The Matthew 24 Watch
By Kato
Mivule
April 17,
2005
Knowing the
Times in which we live and Reading The Signs of the times has never
been imperative and perpetual ignorance of the times we live is
deadly and its effects is a lethal poison to all that we believe as
Christians. Those who know the times will act wise but those who
knowingly refuse to acknowledge the times we live, the fruits are
very clear…far from those of The Holy Spirit.
A correlation
can be clearly seen between those who read the signs of our times as
command by Jesus and a strong a vibrant spiritual life; while those
who out of procrastination, stupor, and impertinence reject to Watch
as Jesus commanded, live lives governed by sin and cares of this
world. In other words, show me a man who engages in The Lord’s Watch
and I will show you a Christian seeking to please God or show me a
man who out of lethargy rejects the Watch of The Lord and I will
show you the most carnal Christian.
An evil
spirit of lethargy and procrastination has taken over a many saints
and kept many from the True Watch that The Lord Jesus Christ
COMMANDED all those who love Him to do. This has been partly due to
End-time teachers who have painted a picture of Jesus Christ coming
to secretly ‘Rapture’ His church away…not mentioning the Left Behind
Series. As such many Christians are simply waiting for the mystical
wind to come and take them out of this world and escape its
troubles—Escapism Theology.
The lives of
such Christians is very evident, the fruits are very clear… I have
noticed over and over again that Christians in such a mindset always
don’t care about their spiritual lives but continue to be blinded by
Left Behind series and Purpose Driven messages…supposing not
calamity will befall them but somehow they will be raptured away and
escape the tribulations coming to test all men.
Secondly I
believe that the bible was not written for ‘experts’ with PhDs,
those who can only understand ‘Eschatology’ or the ‘Study of
End-Times’. Reading through the letters of the Apostles I don’t find
any letter was written to ‘experts’. The letters were to be read in
home group settings, mainly composed of poor Christians being
persecuted and killed by Rome. Anyone there could understand what
Jesus Christ was saying.
Those who
continue to profit from End-time ministries also add insult to the
injury. These groups claim to have the full knowledge of End-Time
Events but deny other Christians access to such material unless they
pay for it. As I have written before such actions have
consequences…unless these teachers repent and turn away from such
evil…their destiny is well determined.
Watching as
the Bible teaches also has implications. There are actions to be
taken. You cannot claim to Watch and not take any action. Good
Watchers are those who are also good at doing The Commandments of
The Lord. Their lifestyles are not driven by current trends in the
world but governed by God. So in our Apostate Christian Generation,
many refuse to Watch not because they don’t know what to do but
because they are afraid God will command a change of their
lifestyles…that they no longer walk according to the blueprints of
this world. Due to procrastination, some Christians put off The
Watch of The Lord to go enjoy the goodies of this world one more
time.
Then there
are those who claim to ‘Watch’ but only watch to see things that
will please those who hire them to do so. These are the Positive
Possibility Thinkers…who suppose that The Lord will conquer the
earth through their positive influence…therefore they imagine a
dominion of theirs here on earth and focus wholly on building
magnificent kingdoms and taking over nations to extend rule and
dominion of the American Church.
These things
and many more led to the sin of procrastination, lethargy, and
eventually full blown sin in the churches and Christians who fail to
see any Redemption from Christ Jesus but eventually end up loving
the world or inviting the World back into their churches and
lives…Not Watching!
Also there is
a group of Christians who think that ‘Watching’ is some mystical
‘thing’ that is supposed to be left for the ‘Prophets’ or those with
‘Prophetic’ Anointing. However, if you have your Bible and read it
diligently, that is enough for you to Watch through God’s
perspective as written in His Holy Word.
Jesus Christ
Himself categorically COMMANDED His disciples to Watch and Pray.
Jesus goes ahead to tell us the consequences of NOT Watching. In
this article I take an endeavor to look at what Jesus meant by
Watching and also the consequences of not watching.
Definitions…
According to
the Merriam-Webster dictionary the word ‘watch’ means to: Keep Vigil
as a devotional exercise, to be awake during the night, to be
attentive or vigilant, to keep guard, to keep someone or something
under close observation, to observe as a spectator and to be
expectant.
