Good morning Church! A Good news for you
all – ‘Our God is a prayer answering God and a healer!’
Today's topic is "Watch Out!" Bible
talks about the importance of ‘watching out’.
"But watch yourselves lest your
hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life,
and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon
all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all
times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going
to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." - Luke 21:34-36
And he said to me, "These words are
trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has
sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place." "And
behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the
prophecy of this book." I, John, am the one who heard and saw these
things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of
the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, "You must not do that!
I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those
who keep the words of this book. Worship God." And he said to me, "Do
not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let
the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous
still do right, and the holy still be holy." "Behold, I am coming
soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has
done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning
and the end."- Revelation 22:6-13
Bible explicitly provides us with the
evidences and examples of the present age and state of people. Below you will
find the different ‘characteristics of people.’
"But understand this, that in the
last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of
self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control,
brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but
denying its power. Avoid such people." - 2 Timothy 3:1-5
In the news channels nowadays, we see
only horrible things happening. In these set of verses, it is clearly instructed
for us to watch out. The word of God says that this will continue until we meet
Jesus face to face.
Even during gospel times there would be
perilous times; on account of persecution from without, still more on account
of corruptions within. Men love to gratify their own lusts, more than to please
God and do their duty. When every man is eager for what he can get, and anxious
to keep what he has, this makes men dangerous to one another. When men do not
fear God, they will not regard man. When children are disobedient to their parents
that makes the times perilous. Men are unholy and without the fear of God,
because unthankful for the mercies of God. We abuse God's gifts, if we make
them the food and fuel of our lusts. Times are perilous also, when parents are
without natural affection to children. And when men have no rule over their own
spirits, but despise that which is good and to be honored.
"And when he came to the other
side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming
out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way." - Matthew 8:28
Followings are the different ‘Characteristics of People’.
1:
People will be lovers of themselves.
We are living in this consumer age where
it is all about 'me, me and me!' you will find advertisements advising you to
enhance yourself.
We are living in this world where we are
never satisfied. But then we have many people who are Christ centered and put
their interest away.
The word of God says in order to follow
me, deny yourself.
2:
People will be covetous.
There is so much greed in the world.
Illustration: A famous builder of Mumbai
gave up his citizenship for Cyprus. People have begun questioning whether he
has ran to evade taxes.
Watch out people, stop seeking material
worldly blessings. Your basis of coming to house of the Lord should be to
praise and worship Him with all your heart and mind. If you do not stop
following the world, it will take you to where enemy wants to take you.
As your soul prospers, you will also
prosper. If it is just a material prosperity, it definitely is not from God.
Many people only to the church for things, healing, prosperity. Dear Church,
you must not come to Church for these things, as this is greed which is another
form of idolatry.
3:
People will be boasters.
Pride was the reason of satan's fall.
Today the world is a place of proud people. But Church, when was the last time
you boasted about Christ? I am sure you remember when you boasted about
yourself the last time.
You do not have to be the center of
attraction. You can have all the skills but it is not worth unless the Spirit
of God doesn't moves.
"Whoever exalts himself will be
humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." - Matthew 23:12
4:
People have become disobedient.
Now a days you will notice that many children
are being disrespectful to their elders. That is because now a days we listen
to the doctors more instead of what the word of God says. "Spare the rod,
spoil the child!"
5:
People have become very unthankful.
Five important words: Sorry, Thank you,
Please, Welcome and Excuse me. Are you applying these things in your basic
life?
The important question is, have yoy
thanked God for the blessings, wonderful creation, finances, beautiful birds
and animals, most importantly, have you thanked God for sacrificing His only
son?
6:
People have become unholy.
Now a days, you hear from so many places
or sources that a rape happened, murder happened, burglary and robbery happened
etc. People have stopped thinking that Jesus died for us.
For parents if you stop being strict
with your children, your children may follow the unholy path and join the
people who fall under this unholy category.
A church needs to be a sanctified place
of worship.
7:
These people will be without natural affection.
These are the last days! In 2010, a Christian
nation's president said, "Soon, there will be the days where same sex
marriage will be acceptable." This is what is happening now. Men have
started finding affection in men and women in women and there is no regards to
the marriage which is acceptable in the eyes of God.
8:
People will be despisers.
You will often hear from people,
"Please, stop judging me!"
Illustration: A couple once went to a
marriage counselor due to failing marriage. He told the councelor, this is my
mistake. The woman said, no it is hers. This kept on happening and the argument
got over only because they admitted to their mistakes.
When you stop admitting your mistakes,
it will never help you and you will become a despiser.
"Those whom I love, I reprove and
discipline, so be zealous and repent." - Revelation 3:19
"There is severe discipline for him
who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die." - Proverbs 15:10
"And you shall say to them, 'This
is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not
accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips." - Jeremiah 7:28
"All Scripture is breathed out by
God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training
in righteousness." - 2 Timothy 3:16
9:
There will be lovers of pleasure that being lovers of God.
We have more time to meet out lover and
a person we love or maybe we have affection towards us.
People are willing to sit in the hot sun
to watch a live cricket or football match. People are willing to travel in
inconvenient conditions to go for a movie or a rock show, but these very same
people find it inconvenient to sit on a simple chair in the Church or a church
without AC or a fan.
10:
People will have only form and no substance.
In the villages, farmers use scarecrows
to scare birds who can take the seed or the fruit away. It had a form but no
substance to it. We have become like same without any substance.
Many times people consider attending
Church every week makes then Christians. Watch out, these are the signs of the
last days. You have to grow in Christ every day, not once in a week.
There is a desperate need that people of
God need to get right woth God. Nothing can be hidden from God!
“Therefore I endure
everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the
salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying
is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with
him.” - 2 Timothy 2:10-11
“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with
us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” - 1 Peter 4:17
Watch out… Watch out for these signs!
Submit yourself to the Lord and He will
guide. Let His Spirit work in your lives and allow yourself to come before God.
Love God more than your selves and you shall remain a child of God. Dear Church,
we hope this encourages you moreover warns you. Commit your lives to God today
and tell Him that you want to surrender.
Thank you for gathering to hear from the
word of God. We look forwards seeing you next Sunday. God bless!
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