Watching, Waiting and Working

It seems there are lots of folks, Christians and secular, who believe that anyone who is watching for Jesus to return probably has a bunker dug, guns and ammo a plenty and prepared to kill anyone who comes too close.  No doubt there are Christians and secular folks who are digging bunkers and preparing for the end of the world...in fact cable TV has a show called PREPPERS that is devoted to looking at these folks and the plans that they make.

But what are TRUE FOLLOWERS of Christ supposed to be doing as we watch for the signs Christ gave us that would tip us off that the END OF THE AGE is at hand?

The answer is simple.  We are supposed to have no fear, no anxiety and lots of love and charity as we re-double our efforts to do the work that the Master gave us...while there is still daylight.

Pastor Greg Laurie has a great devo today that I wanted to share;

Watching and Working
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

—1 John 3:2–3

C. H. Spurgeon said, "It is a very blessed thing to be on the watch for Christ, it is a blessing to us now. How it detaches you from the world! You can be poor without murmuring; you can be rich without worldliness. . . . untold blessings are wrapped up in the glorious hope."

The Bible says that "faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:17). If watching for the Lord's return is the evidence of faith, then working is the evidence of faith in action. We are not only to be eagerly awaiting Christ's return, but we are to be working. Watching will help us prepare our own lives, but working will assure that we bring others with us.

Jesus said there is a blessedness in living this way: "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching" (Luke 12:37). Another way to translate the word blessed as it's used in this verse is "happy." In other words, "Happy are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching."

In contrast to the servant who watches and works, there is the unprepared servant. Jesus continued, "But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers" (verses 45–46).

Watching and waiting for the return of Christ isn't a miserable, repressive, or confining way to live. Rather, it is a happy, joyful, and purposeful way of life.

Here;  http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=4f108f827aed8d503b5fca9fa&id=8277bfff04&e=5d3c45b3ce

Amen Pastor Laurie!  I love that!  "Watching will help us prepare our own lives, but working will assure that we will bring others with us."

Even so...COME LORD JESUS!