“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” (Mark 13:33) To watch and pray means to be awake and on guard all our waking hours so that we can see when sin is at the door, desiring to trap us. This is what the Lord told Cain right before he killed Able, “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to CONTROL YOU. But you must CONQUER IT and be ITS MASTER.” (Gen. 4:7)
This means that we must have a CONSTANT CONNECTION with God (through prayer and reading the Word); that we SEEK HIM for power to overcome all sin. “Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who SEEK (dârash: to search out, to diligently look for) THE LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and His strength; SEEK HIS FACE ALWAYS.” (1 Chron. 16:10-11)
Why does the Lord tell us to seek Him? Is He hiding? No, God is not hiding. The reason God instructs us to seek Him is because He wants us to become intimate with Him. “…seek the LORD your God and you will FIND HIM, if you search after Him with ALL YOUR HEART and with all your soul.” (Deut. 4:29) The Lord affirms this by saying, “I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently WILL FIND ME.” (Pro. 8:17)
“Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE.” (Psa. 100:3) What happens when we draw close to the Lord, Jesus says “…the sheep HEAR HIS VOICE, and He calls HIS OWN SHEEP by name and leads them out…He goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow Him because they KNOW HIS VOICE.” (John 10:3-4) Jesus then says. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they KNOW (ginōskō: having an intimate knowledge with) me…” (John 10:14)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham