Morning Devotions: Mark 13:3-13

Two passages were brought before me today. Each of them speaks of the ideas of being anxious (concern based on apprehension of possible danger or misfortune—to worry about… Louw and Nida) and being a watchman (a guard) 
  
From today’s passage in Mark, you may wonder, where is the encouragement? This is a passage about the frightening events at the end of times; what does this have to do with me? (Probably more than you think!). Religious people will try to mislead you, there will be frightening conflicts between countries, earthquakes, the weather will be so horrible that food will be difficult to find and expensive to buy when you do find it. That is just the beginning of the coming trouble. (Note: I wrote this devotion in January of 2016, I am preparing it for my blog in May of 2016. As of this morning there are reports that people in Venezuela are so hungry that they doing crazy things for a bag of flour or rice, this prophecy is not so far away) 

13:3-8 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?" And Jesus began to say to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.  Many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He!' and will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.   

13:9-13 "But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the  courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.  The gospel must first be preached to all the nations.  When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.  You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Mark 13:3-13 nasu

  
Be on your guard…. 
Mark 13:9 
  
To be on guard is to protect a treasure. The treasure is the gospel of Y’shua-Jesus. This is our treasure which the enemy wants to steal from us. In order to steal your faith, you will be drug into court, publicly beaten in your place of worship; you will need to give your testimony before some of the most important people you will ever meet (described as kings and governors). All of this so that the gospel, the treasure, can be offered to souls, everywhere. 
  
Following that, as in the days of Hitler, you will be arrested and “delivered up." To all of this Y’shua says… 
  
Do not be anxious… 
Mark 13:11 
  
Will it even be possible to obey that command? Have you been born again? Then you have the Spirit of the Almighty God in your heart. When you are brought before people who think they control your fate (they do not!) and demand that you beg for your life by denying Y'shua-Jesus and as a show of your sincerity, give them names of others who guard the treasure. Do not be anxious about what you will say. The Holy Spirit in you will give you the exact words exact moment. 
  
What kind of advice is that? Years after Y’shua spoke the words of Mark 13, a man we know as Paul, a man who knew by experience that the enemy is vicious and filled with cruel hate, a man who had been arrested for loving Y’shua, beaten by religious people, hated for the name of Messiah; said the following to an assembly of believers in a Roman colony we call Philip-pi.

Paul, who had experienced nearly everything Y’shua foretold in Mark 13 was still willing to say to the believers who would be guardians of the treasure, the gospel of our Salvation, to not be anxious but rather, pray with thanksgiving. To do so is to have peace (shalom) that can not be understood because of circumstances. We guard the treasure, but the Peace of the Almighty will guard us.
 
Stand firm beloved watchmen, valiant warriors
Mrs. Hagerty, January 29, 2016