Alert And Ready!
By W. C. Moore
Are we to soothe the callous consciences of the people in such an hour as this, when the day of the Lord is nigh at hand? No! Rather, the Holy Spirit through the prophet Joel says, "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion…For the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand" (Joel 2:1).
Not as Pleasing Men, but God (1 Thes. 2:4)
We cannot afford to be concerned as to whether we please men or not. "The fear of man bringeth a snare" (Prov. 29:25). "Do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10). If we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God He will show us the need of this hour. As we wait on the Lord in sincerity of heart and with a determination to obey Him – the same Holy Spirit who inspired Joel to write of this present hour will inspire us to give forth with no uncertain sound the warning needed.
Watch…but Be Not Troubled
God does not want His blood-bought, born-again (John 3:7) people to be terrorized by these present and oncoming horrors – He has foretold us of these things – "Ye shall hear of wars…see that ye be not troubled" (Matt. 24:6). But He does want us to be alert, watching and praying always, and to be ready (Mark 13:34-37; Luke 21:34-36; Matt. 24:34-51). "Be watchful…If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee" (Rev. 3:2-3).
Act
To know of the need is not enough – we must act on our knowledge. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead" (Eph. 5:14). Oh for a company of people in these last tremendous days who will blow God's trumpet blast of alarm to a sleeping church! Oh Lord, send forth laborers into Your harvest!
The Peace of God
Some would tell us to rest, and not to be stirred up. But God's plan of rest is not a condition of self-indulgent idleness and indifference. "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion." (Amos 6:1). "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth" (Rev. 3:16).
The rest God approves of is the rest of those who are walking in obedience to His commands. There is indeed a rest in God which is marvelous – but never is it a rest of slothfulness – it is a genuine rest that comes from true faith in God and obedience to Him, in that place of "following Jesus" where we are conscious of the fact that we are pleasing Him and where our heart does not condemn us.
Your Work
"To every man his work," Jesus says (Mark 13:34). Therefore after you awake, and arise (Eph. 5:14), "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:15-17). "Every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12).
It is by grace we are saved through faith, but our reward is according to our works after we do get saved (Eph. 2:8; Rev. 22:12). How very important it is that each of us know what God's will is for us – and that we "occupy" till He comes. When we do what the Lord tells us, He will surely do His part. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (Eph. 5:14).
It would be a terrible thing to appear before the judgment seat of Christ in that great day and have to tell Him you did not even know what His will was for you. Talk things over with God now – and "Occupy" – keep busy in His will and in His service till Jesus comes again (Luke 19:13; Mark 13:24; Acts 1:11).