WATCH, LEST YOU BE CAUGHT UNAWARES!!

Are you hearing from select Christians who are talking about watching the signs of the times and watching for the return of Jesus our Savior to take His bride?  How does it make you feel to hear these things?  Does it make you roll your eyes at them, or are you intrigued and want to hear more?  Are you ready to hear these things, or is it something you would rather not talk about?  Are these select Christians just fooling themselves looking for something that more than likely won’t happen in their lifetime?  What makes them focus on this and want to tell others?  I will try to answer this in this paper, and hopefully, you will see that the answer is really very clear.  The question is, are you willing to accept it?

Before we go any further, we are going to look at the Word of God, because after all, that is the authority.  The authority does not come from a religion, a pastor, or any other human being whether a celebrity or pauper; the authority is God’s alone, and He has so graciously told us all things through the pages of the Bible.  The Bible is a gift for us that tells us all things – about the past, about the present, and yes, about the future.  So, what does God say in His Word about all of this – about the return of Jesus, about watching, and about our future?

Very importantly, Jesus Himself commands us to watch.  He doesn’t not suggest it or encourage it; He commands it – that is because the consequences of not doing so are devastating.  Let’s look at just a few of the scriptures that support this (there are actually many more):

Matt 25:13:  “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

Luke 21:36:  “Watch therefore, and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

1Thess 5:6:  “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

Revelation 3:3:  “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.”

Before we move on, let’s take a look at what watching does for us just in the normal sense of our every-day lives.  When you watch for something, it makes you ready for it, and when you’re ready, you are prepared to receive whatever it is.  In addition, being ready for something also helps you to avoid other things that could hurt you.  Think about playing baseball…  When you’re watching and your head is in the game, you are prepared to make that big play and do something great for your team.  In addition and very importantly, watching prepares you to dodge the ball when it comes quickly whirling towards your head!!  We watch all the time for the things in the world; why do we not watch for the return of Jesus and all the things that he said would precede His coming?  If you are truly not watching when He returns, it will come upon you as a thief in the night – you won’t be prepared, something will be stolen from you (you will miss Him), and you just might get hurt (from the wrath of God that will follow).

I believe I have the answer of why many Christians today do not watch for Jesus to return.  It’s a matter of love.  It’s very simply a matter of whether or not your heart is truly in love with Jesus.  God tells us in His Word to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).  Do we really love Him that much?  Think of someone now that you deeply love with all your heart.  Envision that this person went away for a long time, and they said they would come back for you but didn’t give an exact time.  Would you be watching for their return?  Would you be yearning for their return?  Wouldn’t you want to see them again?  That is exactly how those feel who deeply love Jesus above all else.  We are watching and anxiously awaiting His return.  We want to see Him, worship Him, and love Him for the eternity that He has promised us.

Love for Jesus is the driving force that prompts all born-again Christians to want to see Him again; there is no debate of this.  But why does it seem that this “watching” has become so prevalent now, recently?  Have you noticed that you are hearing more and more about end times, even on the secular TV stations like the History Channel?  Surely you heard of the minister who stepped out in faith to tell others that Jesus was coming back on May 21, 2011?  As we know, his prediction did not come to pass.  Although he was not correct, it is apparent that he loves Jesus and wants desperately for Him to return, and he felt a sense of urgency to warn others.  And, yes it is true, Jesus does say in Matthew 24:36 that we will not know the day or the hour, but it is very clear in 1Thessalonians 5:3-5 and in many other implications throughout the Word that we (who are watching) will know the season and won’t be overtaken like a thief!  Even though this date-setting incident got much negative attention, many Christians readied themselves by repenting and living for the Lord, and there is certainly nothing unfruitful about that!!!  They are now ready!!

Let’s now take our eyes off man and what we want, desire, and think.  Let’s look at the signs that Jesus Himself told us to watch for that would precede His coming in Matthew chapter 24 as well as others listed throughout the New Testament (and also in the other gospels as well). After the disciples asked Him for the signs of His coming and the end of the age, He told them the following (these are not His exact Words; I have paraphrased some in summary):

·         Budding of the Fig Tree (Rebirth of Israel)

·         Deception/Fraud

·         False Christs/Religions

·         Wars and Rumors of Wars

·         Nation rising against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom

·         Famines

·         Pestilences/Disease

·         Earthquakes in Various Places

·         Persecution of Christians

·         Many Offended, Betraying and Hating One Another

·         False Prophets Deceiving Many

·         Lawlessness despisers of good)

·         Love of Many Growing Cold (unloving, unforgiving,

·         Gospel Preached in all the World

·         Signs in the Heavens

·         Just as it was in the Days of Noah (eating, drinking, marrying, etc.); Oblivious of the Times

