Speaker: Bro. Bobby Rodriguez, Elder, The Lord's Flock Catholic Charismatic Community

“ Keeping Watch ”

“Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation.” (Matthew 26:41). This is what our Lord Jesus said to Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane .

The Biblical lesson of KEEPING WATCH in what we think, in what we see, in what we hear, in what we say, in what we do, and where we go is shown in the following story of a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years (Mark 5:25-34)

“ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought ,' If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

”At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked,' Who touched my clothes?'

“'You see the people crowding against you,' His disciples answered, ‘ and you can ask, “Who touched me?”'

“But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘ Daughter, your faith had healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'”

The Holy Bible abounds with the word of God that commands us to KEEP WATCH:

I. WATCH WHAT YOU THINK. We should be careful with our thoughts.

•  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of GOD, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

A. THINK PURE THOUGHTS. Be alert to replace impure thoughts which come from Satan, with pure thoughts which come from GOD.

B. THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS. Replace negative thoughts with positive assertions. “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

C. THINK PEACEFUL THOUGHTS . “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)

D. THINK PURPOSEFUL THOUGHTS. God has an eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:11 ) He has a definite purpose for all of us. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

II. WATCH WHAT YOU SEE. Be careful with what you see in the mass media (especially the TV). Do not be deceived by the devil that controls the media for his evil intents. We should see only what is about God and what is for God's glory.

•  “For we live [walk] by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

•  “My eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord;” (Psalm 141:8)

•  ”Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scoring its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD.” (Hebrews 12:2)

III. WATCH WHAT YOU HEAR. What we hear can give us eternal life.

•  “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of GOD and those who hear will live.” (John 5:24-25)

•  “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)

Let us listen to the word of God . Let us also watch and listen to the cries of the needy, the lonely, the discouraged and the lost. And when we hear their cries, let us extend our helping hands and comforting words.

Let us also be careful with what the devil may tempt us through the telephone and other means of modern communications.

IV. WATCH WHAT YOU SAY. We should tame our tongue and be careful with what we say. What we say can uplift, encourage, and bless others; it can also destroy them.

•  “For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)

•  “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.' (Proverbs 18:21)

•  “If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in the heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.” (Mark 11:23 )

•  “ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.” (James 3:10)

•  “ A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)

•  “ A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:13)

For us to be blessings to others, let us watch and say the following:

A. WORDS OF CHEERS – “ A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)

B. WORDS OF COMFORT – “…so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

C. WORDS OF COMPASSION – “…be of one mind, sympathetic, loving towards one another, compassionate, humble.” (1Peter 3:8)

D. WORDS OF KINDNESS – “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:32)

V. WATCH WHAT YOU DO. “ Let us not neglect to do good.” (Hebrews 13:16). Refrain from doing what is evil. “Do no evil.” ( Sirach 7:1).

•  ”May the God of peace…furnish you with all that is good, that you may do his will.” (Hebrews 13:21)

•  “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:18-19)

•  “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, loving toward one another, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8)

•  “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ GOD forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

•  “Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10)

VI. WATCH WHERE YOU GO. We believe that the Lord is with us wherever we go.

•  “So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him.” (Colossians 2:6)

•  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be discouraged, for the LORD, your GOD, will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

As we walk wherever we go, let us always remember:

•  “ The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

•  “…the eyes of the Lord, ten thousand times brighter than the sun.” (Sirach 23:19)

•  “We cannot hide from the Lord, not even in darkness.” (Psalms 139:11-12)