TOPIC: WHY WE MUST WATCH

TEXT: MARK 13: 31-37

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
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.
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:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

INTRODUCTION
The slogan ‘watch and pray’ has become so popular that it has cut across all walks of life and all religious beliefs and as such has become a household slogan just like Coca-Cola has become a household product. I knew the slogan long ago before I gave my life to Jesus Christ, not knowing what it meant, as many people still don’t know till today.
But as popuplar as this slogan is, it is perhaps one of the most disobeyed and wrongly understood quotations of the bible. To make matters worse, many Christians don’t know where to find these quotation in the bible not to talk of understanding what to watch and yet the fact that a Christian may be raptured when the trumpet sounds may be tied to his level of watchfulness (alert).
We are not trying to say that a Christian may not be raptured if he is not watching but that majority of those Christian who may miss rapture may miss it because they are not watching.
If we don’t want to fall into the category of those that will wrongly understand this command or disobey it by failing to watch or worst still miss the glorious rapture because we are not watching, then, we must seek to understand this all-important command.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WATCH?
Prior to the arrest, the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ, He gave prophecies of how He would come back to take the saint (rapture), the great tribulation that will follow, and the eventual end of the world. He prophesied a lot of events that would begin to happen when the time had come. He gave these prophecies on the Mount of Olives and as such the Prophecies are known as Olivetti sermon or Olivetti Prophecies. (Please read Mathew 24, mark 13 and Luke 21 for the Olivetti sermons).

For summary of the Olivetti sermon, Jesus said the following:
1 No man, no angel, not even himself, knows the day He will come to rapture the true believers except His Father alone.
2 Prior to His coming (rapture), a lot of events will begin to happen across the world.
3 Of all the events that Jesus said will begin to happen, the only event He kept repeating is ‘deception’ (see Mathew 24:5, 11, 23-26). He did not repeat wars, earthquakes, diseases and others.
4 Of all the warnings Jesus gave us, the only one He kept repeating for us is to watch. (see mark 13: 33, 35, 36, 37).
5 Lastly, all the events He prophesied must all begin to happen at the same time. (Mathew 24:33)
Even though, we don’t know the day of rapture, we can know that the time of rapture has come if we see all the events Jesus prophesied happening simultaneously. I think He has tried enough for us with these prophecies. But how shall we know the events are happening if we don’t watch.
So to watch means to pay serious attention to what are happening around the world by listening to news, observing what are happening in churches, observing what are happening in the societies, observing what is happening to Israel, observing what is happening in the whole world, reading the bible, being spiritually alert, with a view to ascertaining or discerning that what Jesus said, as well as what God said through His prophets concerning end-times are happening.

Most of the end-time prophecies given in the bible that we are to watch concern three main entities. These are the church, Israel (particularly Jerusalem), and the world at large.

• Watch what is happening in the Church: are believers falling away? are pastors teaching heresies?, are false prophets/miracles on the rise?, are pastors commercializing gospels?, is church becoming worldly and so on, all as prophesied in the bible.

• Watch what is happening in Israel: Is there any effort to divide Jerusalem as prophesied in the bible?, are some arab nations conspiring to exterminate (wipe out) Israel? Is Israeli government planning to build the 3rd temple on the temple? Is there any attempt to negotiate peace with Israel? and so on as prophesied in the bible.

• Watch what is happening in the world: are disasters happening? Are the people becoming rebellious to God? Are governments looting funds? Is homosexuality on the rise? Are there persecutions and attacks on Christians (especially Christians being attacked right inside the church) and so on, all as prophesied in the bible?

For bible verses where all these things are prophesied, see our teaching on 50 SIGNS OF RAPTURE/END-TIME on https://www.nairaland.com/1230707/end-time-bible-teaching-50-signs posted on religion section of www.nairaland.com or send an email to us at raptureglorious@gmail.com to request it.
Those who are not watching are sleeping (mark 13: 16). These Christians belong to the lukewarm church or the foolish virgins and JESUS will come to them as a thief because they are not watching.

WHY MUST WE WATCH?
1 OBEDIENCE. Since our Lord, Jesus Christ, commanded us to watch, then we must watch, even if for only obedience.

2 PREPARATION. Rapture is a very serious event that must be prepared for, by constant repentance, prayer, fasting, watching, holy and righteous living. Remember, He is coming for a bride without spot, blemish and wrinkles. Even a single stain will disqualify a person (Ephesians 5:27). If we don’t watch, how can we know that time is up. Instead of praying and fasting to be accounted worthy to make rapture when the trumpet sounds, we may be praying for prosperity.

3 SPECIAL REWARD. There is a special reward for those who watch and long for His appearing (2 Timothy 4: cool. Those who did not watch but make the rapture may not get this reward.

4 MAKING RAPTURE. Let’s assume that consistently, the weather is cloudy, lightnings are striking, sun hardly shines, temperature is dropping and it is windy. We can conveniently say that rainy season has arrived because of those signs. So, we can begin to get an umbrella, mend the roof of our house, clear drainages and prepare for rain, though, we don’t know the exact day/time that the rain will fall. The rain will not meet us unprepared because we paid attention to the signs that rain was coming and we prepared. If the rain did not fall eventually, we will still not have anything to lose. Making Rapture can be compared to this phenomenon. Watching is a key to making rapture. Even, if we don’t know the day, we will know how close it is and begin to prepare and rapture will not happen suddenly to us because we are watching, preparing and ready. (revelation 3:3)

DON’T WATCH; JUST BE READY AT ALL TIMES. HOW TRUE?
Some Christians believe that it is not necessary to watch. They often say that they just have to be ready at all times, without watching. How true is this? In my opinion, they are right to the extent that we have to be ready at all times. But they are wrong in that they overlook the issue of watching.
Before the rapture happens, it is going to be a time of thick spiritual darkness and deception to such extent that those who are watching and are firm in the Lord might be deceived, if care is not taken (Mathew 24:24). How much less those that are not watching. Brethren, satan is more deceptive than we think. Before they know, deception may enter unto them right inside the church.
This is why the Lord Jesus Christ emphasized the issue of deception and watching even more than earthquakes and other disasters. So, if it is not necessary to watch, the Lord Jesus would not emphasize it.
Lastly compare, the issue of watching to what Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter: 5: 8 and 1 Peter: 4:18
1 Peter: 5 :8
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
We can paraphrase the words of Apostle Peter above as ‘whoever is not vigilant (watchful), the devil might devour him’.
And Lastly 1 Peter 4:18
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
If those who are watching and are ready at all times scarcely make it, how much less those who are not watching?
We must watch.

ACTIONS
• begin to watch and pray as He said in Luke 21:36 to be able to escape all the things that will soon happen to earth (great tribulation). What is happening now is child’s play. What will happen to those that miss the rapture will be terrible. We shall look into those things later. Repent of all sins, forgive people, fast, pray, watch, drop all worldliness.

PRAYERS
• Repent of all SINs and pray that He cleanse and sanctify you with His blood. Please do this as many times as possible daily.
• O Lord, open my spiritual eyes to see the signs of your coming as mentioned in your word.
• Lord Jesus, give me the grace of watchfulness and readiness for your coming.
• Lord Jesus, give me the grace of the 5 wise virgins.

For more information, question or contribution, please send email to us at raptureglorious@gmail.com and please tell others to join us. We will like to get as many people as possible ready for rapture. We wish nobody goes through the great tribulation. What are happening now are child’s play. Shalom

annyplenty:

• Watch what is happening in Israel: Is there any effort to divide Jerusalem as prophesied in the bible?, are some arab nations conspiring to exterminate (wipe out) Israel? Is Israeli government planning to build the 3rd temple on the temple? Is there any attempt to negotiate peace with Israel? and so on as prophesied in the bible.

Concerning the bolded, the correct text is: Is Israeli government planning to build their 3rd temple on THE TEMPLE MOUNT?

annyplenty:
Concerning the bolded, the correct text is: Is Israeli government planning to build their 3rd temple on THE TEMPLE MOUNT?

This temple mount is the location of the 1st Israeli temple destroyed under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar of babylon when they besieged and carried Israel/Judah on captive. The temple mount was also the location of the temple when it was rebuilt and was LATER destroyed around 70 A.D by the roman empire. JESUS GAVE THE PROPHECY THAT THE REBUILT TEMPLE (the 2nd temple) WOULD BE destroyed (mathew 24:1-2) when giving the Mount of Olives Prophecy.

And now, Prophet ezekiel prophesied that the temple would be built finally and Israeli govt under nethanyahu has concluded all plans to build the 3rd temple to fulfil that prophecy.

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.


Watch and Pray that thou mayest escape all that shall come pass, soon.

JESUS is coming. Repent and live in absolute Holiness and Righteousness.

www.jesuscoming1..com

IF YOU FAILED TO SEE THAT ALL THE PROPHECIES AND SIGNS REGARDING THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS ARE BEING FULFILLED ALREADY, THEN YOU ARE NOT WATCHING. YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY ASLEEP. WATCH AND STRENGHTEN THE THINGS THAT REMAIN.

JESUS IS COMING. WATCH AND MAKE YOUR SELF READY IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.