·         Increase in Scoffers who Deny His Coming

·         Men being Lovers of Money, Themselves, and of Fleshly Pleasures Instead of God

·         Brutality/Violence

·         Pride and Blasphemy

·         Disobedience to Parents

·         Perilous Times

Now we need to take a look at the reality of what has actually been going on; are we seeing any of these signs that Jesus mentioned??  Before we do this, however, let’s get one thing cleared up.  Many Christians and non-Christians alike have commented, “These kinds of things have always happened; this is really nothing new.”  Yes, some of these things have happened in the past, but many not to the same extreme and certainly not with the intensity and frequency as we are witnessing now.  What we are seeing now are the birth pangs leading up to the wrath of God explained very clearly in the books of the prophets as well as in Revelation – they are increasing in intensity and frequency, just as birth pangs do with a pregnant woman nearing the delivery of her baby – just as Jesus said they would.

Very importantly, these things are happening now, 63 years after the birth of Israel on May 14, 1948.  In Matthew 24:32-34, Jesus said that when the fig tree (Israel) buds and shoots forth its branches (comes alive again and re-birthed), the generation that sees this will not pass until all things of the end have taken place. (1 & 2)   Psalm 90:10 states that a generation or lifespan of man is 70 years, or 80 if he has the strength.  It doesn’t take a math scholar to determine that there are not many years left between the time this event happened and the length of a generation.  The re-birth of Israel was extremely significant and basically started the end times clock that is now ticking before us.  We are sitting smack dab in the time preceding the return of Jesus, and this is exactly how God planned it and revealed it to us in His Word. 

So now, let us look at the some of the happenings just in the last year since January 1, 2011.  Do these events line up with the signs that Jesus gave us listed above?  (Refer to (3) for more birth pangs prior to 1/1/11.)

·         January 1 - 5,000 blackbirds suddenly die in Beebe, Arkansas followed by  other reports in the weeks after of other massive bird and fish deaths

