The Endtimes Series - Part Eight - Cares, Riches & Lusts
Writer Author Sylvia Huffnagle
Christian Article
:
Bible Teaching
- Fiction No
In Mark 4:18-19 Jesus taught: And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
He did not use the word thorns lightly for in Joshua 23:6-13 it says; 6: Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
These instructions are for Christians too. Jesus has made a way into the Promise Land and Christians are to follow in His footsteps. He took the land this way--by getting rid of the enemy and having nothing to do with him. In His case and in the Christian’s case the enemies are the things separate the believer from God. In order for a Christian to overcome, they must cultivate the ground of their heart, getting rid of weeds and thorns and planting the Word of God intent upon growing good crops (faith, strength, knowledge, understanding). They must tend the garden and keep the weeds and pests out of it and make sure the crops are well watered (Bible teaching) and are exposed to sunlight (love of God).
Jesus used the word thorns for this reason. Christians who want to be caught up when Jesus comes must not be caught up in the cares of this world (involved with the things the world is involved with), nor the deceitfulness of riches (thinking money will solve their problems), nor lust or high pressure for other things (thinking they must have all the latest gadgets, technology, and fashions and is caught up in figuring out ways to get these things and in dreaming of having and enjoying them when they get them.)
In Luke 21:34-36 Jesus warns; And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35: For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
So I am giving this warning that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the lust for other things will cause you to miss the coming of the Lord and you will be unprepared for what’s coming on the earth.
And that day come upon you unawares, Jesus said. What day? The day He talks about in Mark 13:33-37: Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 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. 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: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37: And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
And in Matthew 24:36-51: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Yes, Jesus expects every Christian to be busy producing. Look at John 15:1-6: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
The reader of this article is forewarned. No more fooling around. You belong to God and you better get with His program because evil times are coming. Be prepared!
© Sylvia Huffnagle
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