Keep Your Clothes On!

Revelation 16:15
Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.

That which is done in darkness will be exposed to the light. Some great pictures have been destroyed in their development because they were exposed to the light too soon. Before the digital age, pictures were developed in a dark room where special lights helped to bring the image out of the negatives. Something good could come out of a negative when allowed to properly develop. The photographer’s vision could manifest if the negatives were not exposed. There was something beautiful that the visionary had intended to come out of this negative but he needed time in the dark room before the lights were turned on. If the lights were turned on too soon the world would never see the vision come out of the negative.

Many times our greatest work is not able to materialize because of shameful exposure. How many great men and women of God have been ruined by shameful exposure of something negative they had hid in a dark room? Some of us made it through this year without being exposed not because we are so much better than everybody else who did but because God gave you time to develop a negative into a positive.

God’s given us time to get it together but time is running out. In 2011, you should make sure everything negative is already finished and get your clothes ready so you will not be shamefully exposed.

1. Stay Awake. It’s important to be sober. Sometimes, when we are intoxicated with drugs, sex or alcohol we are sleepy. We don’t make good decisions when we are sleepy. Jesus asked his disciples, Peter, James and John to stay awake to watch while he prayed. He came back to find them asleep on the job. This is the hour to stay awake to be sober.

2. Keep your clothes. I always keep my clothes near my bed in case I have to wake up to defend my house or go see about the kids. Your clothes represent righteousness. Paul cautioned us to put on the full armor of God to withstand the attack of the enemy. Jesus talked about the man who was thrown out of the wedding banquet because he didn’t have on wedding clothes. We keep our clothes on when we are prepared for warfare and we are living right.

3. Avoid shameful exposure. God always gives warning before exposure. When Jesus comes back like a thief he will have already warned you before he comes this last time without warning. Get yourself together now because next time there will be no warning.

Dear God, thank you for giving me time to get my negatives together and turn them into positives. I'm clothing myself in righteousness and right living so that my good will not be spoken evil of. I want to be ready when you come.

In Jesus Name,
Amen