• January 1 - 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Argentina killing several hundred
• January 2 - 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Chile
• January 2 - 200,000 people affected in Queensland, Australia by flooding
• January 8 - 4.1 magnitude earthquake in N California
• January 9 - 6.6 magnitude earthquake near Vanuatu
• January 11 - The Arctic sun rises two days earlier than expected over Greenland
• January 11 - Flooding and mudslides in Rio de Janeiro kill more than 800
• January 12 - Lebanon government collapsed
• January 13 - 7.0 magnitude earthquake near Loyalty Islands
• January 15 - Flooding in Australia affects 13,000 properties in Victoria
• January 18 - 7.2 magnitude earthquake in SW Pakistan
• January 20 - 2010 declared the warmest year ever recorded
• January 25 - "Day of revolt" in Egypt to protest the government
• January 26 - Kirishima (Shinmoedake) volcano in Japan erupt to 25,000ft
• January 30 - Tropical cyclone Anthony turns Queensland, Australia into a disaster zone
• February 1 - King Abdullah of Jordan replaces cabinet in hopes of preventing unrest
• February 1 - Shinmoedake volcano in Japan erupts to 2.5km
• February 3 - The UN reports that food prices have reached a record high
• February 10 - 6.5 magnitude earthquake near Celebes Sea
• February 11 - President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt steps down and gives power to military
• February 11 - 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile
• February 14 - 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Chile
• February 17 - Libya "Day of rage"
• February 18 - 4.1 magnitude earthquake in Arkansas
• February 21 - 6.1 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand
• February 27 - Protests in Beirut, Lebanon
• February 28 - 4.7 magnitude earthquake in Arkansas
• March 6 - 6.5 magnitude earthquake near South Sandwich Islands
• March 7 - 6.6.magnitude earthquake near Solomon Islands
• March 9 - 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Papua New Guinea
• March 9 - 7.2 magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Japan
• March 11 - 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami cause widespread damage in eastern Japan
• March 13 - Kirishima (Shinmoedake) Volcano in Japan erupts to 4km high
• March 17 - 6.3 magnitude earthquake near Vanuatu
• March 18 - Oil prices soar as UN approves no-fly zone over Libya
• March 19 - Super Full Moon - closest approach in 18 years
• March 19 - "Iconic" filament eruption on the sun
• March 23 - Middle East unrest spreads to Yemen
• March 23 - Terror attack in Jerusalem - bus bombed
• March 24 - 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar
• March 24 - Over 100 people killed in protests in Syria
• March 24 - Worst drought in 44 years reported in Texas
• March 25 - NATO takes over enforcing Libya no-fly zone
• March 26 - Protest of over 500,000 in the UK turns violent
• March 27 - Storms hit Southeast U.S. with large hail 2nd day in a row
• March 27 - Deadly drug-resistant superbug spreads in California hospitals
• March 28 - Unusual massive explosion in Draco constellation
• March 30 - 15 people killed and 13,000 tourists stranded in Thailand flood
• March - 8.8 million affected by drought in East Africa
• March/April - Japanese struggle to control damaged nuclear plant
• April 1 - 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Greece, felt as far as Israel
• April 1 - Tens of thousands turn out for Yemen protests
• April 2 - Massacre of at least 800 people on the Ivory Coast
• April 3 - 6.7 magnitude earthquake hits Java Island in Indonesia
• April 4 - 700 fishermen missing in Burma after unseasonable strong storms
• April 4 - Japan pumps millions of gallons of radioactive water into the Pacific
• April 4 - Record number of severe storm reports in 24 hour period in U.S.
• April 5 - Thailand floods kill over 50 and force over 40,000 to evacuate
• April 6 - Record depletion of Arctic ozone
• April 6 - Oklahoma reports driest 4 months since "Dust Bowl"
• April 7 - A reported 25,000 people a year in Europe are dying from drug resistant "superbugs"
• April 7 - Deadly bacteria in New Delhi water could spread to the world
• April 7 - 7.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Japan
• April 7 - 6.5 magnitude earthquake Veracruz, Mexico
• April 7 - 6.2 magnitude earthquake Crete, Greece felt as far away as Egypt
• April 7 - Portugal bailout from EU could be up to 90 billion Euros
• April 8 - Freak sandstorm in Germany causes massive car accident
• April 8 - 22 killed in growing demonstrations in Syria
• April 9 - U.S. corn reserves expected to fall to 15 year low
• April 9 - Cosmic blast in constellation Draco has NASA baffled
• April 10 - Arab League to ask UN to impose "no-fly zone" over Gaza
• April 11 - 6.6 magnitude earthquake in eastern Japan
• April 11 - Crippled Japanese nuclear plant expected to hit "Chernobyl" level
• April 13 - Yellowstone's super volcano reported more massive than expected
• April 13 - Bezymianny volcano in Kamchatka, Russia erupts to 33,000 ft
• April 14 - "Unprecedented" sandstorms wreak havoc in Iraq and Iran
• April 15 - Swarm of earthquakes on previously unknown fault in Nevada have experts concerned
• April 16 - Unrest significantly increases in Jordan in the cities of Amman and Zarqa
• April 17 - Historic tornado outbreak of 241 tornadoes in 3 days leave dozens dead
• April 18 - 6.6 magnitude earthquake hits northeast of New Zealand
• April 19 - Massive sandstorm originating from Gobi Desert sweeps through China
• April 21 - Unusually early tropical weather statement issued for Atlantic
• April 21 - Millions in Colombia forced from their home in the wettest rainy season on record
• April 22 - Tungurahua volcano erupts up to 33,000 ft
• April 22 - Europe prays for Easter rain due to worst drought in a century
• April 22 - St Louis airport hit by tornado in a month set to break record for April tornadoes
• April 23 - 6.9 magnitude earthquake hits Solomon Islands
• April 24 - Brazil hit by deadly flooding and landslides killing several
• April 24 - 6.2 magnitude earthquake damages several buildings and homes in eastern Indonesia
• April 28 - Death toll over 350 in 2nd deadliest tornado outbreak in US history
• April 28 - Civilian deaths pass 500 in demonstrations in Syria
• April 29 - Rare 2.5 magnitude earthquake hit near Alexandria, MN
• April 30 - 6.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Panama
• April the warmest month on record for the UK - drought threatens western Europe
• April/May - Epic flooding along Mississippi and Ohio River valleys
