Keep Watch

God’s intent in giving warning is always that we turn to Him.  

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Yes, things are on the horizon!  Even if we don’t see them yet!  They’ve been decreed and promised.  Are we keeping watch?  

The Lord tells us to keep watch over many things, one being over the door of our lips.  Oh, how we need a watchdog on our property; not just to watch our property but at our doors to keep out the intruders that come to open our mouths to hurt and spew things that can wound, or to release things that are false.  

Have you ever been blind-sighted by a random comment that caught you off guard and felt like a flaming arrow shot right into the center of your heart?  Oh yes!  We’ve all experienced this.  We may have been the ones pulling back the arrow positioning to shoot.  

Look at what the Psalmist says, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.”  (Psalm 141: 3)  

I love the next verse.  It says, Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evil doers; let me not eat of their delicacies.”  (Psalm 141: 4)  

  • When we shoot, we have digested evildoers’ delicacies.

When we open our door to an intruder what happens?  Our house gets ransacked!  An intruder comes to deliberately enter a place or situation where one is unwelcome or uninvited.  

If we open the door, we are extending an invitation.  

  • Don’t let the intruder wreak havoc on what’s within.  
  • Guard the good deposit, the Holy Spirit within.

This is why the Psalmist says, “Put a guard over my mouth.”  (Psalm 141: 1a)  

Don’t feel bad if you’ve fallen into this trap.  We all have been partakers of uninvited guests, but how do we fix this problem from happening again?  

I believe the answer is just a couple of verses below, “My eyes are fixed on you; O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge–do not give me over to death.  Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers.”  (Psalm 141: 8-9)  

  • Snares from the enemy come in many forms.

The definition of a snare is, “A trap for catching, typically a noose of wire or cord.”  We all know what a noose does, it chokes its victims.  

Moral of this story:  Keep your mouth guarded and be careful what is released.  

  • Don’t let the enemy entrap us with our words.  
  • Life or death is in the power of the tongue.

(Shared from Psalm 141, Modified)  

Messages Through Our Words

Jeremiah was anointed by God to speak forth His truth.  He wanted to encourage his faithful scribe, Baruch.  He tells him that God is going to overthrow what He has planted and will uproot.  He warns about the upcoming disaster on the people, but to Baruch, he says, “Wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.”  (Jeremiah 45: 5)

Messages to encourage come from the faithfulness of God.  I seem to like these ones better!  

Being A Prophet To The Nations Is Not Easy

It’s not easy because you may see and speak things that people don’t want to hear.  Jeremiah begins a series of prophecies against the nations.  He begins with Egypt and ends with Babylon.  His direction of prophecies falls into a west-to-east direction, it looks like.  

He says about Egypt, “The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says, “I am about to bring punishment on Egypt and her gods and her kings and on those who rely on Pharaoh.” (Jeremiah 46: 25)  

(Shared from Jeremiah 45-46, Modified)  

Recall The Words Spoken

God has been speaking through the messengers, the prophets, since the earth was created.  He was then to be His mouthpiece, to bring forth warning and encouragement.  

Prophetic warnings have turned folks away from the gift, but giving warning is part of the gift!  God’s intent in giving warning is always that we turn to Him.  

  • Both (encouragement and warning) are vehicles of God’s Truth.

Peter says, “Recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.”  (2 Peter 3: 2)  

He says, “Scoffers will come and say, “Where is this coming He promised?” (2 Peter 3: 4)

We all question when God’s promises will be fulfilled.  But the mockers, the scoffers, are standing at the door, the door of our hearts and lips to come in and cause destruction coming forth from our mouths.

Peter is telling them, don’t be discouraged, nor open your mouth and heart to speaking doubt.  He exhorts them, in this, “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.”  (2 Peter 3: 8-9)  

  • Remember God’s timing is always different than ours.
  • We want things done yesterday.  

What’s His Promise

“In keeping with His promise we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth, the home of the righteous.”  (2 Peter 3: 13)  

I know there are promises that God has to fulfill in our lives, in our nation, first before the “Day of the Lord” when He returns.  What’s our part until that time?

  • Keep watch over our lips.
  • Keep watch over the door of our hearts.
  • Keep watch over what’s going on in our nation and world.
  • Keep watch and pray.

Peter’s conclusion is:  “Be on guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!  Amen!  (2 Peter 3: 17)  

  • Recall the proclamation given way back in Genesis when Laban prayed, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.”  (Genesis 31: 49)  
  • Our Lord is keeping watch.  
  • He is our Mizpah (Hebrew) for watchtower.  
  • Only He towers over it all.
  • Learn to see as He sees.
  • Keeping watch with Him allows us to become that watchtower with Him, for it is He who is seeing.  

 

 

 

 


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About the Author

Mary Beth Pecora, a faithful wife, mother, grandmother, friend, worshiper and servant leader, who loves life and loves people. More importantly, she passionately loves God and the fullness of who He is! For twenty-three years she has served in leadership positions within the ministry of Aglow International. Currently, she and her husband serve at The Secret Place--A Psalm 91 Ministry. It's a place for individual folks to come, be exhorted and prayed for, while being ushered to ministry stations within the room. They continue to serve monthly in the Prayer Room at their home church that they have been a part of for almost forty years. In April of 2022 they both received their Ministry License and were Ordained in May of 2023. She delights in encouraging folks of all ages within various walks of life. Her love of writing is now her passion, which led her to publish two books, "Restoration Explosion In The New Year," and "Navigating The Mysteries Of God." Above all that’s been accomplished and concluded, the BEST thing to her is knowing her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is her everything—her very best friend. Visit: Mybelovedsvoice.com