It’s Time to Stay Awake

It’s Time to Stay Awake

The night before the crucifixion, Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He went to be alone and pray. But before He did, Jesus asked the apostles to stay up and pray with Him. He warned them not to fall asleep. Nevertheless, they did. They were finally awakened when soldiers arrived to arrest Jesus.

In a similar way, Jesus warned us not to be caught sleeping when He returns (Mark 13:36). To illustrate, He told a story of ten bridesmaids. Of the ten bridesmaids, five were foolish and five were wise. The five foolish bridesmaids didn’t take enough oil for their lamps when they went to wait for the bridegroom. When they left to buy more oil, the bridegroom came and they missed out on the marriage feast. Jesus warned us not to be like the foolish bridesmaids. He said, “You, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return” (Matthew 25:1-13).

In another parable, Jesus once again commanded us to watch: “You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return. It could be evening, midnight, dawn, or daybreak. Don’t let the master find you sleeping when he arrives without warning” (Mark 13:35-37).

Personally, I’ve written about the nearness of the Second Coming for over 13 years. Obviously Jesus didn’t return in those 13 years, but none of the reasons to expect His return have gone away. In fact, the opposite is true. The reasons to expect Jesus to return at any moment have markedly increased. Yet to great amazement, many Christians seem more complacent and ignorant of the signs than ever. Why? I don’t know. But I’ll continue to sound the alarm, and you should too. The Bible says if we recognize the signs and don’t tell others about them, we’re no different than a watchman who sees an invading army and doesn’t sound the alarm. If we fail in our role as watchmen, God says He will hold us accountable for all those who perish (Ezekiel 33:1-6).

All the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for are present right now. For almost 2,000 years, no Christian could say that. Our generation is an eyewitness to signs previous Christians could only dream about. If the signs are telling us the Tribulation and the Second Coming are near, then it means the rapture is even closer. Don’t fall asleep, and don’t let anyone around you fall asleep. It’s never been more important to stay awake. Jesus is coming!

https://www.raptureready.com/2019/07/18/dealing-end-times-complacency-britt-gillette/