• April/May - Drought from Arizona to Texas and Kansas spark wide scale fires and threaten crops
• May 1 - Ash plume over 20,000 ft reported at Chili volcano Planchon Peteroa
• May 1 - Osama Bin Laden declared dead after US operation in Pakistan
• May 4 - Unusual swarm of small earthquakes in area between Belfast and Bucksport
• May 4 - Fatah and Hamas sign Egyptian-mediated reconciliation truce pact
• May 5 - EU wins super observer status in UN in hopes to strengthen global governance
• May 7 - Russia and Turkey sign nuclear deal
• May 10 - 6.8 magnitude earthquake near Loyalty Islands
• May 10 - Housing prices are said to be falling at their fastest since Lehman collapse 3 years ago
• May 11 - 5.1 & 4.5 magnitude earthquakes kill several and injures dozens in Spain
• May 11 - Swarm of 22 earthquakes around 3.0 magnitude reported in Italy
• May 6 - Early season Tropical storm "Aere" kills 26 and affects nearly 400,000 in Philippines
• May 12 - Emerging cicada invasion threatens crops and trees in many parts of U.S.
• May 15 - Violence erupts on 3 of Israel's borders on "Nakba" - 1st time Syria crosses since 1973
• May 15 - Raging wildfires rip through town of 7000 in Alberta, Canada
• May 16 - Israel fires warning shots at Gaza aid ship that crossed security zone
• May 16 - Four earthquakes magnitudes 4.5 to 6.0 near Kashmir
• May 16 - 6.5 magnitude earthquake off Papua New Guinea
• May 16 - US reaches Debt limit which could lead to default to creditors
• May 19 - 2011 Hurricane season predicted to be above average
• May 19 - Morocco presents candidate for Secretary General Mediterranean Union
• May 19 - Obama says Palestinian state must be based on 1967 borders
• May 19 - 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey kills 2 and causes damage
• May 20 - Severe forest fire in Russia's Siberian provinces
• May 21 - Mudslide in Malaysia buries 2 dozen people; mostly children
• May 21 - Palestinians request state recognition at UN
• May 21 - Scoffers plan parties as rapture date passes predicted by Family Radio Harold Camping
• May 21 - 6.1 magnitude earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand
• May 21 - Volcano Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland erupts to 65,000ft
• May 22 - 5.7 magnitude earthquake near Mindoro, Philippines
• May 22 - 42 killed in severe storms in Uttar Pradesh, India
• May 22 - Hundreds feared dead as 75% Joplin, MO destroyed in tornadoes that rip thru Midwest
• May 23 - Tungurahua, Popocatepetl and Telica volcanoes erupt in Latin America
• May 24 - Thousands of airline passengers stranded due to Iceland volcano
• May 25 - Super Typhoon Songda misses Phillipines and heads toward Japan
• May 26 - Russia has more forest fires than in same period last year
• May 26 - Drought affects 10 million in China and causes concern for global grain supply
• May 27 - 1.7 magnitude earthquake in northeast Philadelphia said to be cause for loud boom
• May 28 - 2011 becomes the deadliest year for tornadoes since 1950
• May 29 - 5.9 magnitude earthquake strikes off Sumatra Island, Indonesia
• May 29 - More than 800 tons of fish die near Taal volcano south of Manila
• May 30 - Millions face food shortages as northern Europe hit by worse drought in 35 years
• May 31 - European E. Coli outbreak kills several and makes more than 1000 sick
• June 1 - 6.2 magnitude earthquake near Bio-bio, Chile
• June 1 - DOW tumbles 280 after Greece's bond rating were downgraded
• June 1 - 277,000 cases with over 5,000 reported deaths from Cholera in Haiti since last year
• June 1 - Rare tornadoes cause extensive damage in Massachusetts county
• June 3 - Popocateptl volcano near Mexico city erupts to 27,000 ft
• June 3 - 6.3 magnitude earthquake near Honshu, Japan
• June 3 - 28,000 people evacuated Udmurti, Russia after fire rips through ammunition depot
• June 4 - Puyehue-Cordon Caulle Volcano south of Santiago, Chili erupts over 10km high
• June 6 - Sheveluch volcano erupt to 30,000 ft on Kamchatka, Russia
• June 6 - China evacuates over 60,000 due to flooding
• June 7 - 4.2 magnitude earthquake wakes residents in Missouri
• June 7 - Massive solar storm unleashed on sun
• June 8 - 6.0 magnitude earthquake in southern Peru
• June 11 - Texas governor renews statewide fire disaster declaration
• June 11 - 300,000 displaced on Ivory Coast due to fighting between leadership forces
• June 12 - Souix City braces for 500 year flood of Missouri River
• June 12 - Over a dozen earthquakes in swarm in Ethiopia magnitudes 4.5-5.7
• June 13 - Volcano Eritrea in East Africa disrupts air travel
• June 13 - Volcanic ash from Chilean volcano reaches Australia and N. Zealand cancelling flights
• June 13 - 6.2 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia
• June 13 - Aftershocks in Christchurch, New Zealand injure several and kill one
• June 15 - Longest lunar eclipse for the decade centered on the Middle East
• June 17 - Major flooding from Missouri river threatens nuclear reactors in Nebraska
• June 20 - 6.5 magnitude earthquake near Antofagasta, Chile
• June 22 - 12,000 resident of Minot, ND forced evacuation due to flooding of the Souris River
• June 22 - 6.7 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Japan triggers tsunami warning
• June 23 - 5.2 magnitude earthquake in eastern Turkey
• June 24 - 7.2 magnitude earthquake on the Aleutian Islands, Alaska
• June 26 - 6.4 magnitude earthquake near north coast of Papau, Indonesia
• June 27 - Several dead after Tropical Storm Meari passes over the Korean Peninsula
• June 28 - Worst drought in 60 years affects 10 million in eastern Africa
• June 28 - Floods in Philippines displace thousands
• July 2 - Volcano Soputan in Indonesia erupts to 5000 meters evacuating people for 6km
• July 5 - Dozens rescued in Chengdu, China due to flash flooding from 8.5 inches falling in 5 hours
• July 6 - 7.6 magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami alert off New Zealand coast
• July 9 - 7.0 magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami alert for Japan
• July 11 - 6.4 magnitude earthquake near Philippines
• July 11 - Worsening drought across 14 states could become nations worst
• July 12 - Bolivia's worst snow storm in 20 years leaves thousands stranded
• July 13 - Volcano eruption of Lokon in Indonesia displaces more than 2000 people
• July 14 - Magnitude 3.9 earthquake hit English Channel - largest in 300 years
• July 15 - 6.0 magnitude earthquake near Valparaiso, Chili
• July 15 - 6.1 magnitude earthquake on the Alaska Peninsula
• July 18 - Typhoon Ma-on strikes Japan as a category 1 bringing torrential rains
• July 19 - 6.1 magnitude earthquake hits Kyrgyzstan

