Pam Padgett ... teacher
In my daily Bible reading over the past few days, I've read two
accounts of the end times. In both sections of scripture, we're
given the instruction to watch.... to stay awake.
1 Thess. 5:1 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. 9 For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him.
Mark 13:32 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.
When we're not facing obvious problems, we can have a tendency to
kind of drift off and not be alert to danger. But it is important
that we stay awake and continue in the things of God at all times.
While thinking about this I was reminded that the devil is
constantly searching for someone to devour. The devil often works
very quietly and subtly, seeking to harm us without drawing
attention to himself.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the
same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in
the world.
We need to stay awake and alert. Paying attention to what the Holy
Spirit brings to our attention. Being alert to anything that
troubles us and praying about these things until they are resolved.
And we need to be alert to our flesh, and not allow it to pull us
after those things the flesh loves but which are opposite to the
ways of God.
A couple days ago I realized that I felt unsettled and turned to God
asking what was wrong? After turning to God with this, I was
reminded of a concern and fear that I had not recognized. These
things had slipped in without my being alert to what had happened.
After dealing with the fear and the concern, I was able to be in
peace.
It takes constant vigilance to stay awake and alert to ourselves and
those things affecting us, so that we can deal with them before God,
trying to keep ourselves ready for the return of Christ.
(Comments by Joan Boney ... Several years ago, I had the following dream:
A meeting was going on
... I went into the room and sat down on chair at aisle. A man was
speaking to a group of people. A second man rushed into the room and
said, "Stop ... wait ... can't you see ... It's too late ... it's already begun." I
looked out the window to see what had happened. Outside the window
there was a warning system on a tall pole. Poison gas was coming out of
the warning system. I was shocked. The system that had been set up to
warn us was being used to gas us to death. I looked at the man sitting
next to me. His eyes were wide open. He was looking directly at the
man who was speaking. He had a big grin on his face. But this man was a corpse! He was already dead! I
looked at the other people in the room and saw they, too, were dead.
And as I sat among them and listened to the man who was speaking, I felt
myself beginning to dose off.
God was warning
me about churches ... The system that should be warning us is gassing us
to death. Preachers are preaching a gospel to approve men. They have removed or twisted scriptures which would cause those in the congregation to go in the way of God. And as I sat there among them, I began to fall asleep.
Recently I had a phone call from a woman that I have not talked with in several months. She was very pleasant. She spoke of several things I would not care to be involved in. But as she continued talking, I began thinking, "She's not too bad." Yet the things she spoke of, those things she was planning at things I would never think of doing. It is so easy for our flesh to be swept away with the friendliness ...
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: Daniel 8
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