Critical Advice for the Present

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "  (Mark 13:35-37, NIV)

If we are experiencing birth pains at this time in history and there are other events to transpire before the actual 2nd coming of Christ, then for what are we to watch?

False christs and false teachings about Christ (v5)

We need to be diligent learners so we can know God's truth so well that we can smell any false teaching a mile away.

Troublesome times (v7)

Remember during tragedy and troublesome times, the sky is not falling (yet).  The LORD Jesus is still LORD of all.

Opportunities to witness (v9)

When you are tested, your faith has the greatest opportunity to shine.  Remember to buckle up God's truth (Ephesians 6:14) and rest assured in His presence (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).

Wavering and apathy (v13)

I daresay this is the current path of many believers today.  The world has a powerful, appealing message to our human nature (1 John 2:15-17).  Jesus said, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13, NIV).  Do not allow yourself and others to question the reality of your faith - walk in truth (John 3:21; 3 John 1:4) and love (Ephesians 5:1-2) as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6).

Miracle workers with a different gospel (v23)

Again, be good students of God's word so that you can keep your spirit attuned to false teachers.  In particular, we need to examine the claims of so-called miracle workers to see if what they proclaim about the LORD Jesus and His gospel is true.  

Signs of the times as they relate to Jesus' predictions regarding the future (v28-29)

Some people see prophecy fulfilled with every news story that comes along.  The lesson of the fig tree is that because we see the big picture of the future we can understand how today's events fit in with Jesus' predictions.  We can remain calm, firm, and faithful no matter what is happening.

The return of the LORD Jesus (v33)

We may not know the date but we can know the joy.  The return of the LORD Jesus gives us great hope and encouragement (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

As the LORD Jesus unfolds the future events leading to His return to Earth, we must be on our guard and be alert to the deceptions and treachery all believers will face.  At the same time, knowing the future and how it ends gives every believer great confidence in living today and great hope for that future.