Author: Bill Hall

Matthew 24:20
   Travel in the winter would be quite inconvenient. Also, travel on the Sabbath might be a hindrance to the Jews, or Jewish and Gentile Christians. They would not want to go that far on that day, and thus would hesitate at first to set out.

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 5:1-7:73

Scripture Memory: James 3:2 “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You Lord for giving us Sunday. Though we don’t seem to know what to do with it sometimes, we are glad that You have taught us to set aside this day. I love to reflect upon You and praise You every day. But, it is wonderful to have a day out of the week where we can have the time to really spend time with You and with each other. Being able to praise You together is a great joy, though we often miss it. Father, help us to see the wonder of You again in our lives. Give us again the power of Your Spirit in our meetings. Make us able to live through the week such that Sunday will be the celebration of what has happened rather than an anticipation of what should happen. We love You Lord! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad. Pray for a family that just lost a loved one. Pray for a family that needs a new home.

Journal Entry #14242

Matthew 24:19
   They will likely be unable to move fast enough if they are caring for the very young at the time. Though we see here the sensitivity of Christ towards these, he does not exempt them from being included. The tribulation which will be brought upon this world by the wrath of Almighty God will not discern between the young and the old.

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1:1-4:23

Scripture Memory: James 3:1 “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your care for us. You do not want any to perish. You give Your salvation to all who call upon You. Thank You for not just destroying us all out of hand. Thank You for Christ! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad. Pray for a man who is weak after a recent surgery. Pray for a family that just lost a loved one to cancer.

Journal Entry #14241

Matthew 24:18
   Once again this verse, like the previous one, is advice for urgency. Those living in that part of the world at the time were wont to take off some of their clothing and lay it nearby when they were ploughing or doing some other heavy labor in the field. These Jesus says should not return to the part of the field where the rest of their clothes lay, but that they should run immediately away.

Bible Reading: Ezra 8:1-10:44

Scripture Memory: James 3:1 “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful love! I know that You always love us no matter what. You care for our needs, our weaknesses, and our sicknesses. You can help and heal. You alone are able to solve all of our problems. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad. Pray for a woman who is not feeling well. Pray for a boy who is sick.

Journal Entry #14240

Matthew 24:17
   Many of the homes in Jesus’ day had a roof where people would do many different activities. Often there were steps leading to this roof from the ground level. So, you could actually leave the home without ‘going in’ to the bottom floor. Obviously, nowadays we don’t usually hang out on the roof much. But then it was quite common.

Bible Reading: Ezra 4:1-7:28

Scripture Memory: James 3:1 “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love for us. You want us to know the truth. And the truth gives us freedom from sin by Christ. Jesus is to be our focus. We must keep our eyes there. Thank You for Him. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad as he recovers from heart surgery. Pray for a woman with cancer and near death. Pray for a man with bad back pain.

Journal Entry #14239

Matthew 24:16
   This was very practical advice for those who would be alive for the destruction of the Jewish heartland in AD 70. Indeed, many Christians heeded this warning and avoided death in this way. However, there will be yet another time when this advice should be heeded. When the antichrist sets up his own image in the temple and commands worship, fleeing will be the only hope for those who would serve the True and Living God. The good news is that, just as with the Romans in the first century, the antichrist will have a short time, which Jesus mentions a bit later.

Bible Reading: Ezra 2:1-3:13

Scripture Memory: James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You alone have the answers I seek. When I listen to man’s ideas, I am unsatisfied with the conclusions that are drawn. We always seem to stop short of truth, with something holding us back. But, when I look to You, and Your Word, I get a complete picture. You fill in the gaps. Indeed, You have no gaps in Your thinking to begin with. Your truth grows together into a beautiful structure of guiding light that I can follow through eternity. I have a way for my feet, a logic for my head, and a joy for my soul in Your precious Son. He is the determining factor of my life. In Him I may find all I need ever be or ever could be. He gives me the life I have always wanted. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad. Pray for a couple that has spiritual needs. Pray for a man with a blood clot.