WASH YOURSELF IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

www.jesuscoming1..com

ARE YOU WATCHING OR SLEEPING?
ARE YOU FILLED WITH OIL OR OUT OF OIL?

WATCH! WATCH! WATCH!

JESUS IS COMING!

www.jesuscoming1..com

A so called 'pastor' that once made his congregation ate grass has made them drink petrol this time



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2XkzZvbJCg#t=1099


JESUS is coming.
Cover yourself with bloodof Jesus Christ and wear full garment of God to survive the unclean spirits of this time.

www.jesuscoming1..com

Judgement is coming upon false prophets unless they repent.

JESUS is coming.

JESUS did not give WATCHING as just an advice. He gave it as a prerequisite to making RAPTURE.

If you are not watching, it means that JESUS is not worth watching for, to you. it also means your lamp has run out of oil like the 5 foolish virgins. You could also be easily deceived or have been deceived,

WATCH!

JESUS is coming. Prepare in holiness and Righteousness,

JESUScoming

Revelation 3:3

3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. IF THOU SHALT NOT WATCH, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Watching is a key factor in preparing for rapture. Watching helps to to be in alignment with the signs God is passing to us concerning the coming of The Lord, Jesus Christ. Watching makes us to escape the traps of satan through his false prophets and other agents. will you rather watch?

JESUScoming

WATCH! WATCH! WATCH!

If you dont watch everything will appear normal but alot are not normal. Just watch and pray and be ready.

RAPTURE is imminent.

JESUScoming

WATCHING IS A PREREQUISITE FOR PREPARING FOR RAPTURE. WATCH!

america legalizes same sex marriage.

south korea legalizes adultery.

700 staff of a swedish company took the mark of the beast in their hands.

are you watching what are happening?

watch and pray. be washed in the blood of The Lord, Jesus Christ and be made ready for His return.

If you are not watching, you may be deceived.

Take your bible and read and compare with what is happening

So many categories of deceivers were prophesied in the bible - false Christs, false prophets, false teachers, false apostles and false pastors/preachers. If you failed to watch, you will be enmeshed in their web of deceptions.

WATCH and PRAY.

JESUS is coming. Stay ready.

JESUScoming

FALSE CHRISTS

The followings are the red flags for false Christs.

1. He calls himself new Messiah or Jesus.

2. He calls himself The Holy Spirit.

3. He asks followers to pray in his own name.

4. He asks followers to hang his pictures on their necks or looks unto it for power.

5. He asks followers to bow down to him whenever they see him or mention his name.

Watch! Watch! Watch! If it were possible they will deceive the very elects.

JESUS CHRIST, THE TRUE WAY, THE TRUE LIFE, THE TRUTH, THE TRUE SAVIOUR is coming. Stay ready.

JESUScoming

Watch carefully the pastors of the man of sin are on the rise. They are doing all the abominations of their father in the so called church. Do not let them deceive you. Their atrocities are increasing day after day.

A pastor fed his congregation with snake.
Another one made the congregation eat the hair attachment of a woman member.
Another one anointed condom for use in the church.
Another one pregnanted about 2 dozens female members- both married and unmarried at the same period.

Watch carefully, lest you will be deceived.

JESUS is coming. stay ready in watchfulness, repentance and holiness.

JESUScoming

Watching is not a suggestion from the Lord, Jesus Christ, but a commandment. If you are not watching, You will not know when He come suddenly upon you as a thief in the night.

Watch carefully. JESUS is coming.

1 thessalonian 5:1-7

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

watch! Do not be spiritually slumbering. It is time to watch!
JESUS is coming. Stay ready.

Are you watching or sleeping. If you are not spiritually watching, everything happening across the world will seem 'normal' to you but if you are watching you will know that scriptures are fulfilling.

Prepare for the biggest event on earth - the rapture of the saints, and the biggest event in heaven- the marriage supper of the Lamb of God.

One world religion is hatching. are you ready to bow down to the king's image or make strong decision at the risk of your life, like shedrach, meshach and abednego?

prepare to escape at rapture. JESUS is coming.

watch and pray.

Mathew 24:42
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

IF YOU DO NOT WATCH, THE WOLVES WILL DISGUISE AS SHEEP AND DEVOUR. WATCH

Revelations 12
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Watch! watch! watch!

JESUS is coming!. Stay ready in absolute watchfulness, repentance, holiness and righteousness.

Hebrew 9:28
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Watch and Pray. He is coming.

Watch and Pray!

If Elisha had not watched, He would have missed his double portion anointing. If we failed to watch, we will always miss the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Watch and pray.

Watch like Elisha.

Watch ! Watch ! Watch !