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Roaring lion walking about seeking who he may devour


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I received the attached version of I Peter 5:8-9 (don't know which version it is), but it got me to thinking because the "lion' pictured in the devotional looks to me like a lioness defending her lair, not aggressively attacking or looking for prey.

And the other attached picture is a lion (male) who looks to me like he is on the prowl for prey.

What got me thinking is that I had always thought of a "sober" mind as one that just was calm, cool, and collected, and watching only. However, this devotional got me thinking that perhaps the sober minded watchfulness should include willingness to fight to the death in protecting our precious loved ones who are under our protection. As a mother I have always felt like that. And I know some parents who are still fighting for their children, even though they have grown and "left the nest," yet I know I still feel like I am fighting tooth and nail for them, for their lives.

I haven't explored verse 9 enough.

1 Peter 5:8-9:

The Message:

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith.

King James Version:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Any thoughts?

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Edited by Kit Sober
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Anything that allows your thoughts to be muddled would cause you to NOT be sober. I think it's just like with driving. You're drunk with wine or impaired with drugs. If that's how your mind is....you're not sober and somebody else is gonna grab your kids.

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Anything that allows your thoughts to be muddled would cause you to NOT be sober. I think it's just like with driving. You're drunk with wine or impaired with drugs. If that's how your mind is....you're not sober and somebody else is gonna grab your kids.

I think you may have misunderstood. What I am speaking of is the stance of being willing to fight -- the mental attitude. The adversary does have people in chains of wickedness. And when I was in my prayer closet this morning I had a warrior mindset, and then later on, from one of the people I was praying for came a "praise report." I know many people are praying on the prayer lists I belong to, but I felt in my spirit that I had helped in this precious persons struggle.

When I looked using google for pictures of "lions fighting" I did not get pictures of lion slaughtering animals, but two lions fighting. There were sea lions fighting and some football team, but no lion slaughtering a deer or other unsuspecting victim. Therefore, it appears to me that a "fight" assumes an equal/formidable opponent.

There may be lions about seeking who they may devour, but we have The Lion of Judah within us, and He is not just hiding under his bed, "watching" the fight, but is a powerful opponent, Who is able to save us to the uttermost. All the portrayals I have seen of Daniel in the Lions den show a man calm, cool, and collected. I have long been working to understand Daniel's mindset, actually, so that I could see the lions' mouth shut when attacks are leveled.

I know that if I don't keep up my homework for the class I am currently taking in Accounting Management, I fail the exam. If I don't do the work I need to do to in my job, I lose the job. When I get lackadaisical with my diet and exercise, I lose vitality. (And as age creeps on, I must retain vigilance in the physical to keep mentally alert and physically strong.) If I don't water the garden, the vegetables die. So many things we need to do in our partnership with the Holy Spirit to enable Him to shut the various lions' mouths who seek to devour us. But when I do my job, then I have more confidence to see the victory. And even though I have lost way too many loved ones to cancer and other diseases, I think I am improving with age in the battle business.

I only thought it was wonderful to see that the watchman's stance must include fighting off the enemy and that it was a fight of equal opponents not a slaughter of a deer or another unsuspecting victim.

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Interesting articlein Wikipedia about lions and their lifestyles and their hunting techniques; here's an extract: Lion hunting techniques

Mostly lionesses hunt, for their pride and cubs. It's a group activity.

Solitary males who have lost their prides (been driven out by stronger males) are the ones who roam about alone and do individual hunting. Interesting, that - the male who has been driven out. Just like Satan was driven out from the presence of God in the "Fall" when he was an unsuccessful challenger.

The solitary male only gets a pride back if he can attack a weaker male and take over that pride. A strong male (the Lion of Judah, as you put it, Kit) will defend his pride (sometimes resulting in life-threatening injuries).

Lots of ideas to unpick when you start looking a little more closely.

I am not sure, in Biblical times, whether a lion like the African lion is meant, or some other feline more like a cougar (mountain lion). Whatever, it wasn't a desirable meet for a human being.

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Interesting articlein Wikipedia about lions and their lifestyles and their hunting techniques; here's an extract: Lion hunting techniques

Mostly lionesses hunt, for their pride and cubs. It's a group activity.

Solitary males who have lost their prides (been driven out by stronger males) are the ones who roam about alone and do individual hunting. Interesting, that - the male who has been driven out. Just like Satan was driven out from the presence of God in the "Fall" when he was an unsuccessful challenger.

The solitary male only gets a pride back if he can attack a weaker male and take over that pride. A strong male (the Lion of Judah, as you put it, Kit) will defend his pride (sometimes resulting in life-threatening injuries).

Lots of ideas to unpick when you start looking a little more closely.

I am not sure, in Biblical times, whether a lion like the African lion is meant, or some other feline more like a cougar (mountain lion). Whatever, it wasn't a desirable meet for a human being.

Only 4 animals are capable of producing an actual roar.

The cougar cannot-and is not native to Europe, Asia, or Africa.

There are the lion, the tiger, the leopard and the jaguar all capable of the roar.

The jaguar is a native solely to the Americas. That leaves the other 3.

Much of the tiger's roar is sub-sonic to what humans can hear, so they sound less

impressive to us- and they use it to communicate with other tigers.

Leopards can roar, but use them less than even tigers, since they are solitary

animals.

The English versions I have call it a lion, and that is probably a correct

translation. If someone's got a research book handy, they can add more to

that.

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