Pray and stay alert! So that Christ's return would not occur during winter or on a Sabbath day.

Jesus warned his followers to be vigilant and guard against deception, as many will falsely claim to be the Christ. He states that hearing of wars and rumors of wars is inevitable but not a sign of the immediate end. These events—along with nations rising against nations, kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes, and famines—are merely the "beginning of birth pains." Followers must prepare for persecution: they will be handed over to councils, flogged, and stand before leaders as witnesses. The Gospel, however, must first be preached to all nations. When arrested, they should not pre-plan what to say, as the Holy Spirit will speak through them. The persecution will be severe, leading to betrayal within families—brother against brother, father against child, and children rebelling against parents. While everyone will be hated for His name's sake, salvation is promised to the one who endures to the end. A crucial warning is given about "the abomination that causes desolation" standing in an illegitimate place. When this is seen, those in Babylon must immediately flee to the mountains. There must be no delay in retrieving possessions from the house or the field. The distress of those days will be unparalleled in human history. Special concern is expressed for pregnant women and nursing mothers. The faithful are instructed to pray that this flight will not occur in winter, due to the extreme nature of the impending, unequaled tribulation. Universal Church of the Living God