·         July 20 - 6.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Solomon Islands

·         July 22 - 85 children murdered in a youth camp in Norway; 17 people killed in bombing in Norway

·         July 23 - 6.4 magnitude earthquake hits northern Japan

Do you realize that this list includes nothing prior to 2011?!!!  And some actually think that this is the way it has always been and nothing has changed?!  Please dear people, wake up and see that your Lord is trying to warn you!!!  If you are one of those scoffers saying nothing has changed, please get your head out of the sand and don’t ignore the signs that Jesus is so graciously showing us! (4)   Remember, Jesus is a gentleman; He will not force you to love Him or watch for Him, although He longs for this and for us to be ready to see Him in His glory.  You will find Him if you will only seek Him – truly seek Him with an open heart! 

Remember, Jesus made you!  He designed every inch of you in HIS image.  His love for you extends beyond the boundaries of comprehension.  And this same Lord who created the earth, placed all the stars and sun and moon in their places, and created every living thing is trying to tell YOU something!!  He is playing out His Word just as it is written right before our very eyes – if we would only be willing to believe it!  It is time to look up!  It is time to know your God and yearn for His holiness.  It is time to live for Him and Him alone!!  Living for Him begins with believing He is who He says He is and then truly repenting of your sin and obeying Him.  This first step can bring about a Godly anguish, but it is in this state and in this place that you can truly experience God and understand His love for you through His son, Jesus Christ.  This is purifies us and enables us to see things through His eyes! (5)

I leave you with one last thought and something for you to ponder…  God gave this world to us as a gift.  He told Adam to have dominion over all the earth and the things of the earth and to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:26-28).  The earth was a gift to us; however, some of us have made it our god.  We worship the things of the earth, our material things, our futures, and our pleasures.  Don’t you see that this earth is dying?  Don’t you see that it is corrupt and is headed for destruction?  If this earth is your idol, then what will you have when it dies?  Nothing!!  You will have nothing left but the wages of your sin, and that is death!!  And please understand that the earth in its current state will die; God said He will destroy this earth with fire (2Peter 3:10).  This is exactly why He tells us not to love the world and that if we do, the love of the Father will not be in us (1John 2:15).  Can you imagine not having the love of the Lord in you and then being told by Jesus on the day of His return, “Away from me, I never knew you!”?  (Matthew 7:21-23)  If this happens, you will be separated from Jesus and His love for all of eternity. 

Our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies must love Jesus and all things of Him, including His return.  Lift up your heads and watch!  Give yourself completely to the one Holy and Righteous God, Jesus, who died for you and all of your mistakes and sins to make you holy and blameless in His sight.  He is loving, forgiving, merciful, faithful, and patient – no matter what you have done, no matter what the circumstances – no matter what!!  However, when the patience of the Almighty has run its course, the age of grace and mercy will be no more – only terrible tribulation and wrath will remain.  And as it is written, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).  Please know that now, this very day, He is trying to tell you that this day is quickly approaching.  You must be ready; therefore WATCH, lest you be caught unawares!