Did you know that God has called you to be a watchman? Each of us have the responsibility of watching over our lives and homes to protect us from harm. In the old testament especially the cities were guarded by watchmen on the walls. They would give warning if danger approached and would put the people on alert. When Nehemiah was busy seeing that the city of Jerusalem was being rebuilt after it’s destruction, there were those who sought to destroy the rebuilding that was being done, so there was a “guard posted” both day and night.
God literally said to the prophet Ezekiel, “Son of man, I have made you “a watchman” over the house of Israel.” God’s purpose in this was to give warning of danger. As husbands and fathers the responsibility of watching over our homes and families are a great and weighty matter. We must give watch and guard day and night over them. The scripture uses these terms in keeping us on our toes: “Be on guard, Be alert, and Therefore, keep watch.”
We have an enemy! An adversary! The bible names him in 1st Peter 5 verse 8, “Be sober, be vigilant, because YOUR ADVERSARY, THE DEVIL, like a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour.” His plan is nothing short of stealing, killing, and destroying. Be on guard, keep watch continually so you are not caught unaware.
King David knew the importance of keeping watch. He said, “Lord set a guardat my mouth.” He knew that life and death is in the tongue. He also said in Psalms chapter thirty-nine and one that, “I will watch my ways….” Luke in the book of Acts said, “Keep watch over yourselves and the flock.”
Not only are we to be watchmen over ourselves and our homes and families … but we are also to be watchmen waiting for the return of the Lord. Matthew 24:42 says, “Keep watch, because you don’t know the day your Lord will come.” We are watchmen, waiting for the return of our Lord because he said he would return for those who are watching for him! Are you watching for him? Have you guarded the important treasures of your life? Are you alert and walking circumspectly? God is calling you to be a WATCHMAN!!!
Many of you have read the popular book of Tommy Tenny’s called “The God Chasers.” He also had one entitled “The God Catchers.” Both were very successful writings and were a very good read. The title reminded me of King David’s undertaking in bringing back the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem after being seized by the Philistines. David could not rest until God’s presence, in form of the ark of the covenant, was was returned to it’s rightful place. He chased down the ark and brought it home.
On the same turn, if we are to have the presence of God in our lives today …we must be willing to go after it … like David did! We may have to leave everything else behind in order to go after and possess His presence. It will depend on how much His presence means to us. But once we have captured God’s presence and his undivided attention … what then?
Then I submit we become “God Pleasers.” In order to retain and embrace God’s presence we should maintain a close relationship with him such as Enoch had. Before Enoch was taken and escaped death, the scripture says that he was commended as “one who pleased God.” What is it that pleases God the most? FAITH! The bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God. I want to be full of faith so I may please God to the fullest. Here are some things to help you to be a “God Pleaser:”
The Lord is pleased with us when we have faith. (Heb. 11:5) “And without faith it is impossible to pleasee God.”
He is pleased with those who are truthful. (Proverbs 12:22) “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”
He is pleased with those who fear him. (Psalms 147:11) “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
The Lord is pleased when we prosper. (Psalms 35:27) “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Let them say continually, let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in te prosperity of his servants.”
But it doesn’t stop there! There is a greater panarama of what pleases God. He is pleased to give us his kingdom! This truth is exemplified through Jesus when he said, “Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
We have chased him, and caught him … now like Enoch, let us please him. That is what will label us as “The God Pleasers!”
(Matthew 20:1-16) The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a certain amount of money (a denarius, the wage of a Roman soldier) for the day and sent them into the vineyard to work. The landowner goes out again at 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and again at the end of the day and sends more workers into the vineyard. When it comes time to pay for the day’s labor, the landowner pays all of them the same wage even though some have worked from early morning and others only an hour. Grumbling against the landowner the men who worked from early morning argued they were ”entitled” to more than the others. But the landowner asked them, “Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?” Basically, “Didn’t we have a contract for a certain amount? And didn’t I pay you what we agreed on? Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money?
We are headed down a slippery slope in America when our government can dictate policy for corporations such as AIG, the automotive industry, the airline industry, and health care to mention a few. Federal regulation oversight is one thing, but contractual agreement should be left up to business owners and corporation CEOs and their boards. If the government can rescind the binding law of a corporation’s contract with it’s employees such as what has happened with AIG…how long before it can do the same with the private small business employer? The employer, like the landowner, should be able to control his business without government intervention. The problem will always be the employee who feels he is “entitled” to more, and looks to big government to provide it for him.
There are other parables in the Bible, such as the parable of the talents Matthew 25:14-30, that point out that if you don’t work hard then you don’t receive a reward. We are never “entitled to gain” from someone elses hard work. The Bible is clear on our giving to the poor and the needy, it should be a generous part of our Christian walk. And it is also clear to the slothful and the slacker …”if you don’t work, you don’t eat.” No one in America should be “entitled” because someone else works hard and does well.
Pray for our country as we enter ever challenging times. Remember, if you don’t stand up for the rights and values you believe in, then you may see those rights and values evaporate. As Americans we are “entitled” to our opinion and our right to speak up for what we believe!