The Greek New
Testament word for ‘Watch’ that Jesus Christ uses in Matthew 24 is
‘Gregoreuo’…Strong’s number 1127 and used a total of
23 times in the New Testament. ‘Gregoreuo’ has a meaning
of…give strict attention, be cautious, active, to take heed lest
through remission (decrease, cutback) and indolence (lethargy,
stupor, sluggishness) some destructive calamity suddenly overtake
one.
Looking at
the definitions here gives us more clarity. The Merriam-Webster
dictionary definition I like is to ‘keep guard’ and ‘be awake during
the night’, both definitions take action and really don’t give room
for any entertainment or laziness. However, The dictionary adds some
humor to the definitions (depends on how you take it)…’to observe as
a spectator’…looks like many Christians are turning into spectators
than doers of the Word of God that Calls All His people to Watch.
What some
Christians call watching is simply being a spectator. We love to
read and contemplate on how Early Church Christians suffered for
Jesus Christ or how Christians in Sudan and China are suffering for
Christ but when our turn comes to Watch, we flee and hide. We
procrastinate, we push it to the next generation thinking these
sayings of Jesus Christ will happen in 30 years, maybe when we are
dead or raptured away; and thus we remain indifferent.
The Greek
definition now opens our minds and hearts to what Jesus Christ was
saying in His Word. ‘Gregoreuo’ which is the Greek word for
“Watch” give us the following…
-
Give Strict
Attention to
-
Be Cautious
-
Active
-
To Take
Heed Lest Through Remission and Indolence some Destructive
Calamity Suddenly overtakes you.
Of course ‘Remission’
meaning a decrease or a cutback
And ‘Indolence’
meaning Lethargy, Stupor, Sluggishness, Apathy, Slowness,
Indifference, Lack of Concern, Lack of Interest, Languor, Laziness,
sleepiness, and unresponsiveness.
All the above
words are a characteristics of many Christians today who really show
a lack of concern and such apathy to The Words Of Our Lord Jesus
Christ and as such the lack of Watching and Self inflicted
blindness, especially in America were riches and wealth take
precedence over Jesus Christ’s matters. If any of those words
appear in any area of your life or if you take any area of God’s
Word with such attitudes of any of those above words, then certainly
you are not watching.
So we see
Jesus Christ warning us of all these things and that we are to keep
watch. We truly live in a dark world and we are to watch through the
night until The Master comes.
Why was Jesus
Christ so adamant with His disciples to watch (Gregoreuo)? Is
watching today a serious matter in the ‘Church’ or Christian
circles? If we watch what should we watch for anyway? What are the
consequences of not watching? Some people think watching as a Jesus
Christ mentioned it was simply praying.
Again looking
through the Book of Mark, Jesus Christ cautions with such
seriousness for His disciples to watch. Lack of seriousness and
lethargy in our Christian churches has caused us not to watch but be
taken over by a spirit of stupor or sluggishness in the things of
the Lord. Jesus commands every one to watch…all those who love him,
not just some who are interested in what theologians have termed as
‘eschatology’ to further blind the saints of God with lingo from not
knowing what is to come and thus the blindness of the times in which
we live.
Watch in Context
of Matthew 24...
However, we
must also remember The Context in which Jesus mentions this word
‘ Watch’.
We find that the first mention is in Matthew 24: 42
Matthew 24:42
Watch
therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
The context
had to do with The End-Times. It had to do with what Jesus Christ
was describing to His disciples in Matthew Chapter 24. There cannot
be a True Watching when we exclude Prophesy from the bible or
misunderstand it, or worse like many do today show a lack of concern
but endeavor ironically to spend millions of dollars by reading
“Left Behind” books.
In other
Words Jesus Christ’s Coming and The End of Ages as described in
Matthew Chapter 24 will greatly affect our spiritual lives if we act
on those words to WATCH. This will greatly help with growth of our
spiritual lives if we do Watch properly as described in The Context
of Matthew 24.
