Title: Stay Awake
always stay awake
Text: Matthew 24:42
“Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”
Watchman Lee, a Christian in China, was a very pious man in his life. One day Watchman Lee was traveling by train, and a group of people were betting money and playing mahjong. There were a lot of people around, looking around. But a man playing mahjong looked at Watchman Lee and said, “If you have the money, come and join us.” It was at this time that Watchman Lee made a very famous statement.
“Watchman Lee, who once played mahjong, is already dead!”
In this way, the devil puts us to the test by reminding us of the wicked sins and vices we committed in the past in order to overthrow our faith. Whenever that happens, we too must, like Watchman Lee, cry out boldly: “I, who lived in the past, is dead.” The dark shadows of the past are stalking us. Therefore, you must always be awake.
“Watch and pray, lest you fall into temptation, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
We conducted a survey to find out what modern people want the most these days. The answer was money and time. It seems to see the image of modern people longing for economic stability and leisure in life. Abundance and leisure, can humans truly feel happiness when they are fulfilled?
Ezekiel 16:49 records the sins of the city of Sodom. Why did they perish? Abundance and equanimity led to corruption, and abundant vegetation brought pride. Sodomite means homosexual or sodomy. This word is derived from Sodom.
The representative sin of Sodom was treason and living a hedonistic life. The trap lies right where you feel the happiest. Sin abounds where you feel the richest. Therefore, Christians must always be awake. In moments of happiness, Satan enters into my soul.
“Be careful, watch, for you do not know when that hour is” (Mark 13:33).
Fish don't close their eyes even when they sleep. When you die, you open your eyes. People easily think of this appearance as a phenomenon peculiar to fish. But this teaches us a deep lesson. In the days of the Early Church, many Christians fled to underground caves outside Rome to escape persecution. This was originally a place for burial of bodies. The Romans were reluctant to approach the burial place because it was considered inviolable. After all, Christians have lived here for 300 years, spanning 10 generations. This is the Catacombs. People carved pictures of fish on the walls of the catacombs. Why was the fish drawn there? It may have been a message to be awake spiritually, whether sleeping or awake.
Christians must always be awake. Although the outer man may perish, the inner man must be renewed day by day. Dead fish cannot go up the river. A dead soul cannot enter heaven. Only those who are awake can possess heaven.
“Be steadfast in prayer, watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).
I have never seen my mother sleep so deeply. Even if I slept at night, when I called “Mother”, I woke up immediately. He could not sleep deeply and watched our movements closely. So, I thought that my mother was not sleeping all the time. I've never seen anyone in my household fall into a deep sleep. No matter how much you open the door, it will wake up quickly. I know it too well.
As the Bible says, the bride of Christ must be as sensitive as the bride on earth. You should not fall asleep deeply. You must be awake. Why? Because if you fall asleep deeply, recovery is impossible. A person who sleeps deeply cannot overcome difficulties.
“Therefore let us not sleep like others, but let us be alert and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).
* Prayer: Lord, who told us to be awake, the more dizzy the world is, the more deeply we want to know that God is the Sovereign of the world. Give me the faith to wait with fear for the Day of Judgment. May I, who was called as Your ambassador to restore the world, stand firm in Your word, without seeking the world's approval. Let us serve the saints with unwavering boldness and Your love. Help me to know the opportunities of faith that you give me every day. Walk daily with our Lord Jesus Christ and keep us awake. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen
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