something

Scriptural Text: Ephesians 5:8-17

Wake Up And Smell The Coffee: “God Is Trying To You Something!”

SLEEP is spoken of in three ways in the Bible: (a) to speak of natural sleep, (b) to refer to death, and (c) to refer to moral or spiritual inactivity.

(From Darkness to Light)Frank Sinatra maintains that Ray Charles is “the only genius in the music business.” Blind from an accident at age seven, Charles is not bitter, is productive, and is tremendously beloved. When fourteen, Ray lost his parents in still another accident. He remembers, and is forever challenged, by his mother’s early admonition: “You’re blind, Son, not stupid. You lost your sight, not your mind!”

Scripture often uses sleep as an image of spiritual laziness or a lack of alertness towards God.

Sleep as an image of spiritual laziness: Lack of watchfulness (Is 56:10, Mt 24:43–44; Mk 13:35–36)

Isaiah 56:10 (ESV) — 10 His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. (use illustration about Jack Daniel)

Non-Christians are in darkness, blinded by sin. Darkness, as opposed to light, adversely affects the mind, the intellect, the understanding, and all the faculties that are concerned with knowledge. In other words, they were grossly ignorant of God. They did not know God, or the truth about God; if they did they would not continue to live as they do. They cannot answer the following questions:

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

What is life? What are we meant for?

What is the end to which all this is leading?

Many Christians are sleeping through their term of spiritual grace. They are spiritual inactive, forgetting that they were once as those in darkness, productive in moral decadence and all ungodliness. But came alive when Jesus Christ gave them light.

Therefore, we must walk in the light of the Lord. Not only reject darkness in our life, but also oppose and expose darkness.

Watchfulness for opportunities to serve the Lord (1 Pe 3:15, Eph 5:15–16; Col 4:5–6)

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) — 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Ephesians 5:15–16 (ESV) — 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

God’s call to awake from sleep: The need to arise (Ro 13:11–12, Is 51:17; Is 52:1; Is 60:1; Eph 5:14; Re 3:2)

Romans 13:11–12 (ESV) — 11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Ephesians 5:14 (ESV) — 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

To the nations, “wake up and smell the coffee: God is trying to tell you something” (Isa. 1:18-20):

18      “Come now, let’s settle this,”

says the Lord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet, (Though you have allowed, abortion, homosexuality, removed prayer out of schools, and criminalized the Christian faith)

I will make them as white as snow.

Though they are red like crimson,

I will make them as white as wool. (Your nature will be changed)

19 If you will only obey me,

you will have plenty to eat. (Though the oil crisis is a problem, liberal politics have altered the meaning of the constitution, and campaigning to remove “In God We Trust”)

20 But if you turn away and refuse to listen,

you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.

I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Therefore, in the Letter to the Hebrews in the first few chapters the apostle Paul tells his readers not to neglect salvation and beware of unbelief. And for us today we must wake up and take heed, because God is trying to tell us something through His Holy Spirit (Hebrews 3:7-15):

Paul exhorts us to faithfulness in our calling, living as true Christians: We are either light or darkness, one thing or the other

1.     When you hear God’s Word, heed God’s Word (3:7–8, 15).

2.     Encourage one another daily (3:12–14).

Watchfulness of believers: Alertness to dangers and blessings in the Christian life, and also to opportunities to do good. (1 Pe 5:8, See also Pr 4:23)

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

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) — 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

So I admonish you today, “Wake up and Smell the Coffee: God Is Trying to Tell You Something”, but you are not listening. Paul echoes in his letter to the Ephesians in 5:14, that we must wake up out of our sleep, don’t become sedated by the concerns of this world and can’t smell the aroma of:

Goodness: we should not be selfish, not self-centered, but be so balanced that we promote happiness all around us. And always concerned about others. (Ephesians: Darkness and Light,402)

Righteousness: We must be upright and just. Fair in the treatment of others; never do wrong to others; respects their rights and possessions.Most of the troubles and problems that are confronting the politicians and others are due to the absence of righteousness (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).

Truth: There is no deceit in you, nothing hidden or underhanded or dishonest, any hypocrisy or pretence. You should not have anything to hide, or pretend to be somebody you are not. The unsaved stays clear of God’s church and the Bible because it exposes his character.And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

Wake up people! “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (Eph. 5.1)

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” 1 Peter 2.9

“Don’t walk in your sleep! Wake up! Open your eyes! Make the most of the day!” Smell the coffee. God Is Trying To Tell You Something!

In 1985 Steve Spielberg, produced a movie, “The Color Purple”, starring Whoopi Goldberg as Celie. She was searching for fulfillment in a world that was closed to her. She endured cruelty by overcoming it by love. She experienced so much pain but eclipsed it by joy.

At the end of the movie, time had caught up with all the major players. On a Sunday afternoon many of them had gathered to the local club (the juke joint) singing and dancing. At that time the church down the road was having its Sunday services. The preacher was preaching. But the juke joint music was disturbing the church service. It was overwhelming.

The choir started singing “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”, “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”. When you can’t sleep at night, and you wondered why, maybe “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”. You cried all night long, something has gone wrong, maybe “God Is Trying to Tell You Something”. If I were you, I would say, ‘speak Lord, speak to me.