Many
Christians don’t want this because they still enjoy their comfy
lives…especially in America. As such we have hypocritical Christians
who pretend to say thy watch through prayer and just reading God’s
word but endeavor to skip all of Matthew 24 and all Prophesy on End
Times just because things don’t line up well with their comfy
Laodicean self-indulgent lifestyles.
So they amass
teachers who teach things they love to hear and write books on end
times they can find easily at Wal-Mart and have nothing disrupt the
comfy of their lives. That is were we got all these “Left Behind”
Theologies and “Secret Rapture” now series…lack of Watching…yes
Watching is hard work…no laziness…it means you refuse to become
indifferent…you refuse to become sluggish and you reject the
repugnancy of modern day Christianity and all the self indulgency in
Christendom.
Current Political
Evangelicalism is due to Lack of Matthew 24 Watch…
The Matthew
24 ‘Watch’ has to do with seeing Jesus Christ as The Only
King of kings and Lord of Lords who will come to set things in
order. The Matthew 24 ‘Watch’ has to do with us putting our hope and
trust not in princes but in Jesus Christ who will come in all His
Glory and every eye will see Him. The reasons we Christians in
America placed our hope in GW Bush is because we rejected The
Matthew 24 Watch.
Yes, many
Christians blindly voted for the Neo-con Illuminati because they
were not keen on the Matthew 24 watch and rejected it and or simply
became indifferent and showed a Lack of concern, stupor, apathy and
sluggishness, so as to protect their riches and comfy lives, hoping
a ‘Christian’ President will help protect their ‘Christian’ Rights.
They placed their hope and trust in princes in whom there is no
help…
Psalms 146: 3
3
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there
is no help.
Again
looking at the Greek word for ‘Watch’,
Gregoreuo, it has to do with watching
so as not to be suddenly taken over by destructive calamities. Jesus
Christ was clearly warning His disciples that if they would not
watch then sudden, unexpected calamities would over take them…the
thief in the night would come to them unaware. Certainly those who
are wise in our times will take on the Matthew 24 Watch.
Looking at a
few scriptures were 'Gregoreuo' is used in the New Testament…
Matthew 24:42…Watch
therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 24:43…But know this, that if the goodman of the house
had known in what watch
the thief would come, he would have
watch
ed, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Matthew 25:13…Watch
therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son
of man cometh.
Matthew 26:38 …Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding
sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and
watch
with me.
Matthew 26:40…And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them
asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not
watch
with me one hour?
Matthew 26:41…Watch
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mark 13:34…For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey,
who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every
man his work, and commanded the porter to
watch.
Mark 13:35…Watch
ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh,
at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
Mark 13:37…And what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch.
Mark 14:34…And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful
unto death: tarry ye here, and
watch.
Luke 12:37…Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he
cometh shall find watch
ing: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make
them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
Luke 12:39…And this know, that if the goodman of the house had
known what hour the thief would come, he would have
watch
ed, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
1Corinthians 16:13…Watch
ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Colossians 4:2…Continue in prayer, and
watch
in the same with thanksgiving;
1Thessalonians 5:6…Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but
let us watch
and be sober.
1Peter 5:8…Be sober, be
vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom
he may devour:
Revelation 3:2…Be watch
ful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die:
for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Revelation 3:3…Remember therefore how thou hast received and
heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not
watch,
I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I
will come upon thee.
Revelation 16:15…Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that
watch
eth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his
shame.
The Coming of The
Lord Watch...
Matthew 24:42
Watch therefore: for ye know
not what hour your Lord doth come.
Certainly
‘Watch’ has to do with The Coming of The Lord Jesus Christ as shown
in the scriptures above. Matthew 24 is very troubling to those who
hold to a ‘Left Behind’ Series Theory, in part because there is no
escapism in Matthew 24 anyway, it looks like Jesus Christ simply
tells His disciples what they will have to go through…very difficult
times. Many people try to insert ‘The Secret Rapture’ here and there
in Matthew 24 but it all fails to fit in.
