Be Prepared for the Inevitable

“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” (Mr 13:33 AV)

 

Isn’t that the truth?  The time Jesus is referring to is the time of His return.  Now, consider He made that statement about two thousand years ago.  If He made that statement two millennia ago to a generation He knew would not see His coming, imagine what that means for us today!  There are three instructions here.  There is to take heed.  That means to tend to things.  There is the instruction to watch.  Most of all, there is the instruction to pray!  If that was the case many years ago, it is even more so today.  However, let me preface our blog by saying this. Believers can look at the events of our nation this week and assume that if things do not go the way we anticipated, the LORD is coming back immediately.  They may or may not be the case.  We cannot look at end-time events solely from an American point of view.  The Spirit is cautioning me on this.  However, having said that, if the America we know permanently rejects God, it just may indicate the LORD’s return is imminent.  Having said that, the uncertainty of the second coming of Christ as to the timing of it certainly is the main idea of the commands above.  Since it could be at any time, we need to heed, watch, and pray.

We are instructed by the word of God to take heed to our actions, thoughts, and words so that we do not sin against the LORD (Ps 39:1; 119:9; Lk 12:15).  There is the command to take heed to remain humble (Mt 6:1; 1Cor 10:12).  There is the warning to take heed to sound doctrine and avoid false doctrine (Mt 16:6; 1Ti 4:16).  We are to heed the value of another human soul (Mt18:10).  We are to take heed that we are not deceived (Mt24:4).   We are to take heed that when we suffer persecution, we respond in a God-honoring manner (Mr 13:9).  We are to take heed of how and what we hear (Lk 8:18).  We are to heed the warning to keep the light that God has given (Lk 11:35).  We are to take heed against a spirit of unforgiveness (Lk 17:3).  We need to heed how we conduct ministry (1Cor 3:10).  We are to heed how we use liberty lest we discourage another believer (1Cor 8:9).  We are to heed our disagreements that they do not put an end to us (Gal 5:15).  We are to take heed against pointless arguments (1Tim 1:4; Titus 1:14).   We are to heed the scriptures so that we do not lose them (Heb 2:1; 2Pet 1:19).  We are to take heed that we lose not our faith and fall away from the fellowship of God and His people (Heb 3:12).  To take heed means to watch for and tend to.  The context is the LORD’s return.  It is a good thing to tend to the above regardless of when He returns.  But, He is returning.  This should give an even more important incentive to tend to things as we should.

The second command is to watch.  This watching means to keep awake or be sleepless.  It means to always be aware.  Not just of our current events.  Rather, what these current events mean regarding the second coming.  We are to watch with anticipation.  We are to look towards the heavens as though His return is a reality in our future. The scriptures say,  “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Tit 2:13 AV)  Paul wrote this to Titus roughly 1900 years ago.  Paul was of the mind that he may see the second coming of Christ and he lived in that possibility.  If the Son knows not the day or hour, but only the Father, then no one knows.  Therefore, we should always live in the reality that Christ may return at any minute.  We are so overly concerned with the affairs of this life, we live as though the coming of Christ is not a possibility.  Some make the argument that God’s people have always thought they were the generation that would see Christ return.  If they were all wrong, then we are wrong.  His coming is a long way off.  I disagree!  That is not the instruction of our Savior nor the attitude of the first-century saints.  Since Christ’s ascension, each generation has lived under the possibility of Christ’s return.  Our present generation should not do any less!

Third, and most importantly, we are told to pray.  Pray, pray, pray!  The secret sauce that is missing in the life of the church and the believer!  Pray!  Pray for the LORD’s return!  Pray the LORD will come and set up His kingdom that all the world may be drawn to Him!  Pray for strength to live in the light of His promise that He will return for His bride and catch her away.  Pray with the excitement that the prayer for His return will be answered.  This is a certainty!  Jesus will come!  Pray for one another that we are not discouraged from the events of our world.  The more wicked the world becomes only indicates the LORD’s return is all that much closer.  Pray for protection for our churches that the gospel message is not hindered.  Pray the forces of evil that wish to destroy the bride of Christ be dealt with soundly by the miracles which our politicians deny!  Pray that the world will be prepped for the tribulation so that countless souls will come to Christ.  Most of all, pray for your own heart that you faint not!