Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:6).
A conviction grows daily, deep within my spirit, that every single true believer who lives in these last days has been birthed and raised up for a very particular purpose. While the outworking of this will varybetween different people and their specific calling, a single foundational urgency exists at the core for everyone. That is the call of the watchman, and it is a command that no faithful follower of Christ can afford to ignore.
The essence of the word ‘sleep’ in today’s verse is one of spiritual complacency and blindness – the spiritual state that leads us so easily into deception and unbelief. While Christians throughout the world agree that all the current signs point to end times, the church in general lacks a sense of urgency. It is a lack that is already ushering the great apostacy. As we look around us, we see countless believers flocking to new fads within the church, we see churches more concerned with people pleasing, filling seats and the financial bottom line than in discipling true followers. We see false gospels being preached, we see things like yoga and eastern meditation creeping into church activities. We see weird manifestations that do not originate from the Holy Spirit, and we see worship become rock concerts. Of course, these things do not apply to every church or to every believer. There is still a faithful remnant, even in churches where sincere and humble submission to Christ is forgotten. They are, however, becoming fewer and fewer. We have lost sight of the fact that our God is a holy God, a God of both mercy and judgement. There is little real awe of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. While we should never lose sight of the overwhelming love and grace of God, we cannot focus only on the ‘nice things’ and ignore the integral aspects of His character. I mourn for those who are slowly falling away. I weep each time I see a man or woman of God, who once was a faithful, born again, Spirit filled believer, lose their way and be seduced by what Paul defines as the ‘doctrines of demons.’ While it may seem foolish to some, I sense a growing need to ‘evangelize’ the churches as earnestly as we look to evangelize the unsaved. The tragic truth is that there are people within the body of Christ who have not really heard the true Gospel. Even more tragic, they may even know the Bible – or at least those parts of it that pander to the prevalent focus on a ‘feel good’ Christianity that denies the true nature of God. Paul taught much on the second coming of Christ. His warnings and admonitions to believers are easily found. Jesus Himself taught on these things, and the Old Testament prophets spoke of them. We cannot claim ignorance or misunderstanding. Now, more than ever, we need to immerse ourselves in the Word – not only for the sake of our own salvation, but also for that brother or sister we see every Sunday who teeters on the edge of apostacy. (Ezekiel 33:6 has some sobering words for true believers: But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.) This is the fundamental charge to every true believer – to watch and to warn. As the time of the gentiles draws to a close, there is a greater urgency than ever before to speak the true Gospel, both to those within the church and without. It’s not a task only for the pastors or elders or evangelists or prophets. It’s a task for every Christian. We need to take hold of it with the same passion that took Jesus to the cross. It’s critical that we grasp the truth that a time will come when God will turn His attention back to Israel. When the time of the gentiles is over, so is the time for repentance. We laugh about the cartoon characters with their handpainted boards declaring ‘the end of the world is nigh.’ Yet this may be a truth waiting just around the corner. I rejoice in my God and in His wonderful gift of grace and salvation. I delight in His goodness, and treasure every moment spent in His presence. He is indeed gracious and merciful and good beyond measure. But we cannot afford to take this for granted. On that day, when we reach eternity, let us rather be the good and faithful servant than one with the blood of others on our hands. This is our common purpose: to speak the true gospel to both believer and non-believer, to hold fast to that which we know is true, and to remain faithful even when the Word we speak may not be popular or well-received. What others do is their choice, whether to accept or reject it. But, if we desire to be obedient to our Almighty God, speak we must. It’s not optional. It’s a command empassioned by the same love that carried our Saviour to the cross. It’s a command we cannot ignore. (Almighty God, creator and sustainer of heaven and earth, forgive us if we have neglected to speak Your truth. Fill us with Your passion for the world. Touch us with Your grace and empower us to reach the lost, whether they be in the church or out. Give us courage and boldnessness, and strengthen our faith. Write Your truth upon our hearts, and remind us always that time is but the dispensation of Your grace and not to be taken for granted. Amen!! 👏🏻🙌🏻💫✨🌟💯
A conviction grows daily, deep within my spirit, that every single true believer who lives in these last days has been birthed and raised up for a very particular purpose. While the outworking of this will varybetween different people and their specific calling, a single foundational urgency exists at the core for everyone. That is the call of the watchman, and it is a command that no faithful follower of Christ can afford to ignore.