The Saint’s
redemption is clear at the end when Jesus Christ comes in His
Glory...so clear that any serious believer would understand and do
the command of The Lord to Watch till He comes through the troubled
times Jesus speaks about in Matthew 24. We are certainly to watch
for all the signs Jesus Christ mentions in this chapter and never
ignore them. Those who do ignore these signs are only drinking from
the devils cup of deceit and stupor, being blinded at the Lord’s
Coming and as such sudden destructive calamities will overtake them
unaware.
The Prayer
Watch...
It also has
to do with Prayer but in context that we will not be tempted by the
evil one to sin and thus become sluggish, indifferent and lukewarm
as such sudden destructive calamities and The Lord’s Coming take us
unaware because of our sinful behaviors. This type of Watch has to
do with our daily relationship with Jesus Christ. It has to do with
seeking God’s Will and Knowing The Lord’s Heart and doing as He
pleases. We must remember that all this has to do with our
anticipation to meet Jesus Christ and be with Him forever.
Rebellious
Christians who have no eagerness to see Jesus Christ will have a
shallow prayer life often characterized with praying for material
things like new cars, houses, jobs, and more material blessings as
is evident today in many American and Westernized Churches. The
Matthew 24 Prayer Watch has also to do with asking God for strengths
to go through what was coming. Jesus Christ in Luke 21 emphatically
stresses this Prayer Watch…
Luke 21:34-36
34 And take heed to
yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day
come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come
on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand
before the Son of man.
It is
important to also note the things Jesus Christ commands us to watch
and be careful about in these times we live as mentioned in the Luke
21:34-36 piece of scripture above…
-
Take heed
to your selves…
-
Lest at any
time your hearts be overcharged with...
-
Surfeiting
-
Drunkenness
-
Cares of
this life
-
And so the
day comes upon you unawares
Jesus Christ
fore saw the times in which we live were men only care for their
stomachs and mammon. There has never been such a materialistic
society in history as we evidence the fall of America to the Spirit
of vicious greed and materialism. Jesus Christ however, warned us to
watch that the cares of this life should not blind us at the coming
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So we see
Jesus Christ commands His disciples to pray for strength so as to…
-
Be
accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to
pass
-
And to
stand before the Son of man
Any True
Christian Prayer Watch has to engage in The Matthew 24 Watch…
Now I find it
satirical that many so-called Watch Ministries get entangled with
watching what types of demons live in their city or town, however
the Watch that The Lord commanded His people in Luke 21:34-36 is
totally ignored. It is a waste of time and energy doing all
spiritual mapping to take over cities and yet totally ignore The
Lord’s Watch as in Matthew 24. You can spiritual map all you want
but if you ignore The Matthew 24 Watch of The Lord, the Devil has
then succeeded in diverting you from The Lord’s Watch.
It is also
very difficult if you prescribe to the “Left Behind” and “Secret
Rapture” theories to ever engage in such prayer for endurance and
perseverance, and checking one’s lifestyle so as not to be caught up
in the drunkenness and stupor of this world. The reason is because
such theories believe you are to reign as a king here on earth and
then be raptured away secretly before disaster comes…Dominionism
Theology.
However, it
is more imperative than ever that we begin to ask God for strength
to endure the days coming ahead and that we never get caught up in
the desires of this world. The Word of God should be a Light to us
to search our hearts that no evil or goodies of this world capture
any area of our lives.
Those who
reject this type of watch will insolently live a type of
Christianity that enjoys the drunkenness, stupor, and cares of this
world. Such Christians will be caught unaware. For calamity will
come upon them like a snare. I am afraid than many American
Christians and those who love Laodicean westernized Christianity
fall in this category and choose to refuse to watch.
The
tribulations coming ahead will require special strength from God for
His saints to help them endure. You are not going to stand by mere
stubbornness and reject the onslaught of the anti-Christ forces,
which are already at work. It is going to take the Holy Spirit
Strength and not man made strength. There are Christians who think
this is just another joke and take such warnings with flippancy.
They claim they are ready to die for Christ but have no real insight
of what is coming ahead.
I have heard
some claims that it is easy to die for Christ but very hard to live
for Christ. Such Christians though are right with the latter but are
dead wrong with the former. It is going to take Strength from The
Holy Spirit when they try to reprogram your brain to accept the
anti-Christ…not mere doggedness.
