OBSERVING THE TIMES AND SEASONS?: Open Heaven Daily Devotional Thursday 24 May 2018
Open Heaven Daily Devotional
Thursday 24 May 2018 OBSERVING THE TIMES AND SEASONS?
Memorise: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 24:42
Read: 2Timothy 3:1-9
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but dcreep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their’s also was.
Bible in one year: 2Samuel 23-24, 1John 4
Message
In the realm of the spirit, being watchful means being alert to the current needs of the Christian race and being prepared for future happenings that will impact your eternal destination. The most prominent of all future events predicted in the Bible is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, which will precede the eventual end of the world. The disciples asked Jesus 2000 years ago what would be the sign of His second coming and of the end the world. In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus responded with a detailed explanation of the events that will signal His impending arrival. In today’s Bible reading, children of God are advised to get ready for perilous times, false doctrines, deceivers, false prophets, high-mindedness of men, physical and spiritual warfare, increase in knowledge and technological advancements, worldliness and apostasy. In addition, all of humanity is enjoyed to get ready for the judgment to come. I pray that you will not be left behind when the rapture occurs in Jesus’ Name.
“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: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Mark 13:35-37
The admonition of our Lord to us in times as these is to watch. Currently happenings around the world show clearly that we are in the end times. As children of God, we cannot afford to lose focus for a moment. Our hearts must be kept with all diligence under constant watchfulness. We must be on the lookout for the crafty approach of the enemy to attack the authority of the Bible. We must watch against worldliness and the quest for ungodly pleasures. We must watch against deception, false prophets, the introduction of another “gospel”, sexual immorality and societal acceptance of sinful practices. On a personal level, you must be sober and vigilant in watching against temptations such as pride, high-mindedness, self-righteousness, complacency, lukewarmness, backsliding, spiritual bareness, stagnancy and rebellion against constituted authority.
You must not be confounded by the negative news on wars, natural tragedies and civil unrest around the world. You should rather respond appropriately as one who has been adequately informed and is therefore well prepared for the rapture. The Lord expects you to be sober, vigilant and very consistent in prayer. You must pray for your leaders, the Church of God, your community and your family. My desire is that if the trumpet should sound today, you will be raptured in Jesus’ Name.
Key Point
What concrete steps have you taken this year to prepare for Christ’s second coming?
SING HYMN 9- THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and Shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was Slain.
Chorus:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last l lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For dear Lamb of God left his Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me.
To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where his glory forever I’ll share.