Watch!
We are surrounded with dangers every day, and if we do not watch for them we can have an accident and hurt ourselves or even get killed. Even that we try to keep our eyes open, yet accidents do happen; on the highways, on the sea and in the air. Only a few seconds of carelessness can cause a fatal disaster.
But then there are dangers that are invisible which cause accidents to happen. A hiding rock in the sea can cause a shipwreck; poison added to the food can kill us, yet in religion there are more dangers than anywhere else, and most of them are invisible. On the highways no one tries to hit us purposely, but in religion there are many who try to destroy us whenever they have an opportunity.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Pet. 5:8.
Satan with his millions of angels are our enemies who day and night are seeking opportunities to tempt us to sin and to destroy our faith. They also have many helpers. Often our family members and friends can tempt us to do wrong, as happened to Adam. His wife tempted him to do sin with terrible consequences.
Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matt. 26:41.
To illustrate the need of constant watching and praying, Jesus spoke several parables:
“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: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Mark 13:35-37.
To all of us there is a danger to sleep spiritually in these last days, which can be fatal.
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matt. 24:42-44.
Jesus gave a warning that, ” in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” When all seems peaceful: two men working in the field, and two women grinding, doing everyday chores, then at that time one is taken and the other left.
That eventful night when Jesus asked His disciples to watch and pray, they neglected to do it. They saw no need for it. They were sure that they were strong and will not be offended. ” Peter answered and said unto Him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” Matt. 26:33.
Do we need to watch and pray or are we strong that nothing will offend us? Do we say like Peter that we will never be offended?
You can insult us, speak evil of us, take our property away or even kill us, but we will not be offended.
Whatever evil men do to us, we will not feel upset or have bitterness in our heart, nor have a revengeful spirit. Every child of God will be tested in these points.
Jesus said, “Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.” Matt. 18:7.
It is much better to be persecuted than to be the persecutor. The faithful prophets were always persecuted by their own brethren. Jesus was killed by His own church, and this has never changed. Satan knows that the best way to discourage someone is to turn his own friends and church leaders against him.
Our heart is compared to a garden. There can grow beautiful flowers and delicious fruits, but also weeds, thorns and thistles. Satan wants to plant tares among the wheat. There can be also a little root of bitterness, yet under the surface, invisible, but it will grow and eventually be visible and destroy the good plants. We need to watch and pray that this root will not grow in our hearts.
” Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Heb. 12:15. Paul is calling us to look diligently lest we fail of the grace of God by letting the root of bitterness to grow.
This root of bitterness has separated many from the church of God, and not only individuals but companies. It begins by destroying the unity in the church and at the same time, love between brethren dies out. Then complainings and dissatisfied feelings will do their destructive work.
Watch for Your Time
Every minute of our time is precious. We cannot afford to waste one moment of our time. We have a great work to be done, and our time is short.
” We have a great work to do. Let us not pass in idleness the precious hours that God has given us in which to perfect characters for heaven. We must not for a moment be inactive or slothful in this work, for we have not a moment to spend without a purpose or object.” Test. Vol. 3, p. 540.
Suddenly our time is up and it will be too late to accomplish what we have neglected.
Our time was purchased by the blood of Jesus for a definite purpose. He did not sacrifice His life to buy us time to be spent in idleness or in pleasure seeking.
Watch What You Eat
Many professed Christians will be out of heaven for uncontrolled appetite. Their belly is their idol.
” The abuses of the stomach by the gratification of appetite, are the fruitful source of most church trials. Those who eat and work intemperately and irrationally, talk and act irrationally. An intemperate man cannot be a patient man. It is not necessary to drink alcoholic liquors in order to be intemperate. The sin of intemperate eating, eating too frequently, too much, and of rich, unwholesome food, destroys the healthy action of the digestive organs, affects the brain, and perverts the judgment, preventing rational, calm, healthy thinking and acting. And this is a fruitful source of church trials. Therefore, in order for the people of God to be in an acceptable state with Him, where they can glorify Him in their bodies and spirits, which are His, they must with interest and zeal deny the gratification of their appetites, and exercise temperance in all things. Then may they comprehend the truth in its beauty and clearness, and carry it out in their lives, and by a judicious, wise, straightforward course, give the enemies of our faith no occasion to reproach the cause of truth.” Test. Vol. 1, p. 618-619.
” The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, when, if they had conquered on this point, they would have had moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation of Satan. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail in perfecting Christian character. The continual transgression of man for six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death as its fruits. And as we near the close of time, Satan’s temptation to indulge appetite will be more powerful and more difficult to overcome.” Test. Vol. 3, p. 492.
The first sin committed by man was indulging appetite. The sin in the time of Noah was the same, and Jesus said that in the last days again, people will be eating and drinking again to satisfy their perverted appetites.
Watch What You See and Hear!
Our eyes and ears are the avenues to our minds, and our minds can be corrupted by seeing and hearing evil and vanity.
He ” that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high.” Isa. 33:15-16.
?Satan has filled the world with sinful literature, movies, shows and Internet, which can destroy the purity and holiness of the minds. Instead of looking to Jesus, reading the Bible and praying, people indulge in watching and reading shows and literature what Satan has inspired, and by so doing corrupting their minds.
Several times Jesus told His hearers to watch and pray. ” 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.” Luke 21:36.
There is a special blessing promised to all who are watching and praying without ceasing. ” Behold, I come as a thief, Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments.” Rev. 16:15.
This is the condition for receiving the blessing of the Lord. Never has the time been so serious and solemn as today. Many seemingly honest and sincere Christians get involved with the affairs of this world and stop watching their spiritual condition and the dangers that Satan sets on their way. By not watching they fall as helpless victims to Satan’s snares. May the Lord help us to watch and pray in this short time that we have left and do the necessary preparations for the end.
AMEN.