I will warn
you that begin to ask God for strength to endure what is coming. It
is going to be so horrible…the greatest tribulation ever in history.
So you are going to need strength that comes from The Holy Spirit to
overcome and not just mere stubbornness. Jesus Christ was very
serious when He commanded us to pray so as to endure and escape
these times.
So any Prayer
Watch that is of The Lord cannot ignore The Matthew 24 Watch that
Jesus Commanded. If it does, I suggest that should be a red flag for
you to begin asking questions.
Those who
claim another watch other than The Lord’s Watch, certainly Watch in
vain and the Bible is clear about that…
Psalms 127:1
1
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:
except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
So mere Watching
that neglects the Prophetic Scriptures, End-Times and The Coming of
Jesus Christ is a Watch in Vain. I know this is a very hard saying
especially those who engage in Intercessory ministries and Prayer
Warriors…certainly if your Watch ignores The Coming of The Lord
Jesus Christ, you Watch in vain. It would be worthless going on
every street in your City and mapping all demons that live on every
tree top but ignore the Prophetic End time Watch that Jesus Christ
Commanded.
The ‘Not Fall
into Temptation’ Watch…
While Jesus
was agonizing in deep prayer before He was crucified, He commanded
the disciples to Watch with Him. He found them asleep and commanded
that they at least Watch an hour with him. He told them to Watch so
as not to get into temptation. Trouble times where coming ahead.
Jesus Christ knew he had to endure very worse times ahead and was
Watching and praying for strength to endure what was coming His way.
Jesus Christ
did not ask for a ”Secret Rapture” to escape what was coming but
simply prayed that The Father’s will be done. The disciples of
course in the flesh, decided to sleep on. True to Jesus’ words did
His hour of tribulation come. One thing after another and Peter is
fighting with swords…fighting in flesh and blood. But we remember
Jesus had warned them that they needed to pray so as not to be taken
by the temptations that were coming ahead. This was not a battle in
the Flesh but a Spiritual one…Jesus was to overcome the Devil on The
Cross.
The same
warnings go out to the Church today. Sadly to say, in The West,
Especially America and its Laodicean Christianity, we have not
heeded to the Commandment of The Lord to Watch and not fall into
temptation in these perilous times. It is interesting that the Greek
word that Jesus Christ used in the Garden of Gethsemane is the same
word ‘Gregoreuo’…The disciples were warned to stay alert,
awake, not allow stupor, drunkardness, sleepiness, Lack of concern,
indifference, apathy, lukewarmness, so as not to be overcome by
sudden calamities.
The disciples
slept, when the hour of testing came, Peter resorted to the flesh
with guns blazing…or should I say with swords blazing and cutting
off someone’s ear. This is the present day church. We have resorted
to flesh and blood. We have resorted to a dominionism gospel of
flesh and conquest. There is almost no difference between an
evangelical American Christian today and the crusaders…they all
believe in dominionism, with violence in order to extend what they
think is God’s kingdom.
Some of
today’s American Evangelicals believe in torture of those out of
paranoia they think are terrorists. We have Christians today who
believe that Missiles and bombs will help extend the kingdom of God.
The clear appalling example was when so-called evangelical
Christians supported GW Bush and his so-called war on terror in Iraq
in hunt for purported weapons of mass destruction. It turned out
that all this was based on lies and deceit and to amazement
Christians still voted to uphold the Neo-con agenda of Violence,
bloodshed, and Oil loot in the Middle East in the name of Freedom.
However, the
fall into such temptation came as a result of rejecting The Matthew
24 Watch of our Lord Jesus Christ that only sees hope and redemption
at the Coming of Jesus Christ. Christians in America resorted to war
and bloodshed to free countries, some even claimed that America was
right in attacking Iraq so they could go and preach the gospel in
these ‘heathen’ nations…lack of watching!
So American
laodicean Christians even to this day refuse any rebuke and hate and
disparage all who stand to correct them but continue to support a
regime in America that supports torture, murder, looting oil,
bombing innocent civilians, and much more…all in the name of
dominionism and extending what they call God’s kingdom.
