TENACIOUS WATCHING

Lately I’ve been thinking,
As I look all around me
I see by the signs

That we’re soon going to be leaving
The Bridegroom is coming
To take us all away
Maybe it’s tomorrow
I pray that it’s today

We will…Fly away

In a twinkling of an eye
Leaving all our heartaches
Telling them all goodbye
We will fly away
When He hears his Father say
Jesus go and get your bride
Today‘s your wedding day

     (Wedding Day – © Harvest)

This song spoke of “signs” and we can see that in everything happening around us:  wars, rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, famines and earthquakes.  These are just a few of the things mentioned in Matthew 24 that are to happen before the return of Jesus and they are happening in the world right now!  In fact Matthew 24:33 (AMP) states, “…when you see these signs, all taken together, coming to pass, you may know of a surety that He is near, at the very doors.”

Today I would like to share with you about TENACIOUS WATCHING.

Tenacity is the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly or of being very determined, persistent, resolute, purposeful, staunch, and steadfast.  So it follows that “tenacious watching” is persistent, purposeful, and determined watching.

And He came back and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Have you not the strength to keep awake and watch [with Me for] one hour?  Mark 14:37

How often do you think about Jesus’ return?  Did you think about it this morning, yesterday, or this past week?  Maybe you have not thought about it for more than a month.  Why not?  I think we get in such a habit of going about our business every day that watching and being ready for Jesus’ return takes a “back seat” in our thoughts.  Jesus warned against this in Matt. 25:1-13 when He shared what the Kingdom of Heaven was like.

Read Matt. 25:1-13

Great efforts are made to have an abundance of light at Oriental weddings, which always take place at night.  It was the custom of the bridegroom, attended by his friends, to go to the house of his bride and bring her, with her friends, in joyful procession to his own house.  The ten virgins in this story were probably some of the friends of the bride who were to meet and join the celebration at the bridegroom’s house.  Since the bridegroom did not arrive until midnight these ladies were already using their lamps.

Would you say that these ladies were prepared for the bridegroom’s coming?  Five of them did prepare by bringing extra oil, and five did not.  What was the result?  Those five ladies were denied entrance.

For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we do not belong either to the night or to darkness.  Accordingly then, let us not sleep, as the rest do, but let us keep wide awake (alert, watchful, cautious, and on our guard) and let us be sober (calm, collected, and circumspect).  1 Thess. 5:5-6

With this in mind I ask you, “What steps have you taken to prepare for Christ’s return?”  He will come back soon and it is our duty to ensure that we are ready for His return.  How do we do this?  We prepare by first accepting Him into our hearts.  Have you accepted Jesus as the Lord and Savior of your life?  If you have not then when Jesus comes you will be denied entrance to heaven.  If you are not sure whether you going to heaven or not please email me and I will help you gain that assurance..  “…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b

Preparation does not stop there.  Remember five of the ladies brought extra oil.  So, once you are a believer you then need to live a godly life.  How do we live godly lives?  We read God’s word every day allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal the treasures on how to TRULY live.  In his sermon last Sunday my Pastor, Charles Clark Jr. said:  “You have to be in the Word of God EVERY day, once a week in church or every once-in-a-while just does not cut it.”  You need your “lamp” full of oil so that the “light” of His Word can show you your daily path (Ps. 119:105).

I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.  Rev. 3:11

Brothers and Sisters, do you sense the urgency?  When you see the things happening around us do you sense the anticipation that His return is very soon?  Now is the time to be tenacious in our watching.  We need to be determined, persistent, resolute, purposeful, staunch, and steadfast in our watch for Him. 

Now when we see the Bridegroom
On the clouds in the sky
Will he be telling you hello,
Or telling you goodbye
Oh be sure and be ready
To meet him face to face
We’ve got to Fight a Good Fight
We’ve got to keep our faith

So we can…fly away

In a twinkling of an eye
Leaving all our heartaches
Telling them all goodbye
We will fly away
When He hears his Father say
Jesus go and get your bride
Today‘s your wedding day