But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and [lest] that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose; For it will come upon all who live upon the face of the entire earth. Keep awake then and watch at all times [be discreet, attentive, and ready], praying that you may have the full strength and ability and be accounted worthy to escape all these things [taken together] that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.
Jesus is my hero and He is soon to return for His church. Will you be ready to meet the Lord in the air? (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
Ready is synonymous with prepared, equipped, complete, organized, arranged, and set.
Discreet defined: having or showing discernment or good judgment in conduct and especially in speech.
Attentive defined: paying close attention to something.
Jesus gave specific instructions in the above scriptures to His body. He charged us to take heed to ourselves, meaning be sober and know what and in whom you have believed. He was saying take note and pay attention to what’s going on in your inner and outer life. Take heed; observe the words that are coming out of your mouth. Take heed to the people you hang around and the influences you allow in your heart and mind. Guard and examine your life on a regular bases as not to neglect your personal responsibility to fight the good fight of faith and stay unspotted from the world.
He warns us not to be overburdened and depressed with the things of this life. A person can become so wrapped up and involved in the ways, culture, traditions and life-styles of this world that it consumes every minute of their day and night. Christians were not left here in the world to fit in or befriend the world; we are here to be ministers of reconciliation, salt and light, Ambassadors from the Kingdom of God to a lost and dying world. The very people you maybe trying to impress in this world will one day die and spend eternity in hell apart from God, if we (Christians) don’t rise up and be light and lead them to Christ.
Your need to be loved, accepted and approved by this world is selfish and of the flesh ( natural man without God), it has no foundation in the love of God. Love rescues sinners. Love speaks the truth. Love lays down its life for others. Love covers a multitude of sin. Love will leave the ninety and nine secure sheep and go after the one lost sheep. Love endures and is patient and kind. Love is not waiting patiently for the world to be condemned and punished but rather for those who are deceived and blinded by darkness to come to the light. The power of Love can turn a dark and wicked heart from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God. It doesn't matter how wicked and evil a person's heart may be, one Word from God can change it in an instant!
We must be awake and stay alert to the time we are in and be strong, bold, courageous, steadfast, sober, meek, and gentle soldiers of Christ. God so loved the world; people, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, for all. God did not hate or despise sinners He came to rescue them from sin and death. He did not sit in Heaven and rejoice because we were on our way to hell, no, He came and saved us. Praise His Name! Thank God He believed there was hope for us even when we were in sin. He looked on the worst and saw the best. He spoke light and life to us not misery and doom. He embraced us when we were dirty and covered with the filth of unrighteousness. He reached into our once upon a time grave of bondage and despair and lifted us out to enjoy a new clean life in Christ. His Love saw our condition and created a solution so that whosoever would call upon His Name would be saved!
Now He says to you and I go into all the world (with love) and preach/proclaim this Good News! God is saying SPEAK TO THE LOST, say what He has instructed us to say. God loves them and He sent His Son to die so that they could live! Love never fails. We must never give up on the redeeming power of love. Without love all people would be doomed to an eternal life in hell. God is not willing that any would perish but that all would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). If God is not willing then we should not be willing. Jesus said, that He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Seek is the same as; to pursue, to look for, search for, try to find, hunt for, seek out and find.
Seek defined:
- to go in search for, look for
And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:11-13 (NLT)
We must give people the opportunity to believe in Christ and not be like Jonah and refuse to preach to them because we see their wickedness. We can never be used to help God reach a lost world if we don't even love them. Love is expressive. God so loved us that He - gave! What are we giving besides are action-less words and opinions.
Let God be the Judge and let us be the instruments of the Almighty and speak as we are commanded like Ezekiel (37th chapter) to the dry bones and watch God resurrect the dead to life!
Let us serve God in an attitude of humility and godly fear, being filled with compassion. Let us pray that we would be worthy to be used by God to convert the most wicked person, in our eyes, to Christ and save a soul from death.
We still have time to spread the message of the Kingdom of God and see many souls come to repentance! Let's forget about ourselves for a few seconds and focus on the cause of the Kingdom!
Praise His Name Forever. He is coming back soon for a church without spot or blemish, be ready, stay steady!
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