Well, hey there!  Welcome to this special end times episode of The Prayer Podcast with Jan L. Burt

I'll read a portion of Luke chapter 12 aloud and then discuss what Jesus had to say to His people in this passage regarding the return of the Master, and then close out the episode by praying.

Thanks for joining me for the special episode, and while it is a bit longer than usual, I think the subject matter is so important and timely that it warranted a few extra minutes of show time.

Also, as promised, here is a link to my other podcast which focuses on knowing and believing God's promises - The Burt (Not Ernie) Show Podcast.

From Luke chapter 12 in the New Living Translation

35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn.[d] But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

41 Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?”

42 And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45 But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.

47 “And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

Jesus Causes Division

49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.

53

‘Father will be divided against son     and son against father; mother against daughter     and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law     and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’[e]”

54 Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right. 55 When the south wind blows, you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is. 56 You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.

In the NLT, the header for verses 35-48 reads “Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming” and in the Amplified it reads “Be In Readiness”.

Be in readiness.

Live in a state of perpetual readiness.

Now, this is no easy task, no small order we find here.

Be dressed and ready for service. Keep your lamps burning. The oil often referenced in the Bible refers to the Holy Spirit. Be so filled with the Spirit of the Living God, be much with the Lord to put it very frankly, because that Holy Spirit oil is what will keep your lamp burning. No oil? No fire in the lamp. And if the lamp is not lit and burning, then we are not obeying the Lord Jesus and His command to us here in Luke chapter 12. If you do not spend time, and ample time, in the Word of God and with Him in prayer and thanksgiving (not talking about a Bible reading checklist here, but a personal relationship with the One who loved you enough to die for you). Talk with Him all day long, make a conversation with Him the thing you are doing as you drift off to sleep, pray and listen first thing when you awaken. Be dressed for service, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. You’d be paying attention, have certain things at the ready that the master would want upon his return, and if it were from a wedding feast, it would likely be a late return. Nonetheless, you’d be ready with what would please the master, ready to do your assigned tasks. That’s how active waiting should take place. Though the hour seems late, don’t slumber and don’t slack off. Stay dressed for service and be so much with the Lord, filled with His Spirit, that when He returns you are ready and waiting, and in your readied state of waiting you will be doing the things the Lord has called you to be doing.

What are those things for you? Probably not exactly what they are in my life. For example, my children are all adults now, so I do not have the same daily child-rearing things to do that I had to do earlier in my life. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all, but rather that solid relationship with your Father so that you know just what it is He wants you to be doing in this season.

This is how you will be ready to open the door and let Him in the moment He arrives and knocks. Be alert to the times and seasons in which we live. Eyes on Israel - very prudent to pay attention to what is happening in Israel in these last days. And you know, there are so many people in ministry who are talking frankly about the soon return of Jesus, I cannot think of a time this has ever been the case to this extreme. Where we see Matthew 24 coming to pass in all its varied aspects, and have church leaders who are not what could be considered out there on the fringe, stating openly that this is it, we are in the final hours. Children, even toddlers, are having dreams about Jesus and His return and there is a widening gap between those who are in the Church, who profess Jesus as Lord, this widening gap where some believe these are the last days and at any time we truly could (and I believe, will) see the beginning of the 7 year tribulation begin, a treaty that involves Israel that will be a 7 year promise type of treaty, and that’s the kick off of the final 7 years, that’s the book of Daniel and also Paul in both his letters to the Thessalonian church. We’re almost there, folks. And yet there is a large (too large!) number of professing believers who are not in belief about this very subject. They say it’s coming, but not now, later on down the road, there’s more time…and really to be fair, if they don’t search out the information about specifically Israel and things like looking at the number of earthquakes happening around the world, or looking into the state of the Euphrates River right now, and line this all up with the Bible, if they don’t know what’s going on, that would for sure contribute to not thinking we are so close. And often the one single verse, not the whole counsel of the Word of God, but one single verse that Jesus spoke, is their reasoning behind not believing this is the season of His return. Of course, that verse is that no man knows the hour or the day of the return of the Son of God. That’s a true verse, 100% true. But if we take it in context, and read all of what Jesus says in this passage in Matthew 24, all His words here regarding the end times, we would find that He is actually calling us to be ready because He will come at an hour when you do not expect it. He gives signs in this chapter to know that His return is very near, and Jesus said that when you see all these things, the end is near, even at the door. That’s verse 33 of Matthew 24.

I’m doing this episode of this podcast, and also of my original podcast The Burt (Not Ernie) Show about this topic, the signs of the times and the return of the King of kings, because the Lord put it on my heart to do so. To share on this. Right now. Without delay. To make short work of my obedience to what He called me to do.

In spite of those who don’t want to hear it, who don’t think it’s time just quite yet.

But it is time. And I hope you do hear. Things are advancing. That seven year treaty will be signed soon. As it says in Luke 12, when He comes He will reward the servants who are ready. If you knew exactly when a burglar was coming, you would not permit a break in. A servant who knows what the master wants but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions will be severely punished. But what if the servant thinks, “My master won’t be back for a while,”...the master will return unannounced and unexpected and will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful. These are the words Jesus spoke about being ready for His coming. So please, be ready. Be dressed for service. Keep your lamp burning. Be ready and waiting for His return and there will be a reward for you. It will be unexpected…so do your utmost to expect the unexpected. You must be ready all the time, it says in verse 40. Again, I use the word please…be ready all the time, starting at this time, this very moment, right now, today. Get ready, be ready, stay ready. The King is coming soon.

Lord, lead us as we serve You wholeheartedly in these last days. Show us how to pay attention to the signs of the times, the signs that mark Your soon return, and help us live ready and attentively, but not in fear or giving way to despair. Keep our eyes fixed on You, remind us of all You’ve promised, and keep us as the apple of Your eye as we are dressed for service, picking up our cross daily and following You, keeping our lamps burning, waiting for Your return. Save all who will come to You, Lord, and do not delay. Bring about a great end times harvest and move in the hearts and minds of men and women and children all over the world. Show us what we need to know, and by the same power that raised Jesus from the grave, enable us to do the things You want us to be doing at this moment in time. We still must go to work each day, and we want to do that for Your glory and Your honor, so lead us in doing our work well, as unto the Lord, even while we remain aware and watchful. May we be a blessing to those around us in the daily tasks we must do, and remind us to pray with boldness and great faith for the people in our lives who have needs, and who do not know You as their own Lord and Savior. May be remain dressed and ready for service continually, and never doubt in the dark what You have told us in the light. And Lord, work in the lives of Your people in Israel. Reveal Yourself to them as their Messiah. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and save and rescue as many as possible in the days remaining before Your return. Amen.