30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 17 20-37 Be occupied with the work of His kingdom, till He returns 08 The elect must take heed
📖 Luke 17:20-37
15Aug2020 - *The elect must take heed* - _Luke 17:20-37_ - BE OCCUPIED WITH THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM, TILL HE RETURNS 8 – Bible reading: _Mark 13:21-23_
_Luke 17:23 And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them._
Friends, the pressure that will be on us as the church will be to look here and look there. Things are happening around us thick and fast. There is much pressure to give attention to the signs of the end of this age. Many will be occupied with these matters and will not be paying attention to the kingdom of God within them.
The Lord told us of the signs of the end of the age, not for us to get locked into these signs. We see in these days that many of God’s people are busy connecting the dots, giving meaning in various signs and wonders, linking the sign with scripture and seeking to lay down timelines for the return of our Lord. Several prophets and preachers have emerged, who are eloquently and forcefully convincing the elect of the fulfilment of the words of Jesus and other scripture in the events that are taking place around us.
_Luke 21:8 And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them. Mark 13:21-23 “Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it. (22) For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (23) But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand._
The Lord is warning the church not to fall prey to this deception but rather give attention to being occupied with the things of the kingdom, which is within our hearts. The devil's strategy is to encourage much attention to be given to signs and wonders. This is the deception.
In pushing the people of God towards the signs and wonders of the end times, what has the devil managed to accomplish? He has made us forget our task of being occupied with the things of the kingdom of God, which is within our hearts. He has thus deceived us, effectively.
We have considered several of the actions that we need to be occupied with, which is the work of the kingdom of God, which is within our hearts.
We will now take time to revise all of those items of our occupation as we await the return of our Lord Jesus. Can we determine right now that we will stop being carried away with the discussion of the fulfilment of the end-time prophesy but we will rather give attention to be occupied with the things of the kingdom of God, which is within our hearts?
1. We will have our heart established by the Spirit of His grace. We live out of the Spirit of His grace, which is His enablement and not by the effort of our flesh.
2. We will be continually born of the water and the Spirit. To be born of the water is to die with Christ, be buried with Him and to rise with Him. We will also be born of the Spirit of God, on an ongoing basis.
3. We will pursue righteousness, peace and joy, which are all experienced in the enablement of the Holy Spirit.
4. We will be surrendered and submitted to the will of God, willingly.
5. We will be engaged in the lives of people around us, bringing healing and wellness into their lives.
6. This task of being occupied with bringing healing and wellness into the lives of people around us we will do, both as individuals as well as, as the body of Christ. The church has to be the healing balm of the kingdom of God to our people, in these end times, as we await the return of our Lord.
7. We will warn and plead with people to turn and believe in Jesus, while there is time. For if they don’t, they will die in their sins.
8. We will be occupied with the task of building love and oneness in the body of Christ, as we await His return. Our being in love with one another in the body of Christ is linked with people around us believing in Jesus, and not die in their sins. If people die in their sins, we the church will be partly to be blamed for we did not demonstrate love and oneness amongst us.
*Thought to ponder*
```Let us now allow ourselves to be deceived.```