The essence of the word ‘sleep’ in today’s verse is one of spiritual complacency and blindness – the spiritual state that leads us so easily into deception and unbelief. While Christians throughout the world agree that all the current signs point to end times, the church in general lacks a sense of urgency. It is a lack that is already ushering the great apostacy. As we look around us, we see countless believers flocking to new fads within the church, we see churches more concerned with people pleasing, filling seats and the financial bottom line than in discipling true followers. We see false gospels being preached, we see things like yoga and eastern meditation creeping into church activities. We see weird manifestations that do not originate from the Holy Spirit, and we see worship become rock concerts. Of course, these things do not apply to every church or to every believer. There is still a faithful remnant, even in churches where sincere and humble submission to Christ is forgotten. They are, however, becoming fewer and fewer. We have lost sight of the fact that our God is a holy God, a God of both mercy and judgement. There is little real awe of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. While we should never lose sight of the overwhelming love and grace of God, we cannot focus only on the ‘nice things’ and ignore the integral aspects of His character. I mourn for those who are slowly falling away. I weep each time I see a man or woman of God, who once was a faithful, born again, Spirit filled believer, lose their way and be seduced by what Paul defines as the ‘doctrines of demons.’ While it may seem foolish to some, I sense a growing need to ‘evangelize’ the churches as earnestly as we look to evangelize the unsaved. The tragic truth is that there are people within the body of Christ who have not really heard the true Gospel. Even more tragic, they may even know the Bible – or at least those parts of it that pander to the prevalent focus on a ‘feel good’ Christianity that denies the true nature of God. Paul taught much on the second coming of Christ. His warnings and admonitions to believers are easily found. Jesus Himself taught on these things, and the Old Testament prophets spoke of them. We cannot claim ignorance or misunderstanding. Now, more than ever, we need to immerse ourselves in the Word – not only for the sake of our own salvation, but also for that brother or sister we see every Sunday who teeters on the edge of apostacy. (Ezekiel 33:6 has some sobering words for true believers: But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.) This is the fundamental charge to every true believer – to watch and to warn. As the time of the gentiles draws to a close, there is a greater urgency than ever before to speak the true Gospel, both to those within the church and without. It’s not a task only for the pastors or elders or evangelists or prophets. It’s a task for every Christian. We need to take hold of it with the same passion that took Jesus to the cross. It’s critical that we grasp the truth that a time will come when God will turn His attention back to Israel. When the time of the gentiles is over, so is the time for repentance. We laugh about the cartoon characters with their handpainted boards declaring ‘the end of the world is nigh.’ Yet this may be a truth waiting just around the corner. I rejoice in my God and in His wonderful gift of grace and salvation. I delight in His goodness, and treasure every moment spent in His presence. He is indeed gracious and merciful and good beyond measure. But we cannot afford to take this for granted. On that day, when we reach eternity, let us rather be the good and faithful servant than one with the blood of others on our hands. This is our common purpose: to speak the true gospel to both believer and non-believer, to hold fast to that which we know is true, and to remain faithful even when the Word we speak may not be popular or well-received. What others do is their choice, whether to accept or reject it. But, if we desire to be obedient to our Almighty God, speak we must. It’s not optional. It’s a command empassioned by the same love that carried our Saviour to the cross. It’s a command we cannot ignore. (Almighty God, creator and sustainer of heaven and earth, forgive us if we have neglected to speak Your truth. Fill us with Your passion for the world. Touch us with Your grace and empower us to reach the lost, whether they be in the church or out. Give us courage and boldnessness, and strengthen our faith. Write Your truth upon our hearts, and remind us always that time is but the dispensation of Your grace and not to be taken for granted. Amen!! 👏🏻🙌🏻💫✨🌟💯
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