“Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:32–36 (NKJV)
In this passage, the Lord Jesus Christ gives us a strong instruction on what we, as believers, must do in the end times in order to be counted worthy to escape all the evil that will come to pass—and to stand before the Son of Man (who, by the way, will judge this world: John 5:22; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 25:31–46).
Jesus highlights three key actions:
- Take heed to yourselves
- Watch
- Pray
For this study, we will focus on “Take heed to yourselves.” In subsequent studies, we will look at Watch and Pray.
What Does It Mean to Take Heed to Yourselves?
To take heed means to pay attention, to check, or to continually examine yourself.
“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)
Jesus said:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 (NKJV)
So, ask yourself: Am I still abiding in Him, and is He abiding in me?
A Lesson from the Ten Virgins
We can learn from the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13:
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish… But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.”
Matthew 25:1–2, 5 (NKJV)
The five foolish virgins took their lamps but carried no extra oil. Why? Because of who they were—foolish. The text is clear:
“Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.”
The wise acted wisely; the foolish acted foolishly. Each person acted according to their nature.
More Than Morality: We Need Christ
Being moral is not enough. We must embrace Christ, learn of Him, and understand what He accomplished through His death and resurrection.
“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV)
In Christ, we gain wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
Don’t Be Foolish!
I do not say this to insult you, but to encourage you: you have no excuse to remain foolish. Open your heart to Christ. Allow Him into your life, and He will come and dwell within you. Ensure that His Word abides in you daily.
Bonus Scripture
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”
Ephesians 5:15–18 (NKJV)
Remember, He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed(Proverbs 13:20).
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