But one thing is for sure. A watching Christian is different than one who is asleep. Why?
Watchers, 9 times out of 10, are alone in their vigil for Christ. They have no one in their circle of family or friends to talk to about the End of the Age, whether or not their close circle is full of other Christians. These other Christians acknowledge that Jesus is coming again, but that day is a vague "someday", not "today". They give the excuse "No man knows the hour or the day." Or they're content to live their lives and let the Rapture happen when it happens. What's the point of "watching" for it when you can't know the hour or the day?
Some even question the legitimacy of the Word of God itself, claiming you need to be fluent in the original Greek and/or Hebrew to understand the texts at all. It's been translated so many times that the meanings are now lost or watered down.
But these "other" Christians have no idea what it's like to be a Watcher. Watchers are merely obeying our Lord. Jesus TOLD us to watch! When Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane in the Book of Matthew, He told His Apostles to watch.
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ~~Matthew 26:40-41
Okay, so that Scripture wasn't specifically about the End of the Age. However, in the same breath that Christ said, "No man knows the hour or the day", He ALSO said this in Mark 13:32-37:
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
“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. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
(Underlining is my own emphasis)
So you see, Christ told us to WATCH!! You cannot stick your head in the sand and say, "No man knows the hour or the day."
WAKE UP, CHURCH!!
In 2011 alone:
We've had an epic winter with record snows.
Earthquake swarms all over the planet.
A giant tsunami from an enormous earthquake took out a nuclear plant in Japan (which is still spewing, btw, with no end in sight.)
RECORD tornados in America. Not just in sheer numbers, but also intensity.
Record flooding all over the planet.
Record drought all over the planet.
Pestilence -- A new EColi strain broke out just recently, as well as locusts invading Russia, Australia, & China.
Obviously, nations are in turmoil in the Middle East. Tensions are high surrounding Syria. Iran is threatening any country that attacks Syria. If Turkey decides to engage and Syria/Iran/Russia retaliate, NATO gets involved. That region could light up into WWIII so fast your head would spin. And let's not worry about high tensions between China and the US or Pakistan and the US. Or the fact that our President apparently doesn't need to go before Congress to make acts of war.
Volcanos are going off left and right, all over the planet. Even supposed dead ones in Africa that haven't blown in 39,000 years.
HUGE solar flares.
Earth's magnetic field is weakening and moving toward Russia.
Extremely rare solar and lunar eclipses. (Of which the 100 minute blood-red lunar eclipse today was a "bullseye" eclipse, directly over Jerusalem.)
A supermoon and many planetary alignments and conjunctions.
Comets that will approach VERY close to earth come September.
Mass animal deaths.
And let us not forget the fact the ENTIRE WORLD is trying to divide Israel and Jerusalem. This is a BIG no-no, and anyone who claims to have read their Bible should KNOW THIS. Read Zechariah 12 for a refresher.
How can anyone not see that Christ is returning, and VERY soon? "I am coming quickly" does not mean some vague "someday." It means when this stuff begins to take place, LIFT UP YOUR HEADS for I'm coming quickly!! Faster than you know!
Over and over, the Bible says to be alert and watch. Do not let that day overtake you like a thief, for we are sons of the light, not sons of the darkness, so let us not be like the others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. ~~1 Thessalonians 5
Claiming not to study prophecy because you don't know the original Greek and/or Hebrew is just an excuse, because you DON'T WANT TO STUDY IT. God is God. He spoke stars and galaxies into existence. He knows how many grains of sand are on our planet. And you think He didn't have a hand in guiding the different translations of the Bible over the millenia?? Seriously? Your God obviously isn't as mighty as my God.
Another reason Watchers are set apart is because they have an overwhelming love for Christ. Watchers LONG for their God. Not necessarily because they have horrible lives or need an excuse for an escape or they are bored of this or that, but because they have a special love for their Creator. We want to know all there is to know about Him. We seek Him daily, twenty-four hours a day. To live is Christ, to die is gain. ~~Philippians 1:21
I believe Watchers are on fire for God, like John the Apostle or King David. These were men God Himself said "were men after His own heart." That is the definition of a Watcher.
It is hard, staying awake in this sinful world and keeping watch for our Lord. Jesus knows this, which is why there is a special crown set aside just for us, the Crown of Righteousness.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
~~2 Timothy 4:8
"I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." ~~Revelation 3:11
If you're a Watcher, you are richly blessed. Don't let anyone tell you you're a fool for watching. Don't let anyone tell you everything is "normal" on this earth. Keep looking up, wash your robes, and pray continually! Our Lord Jesus is coming sooner than anyone thinks.
~~Becka