I warn all
who read this article as I have always done before that such
so-called Christians who continue to support, such Neo-con State
sponsored atrocities against other nations while hiding behind the
Holy Name of Jesus Christ are not true Christians but dogs,
sorcerers, murderers, idolaters, lovers of lies and practice lies
(support liars) and such have no part in God’s Kingdom…unless they
REPENT, their destiny is clear…HELL and THE LAKE OF FIRE…
Revelations
22:14-15
14 Blessed are they that
do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For
without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers,
and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
So if your
‘Patriotism’ is causing you to sin, and engage in, or help others
murder, torture, warmonger, then repent and turn to Jesus Christ, He
is greater than your image of Patriotism. Remember you will stand
alone before Jesus Christ, GW Bush will not stand with you, neither
did he force you to support his wars for oil and you know it. Fear
God and not man…repent; be zealous and serve Christ alone.
It is very
clear the Lord calls us to watch so as not to fall into temptation
when the tribulation times or the hour of our testing comes. Not
only are we to Watch against State sponsored sin but any sin in our
lives certainly.
I challenge
anyone to re-read Matthew 24 prayerfully with ‘Watch’ in mind.
The Matthew 24
‘Signs of the Time’ Watch…
Jesus gave
the signs in Matthew 24 that I believe should be easy for anyone to
follow and know that we truly live in the end times. Many people
have been lead to believe that this chapter is beyond their
comprehension…those that read it turn it into debates of when the
‘rapture’ would occur but don’t want to deal with scriptures that
call Christians to endure and persevere.
However,
Jesus gave us many hints that we need to seriously Watch if we are
to engage in the Matthew 24 Watch of The Lord. For instance
earthquakes are happening at a very higher rate than they used to
previously, we all witnessed the Tsunami earthquake if you are still
alive. Many Christians especially in the West go ahead and ignore
such signs and give silly reasons as to why they do.
They pretend
that they are not to worry or be anxious, they comfort themselves in
a false security…if you think so, then you are being fooled and
blinded by Satan himself. Jesus Christ was clear of such behavior
and called such people who cannot read the signs of the times
hypocrites. This category of lazy Christians can interpret the
stock market and weather patterns but flippantly with
procrastination ignore the Geo-physical signs of our times.
Matthew 16:1-3
1
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him
that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered
and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair
weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It
will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye
hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not
discern the signs of the times?
We are called
to Watch for those signs too...it is a command from Christ Jesus. I
do have a Geo-Physical Blog I follow that keeps scientific records
of these Geo-Physical signs Jesus Christ told us about, you can take
a look and Watch…
http://www.markswatson.com/yellowstone.html
The
Responsibility To Watch, a COMMANDMENT from Jesus Christ…
Now we know
that the Responsibility to Watch is not just for some few believers
but Jesus commanded his disciples and told ALL of them to Watch.
Truly we live in perilous times and these are the last days, we
cannot afford to sleep and stay blind. The early church knew that
they had to keep watch. Peter writes his epistle to the saints and
reminds them to Watch.
If early
church saints had such a sense of urgency to Watch, almost 2000
years ago, then what about we Christians today? Why do we hide from
The End time Prophetic Watch of The Lord Jesus Christ? Truly if we
fail or have no growth in this area of our lives then the fruits
will be manifest in other areas, we begin to slowly accept the
dominionism gospel and see our selves as citizens of the earth and
not Citizens of heaven.
Mark 13:37
And
what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch.
1 Peter 4:7
7
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and
watch unto prayer.
2 Timothy 4:7
5
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
1 Corinthians
16:13
13 Watch ye, stand fast in
the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Blessings for
those whom The Lord Finds Watching…
Certainly
there are blessings for all who Watch and engage in The Lord’s
Watch. The blessings am speaking about don’t have to do with money
but have everything to do with your spiritual state before The
Lord. Blessings these days are confused with money and material
gain but I am speaking about the Blessings of your growth in
relationship to Jesus Christ. The evil spirits that reign on this
world do not blind you but you are blessed because you await the
salvation that comes from Jesus Christ and not man.
