Dave Havir, focusing on the parable of the ten virgins, warns us that it is human nature to become sleepy, becoming oblivious to what is going around us, physically and spiritually. Though hundreds of prophecies foretold the birth of Christ, most of the world was taken unaware. While the world slept, God let His plan go on. Government (both civil and religious), putting itself before God (in the spirit of the anti-Christ), ironically helped to bring God's plan to pass on schedule despite confused desperate attempts to thwart it. Anything that takes the place of Christ is anti-Christ. When the civil government interconnects with the religious government, it makes for a lethal combination, enabling the very basest of mob tyranny. In the climatic events before Christ returns the primary message in “watching” is watching our own behavior, making sure we are not compromised by the world. People who claim to have the prophetic scenarios figured out are generally wrong or have greedy motives; prophecy is big business.  The only sure way of getting through the troubles ahead is to trust God, overcoming darkness with light, staying alert. The famine of the word may not apply to the availability of the Word per se, but may apply to the pure Word of God with no strings attached, spoken by people who do not want to take away our liberty or relationship with God. We need to be wary and cognizant of what is going on while we are sleeping.

Amos 8:11-12 * Beware of  government taking away freedoms * Birth of Jesus Christ * Control * Darkness * Day of the Lord * Faith, hope, life * Famine of the word * Foolish virgins * Guilting * John 19:6-15 * Luke 2:4-14 * John 11:47-53 * Light * Matthew 24:32- 42; 25:1-13 * Nicodemus * Parable of the Ten Virgins * Political games * Preparedness * Return of Jesus Christ * Thief in the night * Undermining freedoms * Watch your behavior * Watch your surroundings * Watching behavior * Wise virgins * You determine who touches you