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The End Time is considered as the period between Christ’s ascension into heaven and His return – The Second Coming.

In the gospel of Mark 13:5-36, Jesus forewarned his disciples about the events to come, so that they may not be alarmed or fall prey to the overwhelming crisis, trials and tribulations. Jesus warning was not just for the disciples, but for all of us today. The disciples were encouraged with the phases:

1. “You must be on your guard.” (verse 9, 23 and 33). 2. “Do not be alarmed!” (verse7) 3. “Stand firm to the end.”(verse 13) 4. “Watch out….(verse 5) 5. “ Keep Watch.” (verse 35) 6. “ Be alert!” (verse 33)

Jesus assured the disciples that whenever they are arrested and put on trial, “Do not worry beforehand about what to say.” The Holy Spirit will speak on their behalf. He warned them not be asleep when He returns, but to be vigilant doing the work He left them to do.

Jesus warned the disciples that they would be subjected to persecution for His name sake. “Such things must happen but the end is still to come.” He concluded with a stern warning by saying, “What I say to you, I say to everyone, Watch!”

Jesus went on to say that the time would be so unbearable, that some will come in his name and deceive many who are vulnerable and looking for a quick fix.

Jesus referenced, “keep watch, stand” and “be on your guard” more than once in this passage, it speaks to the severity of the events which are to come. He reinforced the urgency of not being caught off guard, nor being caught asleep.

Jesus spoke of wars, nations rising against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms , earthquakes, famine, brothers will turn on each other, and children against their parents, having their parents put to death. Fathers will betray their children and those who proclaim the Gospel will be hated because of me, Mark 13:13.

The apostle Paul spoke of the kind of behavior we ought to expect from the ungodly men in the last days; “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without selfcontrol, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying it’s power.” Paul went on to say that “…who are all loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth; men of deceitful minds. Who as far as the faith is concerned are rejected. But they will not get very far,”2 Timothy 3.”

When we examine the adjectives describing the behavior of ungodly men, those are people who are the embodiment of Sin. Their sinful behaviors will be extreme and excessive. Today we, just like the disciples are encouraged as well to watch the signs of the times, not just the SIGNS in world events, natural disasters, social and moral decay, but signs of our Spiritual state. We must watch and pray so that we are not easily distracted by the affairs of this world, our fleshly deeds and desires or the schemed of the enemy.

We can only remain faithful to the word of God if we are devoted to prayer and fasting. A prayer life allows God to “forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We must allow the Holy Spirit to teach us what he wants us to know and strengthen us so that we may be able to endure hardship and be obedient to him.

Jesus warned us about these times. How are we living? Are we bearing fruits? Jesus said “A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit. You will know them by their fruit.” Matt 7:18-20. He wants us to have genuine love, peace, patience, self-control, gentleness, and goodness towards each other.

We must be mindful that we are not fighting for victory, but for a place of victory. We are not victims but victorious, through his Son Jesus who conquered death, hell and the grave. The Holy spirit enables us to do all that is needed to fulfill God’s plan and purpose as we embrace and live out the endtimes. Like the Apostle Paul said, “For we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surprising power is from God and not from us,” 2 Cor. 4:7.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despaired; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down; but not destroyed.”

“For the power of God dwelling within us and the Holy Spirit enabling us each day, we set forth to do the works of the Lord that we have courage and strength to press forward towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 3:14-15. ✽

Bahamas