Watch!!!!

[tsth]

This message was impressed upon me, as I was in the middle of hearing a sermon regarding the church of Laodicea.....but this passage in regard to the church  of Sardis, struck me profoundly.  It was a very stark warning that I have seen before, but I had not studied in depth....it is a warning for believers.

Rev. 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember 

therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. 

Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 

 

 

Rev. 16:15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."          

 

Sounds familiar, right?

Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour a your Lord is coming. 

43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, 

he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 

44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 

 

The message is given from Jesus, many times!

 

 

 

 

Mark 13:

33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning--

36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

 

 

 

Why is Jesus so fervent about this?  Notice the contrast........sleeping/watching.  We know it’s not really about “sleeping”, what then?

 

We can also see this message repeated in 1 Thess. 5:

 

1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tsth]

I am sorry, but I won't be able to post the rest of this...my browser does not work with the forum and I cannot get it to post.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest shiloh357]

I am sorry, but I won't be able to post the rest of this...my browser does not work with the forum and I cannot get it to post.

In His Love,

Suzanne

When I have long posts on this forum,  I create the post in Word and then paste it over here.  It's way faster and there are fewer headaches.

[FresnoJoe]

 

Why is Jesus so fervent about this?  Notice the contrast........sleeping/watching.  We know it’s not really about “sleeping”, what then?
We can also see this message repeated in 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.                  

~

Amen
Beloved
And In Addition 
No Doubt It's A Warning

I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. Hosea 5:15

Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. Hosea 6:1-3

To All Those Who Surround Israel Even Today

The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. Joel 3:2

Love, Your Brother Joe

[Ezra]

im•mi•nent

(ˈɪm ə nənt)

adj.

1. likely to occur at any moment; impending: Her death is imminent.

The imminent return of Christ for the Church was a doctrine generally held by evangelical and fundamental Christians. However, because of tremendous opposition to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, that doctrine has been muddied and weakened, especially by date-setters and anti-Dispensationalists.

Christ's frequent warnings to believers to be constantly watching for His return means that He can come at any moment. Paul and the Christians of the apostolic churches expected His return at any moment, and so should we.  Only God knows when Christ will come for His saints. In the meantime we are commanded to watch and pray, be eternally vigilant, and be always abounding in the work of the Lord. The metaphor of soldiers in a battle is apt.

[Ezra]

I am sorry, but I won't be able to post the rest of this...my browser does not work with the forum and I cannot get it to post.

In His Love,

Suzanne

When I have long posts on this forum,  I create the post in Word and then paste it over here.  It's way faster and there are fewer headaches.

Wondering why the headaches continue. But I do the same.

[tsth]

Dear Ezra,

It is not only about when He comes, but more importantly.......HOW He comes.

(I will try to post the rest of the study tomorrow morning.)

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Marilyn C]

Hi tsth,

 

Interesting subject. Now you said -

 

 

`Why is Jesus so fervent about this?  Notice the contrast........sleeping/watching.  We know it’s not really about “sleeping”, what then?

We can also see this message repeated in 1 Thess. 5:

 

1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

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

 

Let`s finish the scripture -

 

`For when THEY say, "Peace & safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman. And THEY shall not escape. BUT YOU, brethren ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light & sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us WATCH & be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, & those who get drunk are drunk at night.

 

But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith & love, & as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort one another, just as you also are doing.` (1 Thess. 5: 3 - 11)

 

I believe we need to WATCH concerning our attitudes & errors that try to undermine our trust in the Lord & His teachings. And we note that the day of the Lord will not come upon us as a thief if we are WATCHING, being diligent in correctly discerning God`s word, listening to His Holy Spirit & keeping together with others of like faith.

 

Marilyn.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Last Daze]

im•mi•nent

(ˈɪm ə nənt)

adj.

1. likely to occur at any moment; impending: Her death is imminent.

The imminent return of Christ for the Church was a doctrine generally held by evangelical and fundamental Christians. However, because of tremendous opposition to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, that doctrine has been muddied and weakened, especially by date-setters and anti-Dispensationalists.

Christ's frequent warnings to believers to be constantly watching for His return means that He can come at any moment. Paul and the Christians of the apostolic churches expected His return at any moment, and so should we.  Only God knows when Christ will come for His saints. In the meantime we are commanded to watch and pray, be eternally vigilant, and be always abounding in the work of the Lord. The metaphor of soldiers in a battle is apt.

Christ's return is not imminent.  2 Thessalonians 2 dismantles the imminence argument single-handedly.  It states that the apostasy and the revealing of the man of sin happens before the resurrection / rapture.

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.  2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

The opposition to the pre-trib rapture is coming about because people are beginning to see that it's only a fantasy which has no scriptural basis.  I'm one of them.  It's demise has nothing to do with date setters or some dispensation view.

The part in orange is the resurrection / rapture.  The part in green is the revealing of the false prophet.  The green part must come before the orange part, therefore, imminence is a myth.  And please don't try and tell me that the apostasy is a reference to the rapture because that makes even less sense.  I've actually heard that attempt at explaining it away.

[Ezra]

Christ's return is not

imminent.  2 Thessalonians 2 dismantles the imminence argument single-handedly.  It states that the apostasy and the revealing of the man of sin happens before the resurrection / rapture.

 No doctrine can be established on the basis of one verse, so you have a problem right there.  What does the entire New Testament reveal about the imminent return of Christ for the Church?  That should be our focus.  We are already in the midst of the Great Apostasy, but the Man of Sin cannot be revealed until the Restrainer -- the Holy Spirit -- is "taken out of the way" (2 Thess 2:6,7). But here is the truth about the imminent return of Christ (Mt 25:1-13)

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

This is only one of several passages (along with Mt 24:36-51) which reveal the IMMINENT return of Christ for the Church. Christ is the Divine Bridegroom and the Church is the Bride. This is a solid Bible doctrine, not a myth.