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Sunday, April 22, 2018

Watch Out! | April 22, 2018





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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