dailywordofdestiny

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you must be ready…” “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. … Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. … Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter (see also John 13: 37, 38; 21: 15-19; Luke 22: 60-62). “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? LOOK, THE HOUR IS NEAR…RISE, LET US GO! …It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. … However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” … Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. …But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that the day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like the others, who area sleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled…” (Matthew 24: 36, 42-44; Luke 12: 39, 40; Matthew 25: 13; 26: 40, 41, 45; Mark 14: 34-38; Luke 12: 37; Mark 13: 32, 33; Luke 18: 8; Colossians 4: 2; 1 Thessalonians 5: 4-6).

I feel much change is occurring in the spirit realm and it is manifesting in the physical. There are few believers today who would argue that the enemy is working overtime in his attacks on the believers as well as on the world as a whole. As I pray, I am constantly reassured by the Lord’s presence; that He has always been, is, and will always be in control despite what it may look like in my life, or in the world around me. It is important that we all keep this knowledge as our shield against the many daily stressors. You know, I have come to appreciate the fact that Satan is fallen and many things I attribute to him are often brought on by my own folly. If I rebel through disobedience to God’s Word and do things I KNOW are a ‘bit off color’, I can expect repercussions.

We tie Gods hands if we sin; He cannot look at sin (Mark 15: 33, 34). I have many times stepped out in my ‘flesh’ and done something I knew was wrong; yet when trouble hit, I blamed Satan and called on God to rescue me. Read Judges; it is a great example of how many of us in the body of Christ operate today! We have become FAT and LAZY and LETHARGIC (no energy, sleepy). I rail against it in my office practice almost every day. However, for this moment, I am called to write about getting our spiritual lives shaken awake, our mind focused, and our ears washed out. We are being called to pay CLOSER attention to what the LORD is doing and going to do and hearing what He is saying to His people this day.

Ezekiel the Watchman I have read of Ezekiel’s life and calling many times. He was taught over the years that he must speak all that God wanted him to without fear or compromise; that his message was not to be determined by people’s response, but rather to be spoken out of absolute loyalty to God and His truth. I ask that you read Ezekiel 3: 16-27 for it is here where God calls Ezekiel to be a “watchman”. “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me” (vs. 17).

Ezekiel was called to warn his countrymen that those who persisted in sin and in rejection of God would be punished with death. If Ezekiel failed to warn the wicked, he would be held accountable for their death. I believe that under the new covenant, faithful ministers of God must likewise warn people of unrighteousness (Acts 17: 30, 31; Romans 3: 22-24; 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11; 2 Corinthians 7: 10). We must never forget that God has given us the commission to go into ALL the world (even to your neighbor next door) and proclaim the Gospel (Matthew 28: 18-20; Acts 1: 7, 8), which includes the warning of eternal death for all who refuse to repent and believe in Christ (Romans 5: 6-8; 10: 9-13). God has thus made each of us His “watch/man or woman”.

What does the word “watch” mean? I used a word finder as a source and some relevant definitions were as follows:

1.) Examples as a “verb”…
Watch the dancer to see how to do this step (stare, gaze at, observe, note, pay attention to, examine, scrutinize, contemplate)
Watch for an empty seat and grab it (look out for, be on the lookout, be on the alert)
Watch where you are going (pay attention, be careful, be cautious, be on guard, be wary, take heed)
Who is watching the children while the adults are gone (look out for, keep an eye on, care for, oversee, superintend, save, protect, guard)

2.) Examples as a “noun”…
Keep a close watch on the kettle so it doesn’t boil over (surveillance, observance, watchfulness, attention, notice, vigilance, alert, survey)
The watch is late making his rounds (watchman, guard, sentry, sentinel, patrol, scout)

What does the word “watchful” mean?
Examples as an “adjective”… (description: how the “body of Christ” is to be)
The hunter kept a watchful eye on the valley below him (alert, observant, vigilant, attentive, heedful, aware, mindful, open-eyed, wide -awake)

“The sons of Aaron, the priests (see also 1 Peter 2: 9, 10), are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies” (Numbers 10: 8, 9). I enjoy the story of Nehemiah’s call to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem as it is our calling as well; to rebuild the walls of our relationship with Christ.

In Nehemiah 4 we read, “Therefore, I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people; ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.’ From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows, and armor (see also Ephesians 6: 10-20). The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side (see also Hebrews 4: 12, 13) as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!’ (Vs. 13-20).” Oh hallelujah! His TRUTH sets us free!

The LORD would say unto you…
“Therefore, keep watch because you do not know when the Owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. Do not let Me find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘WATCH!’ Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”