Watchfulness

1. Exhortations for "Watchfulness"
   1. I Thes. 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
   2. I Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
2. Commanded - Mark 13:31-37
   Mark 13.31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
   Mark 13.32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
   Mark 13.33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
   Mark 13.34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
   Mark 13.35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
   Mark 13.36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
   Mark 13.37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
   1. At all times - Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
   2. In all things - II Tim. 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
3. Watch for the assaults of the devil
   1. I Peter 5:8-9
      I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
      I Peter 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
   2. Devices - II Cor. 2-11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
      1. Liar
         1. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
         2. Lied to Eve - Gen. 3:4-5
            Gen. 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
            Gen. 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
      2. Perverts Scripture - Matt.4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
      3. Transforms himself into an angle of light - II Cor. 11:13-15
         II Cor. 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
         II Cor. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
         II Cor. 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
4. Watch less you enter into temptation
   1. Matt.26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
   2. Do as Jesus - Matt.4:1-11
      Matt. 4.1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
      Matt. 4.2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
      Matt. 4.3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
      Matt. 4.4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
      Matt. 4.5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
      Matt. 4.6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
      Matt. 4.7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
      Matt. 4.8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
      Matt. 4.9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
      Matt. 4.10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
      Matt. 4.11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
5. Watch to do good - Gal. 6:9-10
   Gal. 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
   Gal. 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
6. Watch to strengthen the weak
   1. Rev. 3:1-3
      Rev. 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
      Rev. 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
      Rev. 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. 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.
   2. Gal. 6:1-5
      Gal. 6.1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
      Gal. 6.2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
      Gal. 6.3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
      Gal. 6.4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
      Gal. 6.5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
7. Watch for the coming of Christ
   1. Matt. 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
   2. Matt. 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
   3. Prepare - Matt. 25:1-13
      Matt. 25.1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
      Matt. 25.2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
      Matt. 25.3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
      Matt. 25.4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
      Matt. 25.5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
      Matt. 25.6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
      Matt. 25.7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
      Matt. 25.8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
      Matt. 25.9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
      Matt. 25.10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
      Matt. 25.11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
      Matt. 25.12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
      Matt. 25.13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
8. Watch or guard faith
   1. I Cor. 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
   2. Jude 3-5
      Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
      Jude 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
      Jude 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
   3. Acts 20:28-31
      Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
      Acts 20.29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
      Acts 20.30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
      Acts 20.31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
   4. I Tim. 1:18-20
      I Tim. 1.18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
      I Tim. 1.19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
      I Tim. 1.20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

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