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 JesusKato Mivule