Be Watchful and Prepared…The Time of the Lord’s Coming is Drawing Closer Every Single Second!
Are you paying attention to what is going on in the Middle East and around the world? If so and you are a true child of God, you should be reminded about what the Scriptures say about events such as these – no matter what your theological bent. I realize the timing of these end-times events listed below will vary depending on different interpretive systems. But I believe all these Scriptures need to be closely considered at this current time in world history because the Bible calls true Christ-followers to do so. End-times prophecy is coming to pass right before our very eyes. It is amazing to watch and it should reinforce the pinpoint perfect accuracy of Scripture to you…praise Him! Understand I am not date-setting, so please hear me. But I am exhorting you, as the Bible says to do, to be aware and prepared for whenever the Lord comes to meet His true children in the clouds (1 Thess 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:51-57).
“As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. ‘Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name” (Matt 24:3-9).
Brothers and sisters…unlike any time in human history, we need to be very watchful and prepared for what is to come, as the time left for the Church to remain on earth may be drawing to a close, “For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us” (1 Thess 5:9)…
“Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’” (Mark 13:33-37)
“Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” (Luke 12:35-40)
“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)
“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Rom 13:12)
“What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.” (1 Cor 7:29)
“You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” (Jas 5:8)
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit…” (1 Pet 4:7)
“Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)
The Holy Spirit (a.k.a. Spirit of Truth) should be illuminating for true children of God how current events relate to Scripture, specifically how to discern them, and the importance of always being prepared no matter when the Lord ultimately returns. The Scriptures clearly state, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you” (John 16:13-14). If you are not continuously being watchful and preparing for the Lord’s coming as the Bible tells you to do, something is not “kosher” in your walk with the Lord. If you are burying your head in the sand and not watching what is currently going on, or you are just in denial and going about your day-to-day affairs unaffected by spiritual implications related to current events, or you simply explain away prophecy being fulfilled by crafty explanations and by keeping yourself entertained…something is very amiss.
If you are unprepared for what is to come, this will be your fate according to the Scriptures…
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt 24:42-51)
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” (Matt 25:1-13)
“Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” (1 Thess 5:1-3)
One last thing…
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” (Matt 24:36-42)
Please do not be caught unaware like billions of people in Noah’s time were…with only 8 people surviving God’s judgment! “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt 7:13-14). If you need help in your understanding, please let us know. Reaching Higher Ministries is always willing to assist those who truly have the desire to seek out the truths of Scripture on this topic, or on any other! Maranatha!!!