Your eyes
behold Jesus and are fixed on Him and not the cares, worries, and
burdens of Life. You are blessed to be counted worthy to suffer for
Christ Jesus and to truly love and worship Him, anticipating the day
you will be with him forever and ever.
Proverbs 8:34
34 Blessed is the man that
heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my
doors. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall
obtain favour of the LORD. 36 But he that sinneth against
me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Luke 12:37-40
37 Blessed are those
servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I
say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down
to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38 And if he
shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find
them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And this know,
that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would
come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be
broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the
Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Consequences of
Not Watching…
For those who
refuse to Watch, certainly the day of the Lord will come like a
thief in the Night. It will be like a snare to all who refuse to
watch. Sudden calamity will strike many Christians who reject the
watch of the Lord.
Now, does
that mean it has to do with your salvation if you refuse to Watch?
Certainly that is what the Bible says, that is what Jesus Christ
said…that if you fail to Watch then there would be consequences…
Revelation 3:3
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast,
and repent. If therefore thou shalt not
watch,
I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I
will come upon thee.
Revelation 16:15
Behold, I come as a
thief. Blessed is he that watch eth, and keepeth his
garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Luke
12:39
And this know, that
if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would
come, he would have watch ed, and not have suffered his house
to be broken through
Luke 12:36-44
36 And ye yourselves like
unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the
wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him
immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord
when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he
shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come
forth and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in
the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so,
blessed are those servants. 39 And this know, that if the
goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he
would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken
through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of
man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
41 Then
Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or
even to all? 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that
faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his
household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing. 44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make
him ruler over all that he hath.
45 But and if that servant
say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to
beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be
drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day
when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware,
and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with
the unbelievers.
Lack of Watching Means Portion with Unbelievers...
So for all who
reject God’s Call on His People to Watch can rest be assured of
having their portion with unbelievers and be cut asunder. For the
‘Feel good’ message lovers and those who think I am ‘harsh’, these
are not my words, they are of Jesus Christ. Certainly you will have
your portion with unbelievers cause the Lord will come at a time
when you don’t expect Him.
One thing the bible
is clear about is that Hell and the Lake of fire and the wrath of
God will be upon those who don’t believe in God and all those who
hate and are rebellious against God and His Holy One…certainly no
one with working common sense would love to have their portion with
unbelievers…simply because they refused and rejected The Matthew 24
Watch of The Lord.
Tools for
Watching…
Every saint
in Christ Jesus should arm themselves with the most powerful tools
to help keep The Lord’s Watch. It does not take a PhD as some end
time and ‘prophetic’ pundits depict it to be. Many Christians have
not kept the Watch of The Lord because some so-called experts in the
End Time prophesy claim that it is too difficult to understand What
Jesus Christ was saying as concerns the last days. Many of these
so-called prophesy teachers try to make it harder for believers to
understand end times because they want you to buy all their books
and stop reading the bible for your self…its all about money.
1)The Word of God…
The best
source and tool in the Watch of The Lord is His True and Holy Word.
Simply reading the bible and looking at all that is going on in our
current world in Light of what the Word of God says. The word of God
is not biased as your local CNN or Fox News Channels.
If you
happen to read the book of Hosea or Habakkuk you should have no
problems seeing America in light of God’s Word and how we are no
different from the people Hosea and Habakkuk prophesied about. Most
people will get to this point, however they are then held back by
false patriotism and love of so-called freedoms that don’t
exist…they find it very disturbing that God could judge America just
like Hosea and Habakkuk prophesied.
However, to
the wise, look at things the way God sees them through His Word.
Secondly, The Word of God will help shine light in areas of our
lives that need to be subjected to The Lord’s will. God’s Word will
help us deal with those areas in our lives that are being burdened
by materialism and all cares of this life that Jesus warned us to
Watch for. So I challenge all Christians, rather than Watch the
so-called conservative Fox News channel, read your bible…watch God’s
Channel—God’s Word.
Read Psalms
119 and you won’t be surprised with another 911…
Psalms 119:11-16
11 Thy word have I hid in
mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed
art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. 13 With my lips
have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have
rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto
thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I
will not forget thy word.
2)The Leading of
Holy Spirit…
As you engage
in the Matthew 24 Watch of The Lord, allow The Holy Spirit to guide
and lead you. The Holy Spirit is God and not just some force or
power like some Christians would like to portray, that you could
command Him anytime you wish to do this and that miracle for you.
We have
engaged in such stupidity and childishness simply because we have no
Revelation of Who The Holy Spirit is. Any Watch with no leading and
guidance of The Holy Spirit is a waste of time and energy; you might
as well watch a movie. The Holy Spirit will always lead you to Truth
in God’s Word. He will truly convict of sin and judgment to this
world.
The Holy
Spirit will also comfort you, especially during the Tribulation
periods we have entered in. The early church experienced this
comfort but, during times of persecution in the book of Acts. So I
am not speaking of Western American comforts, those are not real,
they are synthetic, many people who have all the riches and comfort
they enjoy, are very depressed in America and no wonder, America is
the largest consumer of anti-depressant drugs.
However, The
Holy Spirit Comfort is authentic and we are going to need a lot of
that in the days coming ahead, when persecution against the saints
intensifies. When they kill your family while you watch because you
love Jesus Christ, you will need genuine comfort from The Holy
Spirit in such times.
John 16:6-14
6
But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled
your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is
expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him
unto you.
8 And
when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they
believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to
my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because
the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many
things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of
mine, and shall shew it unto you.
3)Prayer…
Unquestionably prayer is not to be taken lightly like we do today.
Again Prayer in context with God’s will and The Lord’s Watch that we
fall not into temptation and that God will give us grace to endure
the tough times coming ahead. Prayer again these days has been
turned into some magic by Christians who think they can get new
cars, wives, husbands, jobs and all material goods.
However,
prayer in these last days has to do with seeking God’s Will, and
asking for strength to persevere and endure. Prayer has to do with
asking God for an outpouring of His grace on men and women that they
will repent and turn to the Lord, that God will grant boldness with
signs and wonders to His servants as they proclaim God’s Word
fearlessly in these end times.
We need such
boldness and wisdom that comes only from God to proclaim His word in
these last days accompanied with signs, wonders and miracles…just
like in the early church as we preach repentance and God’s coming
Kingdom to all men.
Matthew 26:41
Watch
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak
Colossians 4:6
Continue in prayer, and watch
in the same with thanksgiving;
Luke 21:36
36 Watch ye therefore, and
pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these
things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Jesus
Christ’s Commandment to us is serious and great emphasis that we
pray. It is surprising that many Western Pastors take prayer
lightly. However, for us to endure what is coming ahead we are
going to need very serious prayers. I am not speaking just of a few
‘gifted’ prayer worriers…you will need to learn how to pray to
endure what is coming.
Jesus Christ
did His part before He was crucified on the cross. He prayed as the
disciples slept and certainly God strengthened Him to endure the
cross. Now the time is ours to endure the greatest tribulation ever,
we are going to need all the prayers we can ever get. I know many
Christians take such warnings with frivolity but that times are
indeed upon us and we are to Watch and Pray more than before. When
they arrest you and throw you into jail and torture you, you will
not endure by your mere stubborn heart but you will have to endure
with strength from Jesus Christ Himself.
Many times I
tremble and shake at what is coming, when God reveals a little to
me, none of us will boast of merely saying that we can die for
Christ out of our own strength…such talk is likened to Peter saying
he would die with Jesus Christ on the Cross but when that time came
to crucify Jesus, he was no where to be found but denied The Lord
three times…begin now when things are still a little bit okay to
pray that you will endure what is coming ahead…that God will
strengthen you and you will have boldness from Him to proclaim His
Word fearlessly with signs and wonders as God confirms His word.,
and when the time comes for you to be tortured or beheaded for
Christ you will have strength to endure. As the Lord Jesus Christ
Says so I say to you WATCH.
Your Brother
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
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