Journal Entry #14238

Matthew 24:15
   The real key here is to be careful to understand, just as the verse says. This reference to the abomination of desolation goes back to the prophecy of Daniel. In order to understand what exactly that means we need to remember what the disciples had asked. They wanted to know when the Jerusalem temple would be destroyed. But, they also asked about Jesus’ coming, and the end of the age. It is very crucial to keep that in mind here.
   Though the abomination of desolation that Daniel describes could find its fulfillment in the destruction of the temple by the Romans in AD 70, it could also have found fulfillment before the time of Christ when Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple. So, what we have here is catastrophic events tied to a prophecy that will be fulfilled in an apocalyptic event. The desecration before Jesus’ time, as well as the one after it, are both just a shadow of the horrible events outlined for us in The Revelation of Jesus Christ. So, though these Jewish disciples could find an answer to their immediate question in Jesus’ long answer, Jesus’ answer is like so many other prophecies of scripture. It has both a closer, and a farther, fulfillment.
   Let me interject this fair warning. If you are just beginning to learn your Bible and are immature in Christ, do not park in the middle of prophecy and expect to get fed. A good understanding of Daniel, Revelation, ancient history, and other passages of scripture is required to really understand what is going on here. This is why the verse says, let him that reads understand.

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:1-Ezra 1:11

Scripture Memory: James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful Word! It is so exciting to read about the future! It is great to know that You know it all ahead of time. May we never grow tired of studying Your book. May we always depend upon You for truth. Thank You for Your plan for the ages! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad. Pray for a woman having complications after surgery. Pray for a couple travelling this evening.

Journal Entry #14237

Matthew 24:14
   I do not see the purpose in dichotomy in the kingdom unless it has the purpose of helping us to understand the will and plan of God. Indeed, all that I have read on the subject of the kingdoms has had the purpose of helping us to understand the plans of Almighty God. However, I generally find that as human interpreters we tend to take this to extremes for some reason. More confusion than help results.
   Thus, I find that in connection with the kingdom it is best to keep in mind how God’s revelation works. He reveals truth, and we are to believe that truth. Salvation is always based on obedience and faith. This is the same thing I like to emphasize in connection with dispensationalism. No matter how many dispensations or kingdoms, or whatever you choose to see, God’s plan for salvation remains the same. Revelation changes, yes. Judgement varies on the basis of what is revealed to a person of God’s truth. But none of that changes the fact that faith in response to truth is what is really at stake.
   So, what Jesus is getting across here is that all people, Jew and Gentile alike, will have the opportunity to hear the gospel. This is meant on a national level. Every people group will have their opportunity to accept the gospel witness. Every last person may not have individually heard, but they will at the least live among a group of people that has had a chance to hear of Jesus Christ. The point here is that, when the end comes, nobody may say that they had not the opportunity to turn from their wickedness to the Holy Son. The mission of the Great Commission will be as complete as Almighty God wants it to be. Then, and only then, will the end come.

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 32:1-34:33

Scripture Memory: James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your truth. You have given us all that we need for life and godliness. We can know that we have eternal life in Your Son Jesus Christ. We can be sure of Your plans for the future. Thank You for making things plain. You are so loving and kind! May we live to lead others to Your truth! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pay and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad. Pray for a woman that may have Lupus. Pray for a man who is quite sick.

Journal Entry #14236

Matthew 24:13
   This verse and others like it have been the source of some confusion. This is only because we are looking for something where it may not be found. This verse is not about eternal security, or the lack thereof. Jesus is not teaching here that only those who are sinlessly perfect in their life here on earth will enter eternity.
   What he means here is tied to the previous verse. As things get worse and worse, the truth of God’s Word will seem the more and more distant. Those who hear the gospel will find it harder and harder to believe as we near the end. As the calamities of the end days hit the earth, trusting in God will be difficult and costly.

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1-31:21

Scripture Memory: James 2:25 “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your truth is glorious. Thank You for Your forgiveness. You love us so much and You give us such blessings. May we never miss out on all of the wonderful things You can do in our lives. May we obey You and serve you forever! You have planned it all out from the beginning. Thank You for sending Your Son to die for us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad as he recovers from heart surgery. Pray for a man with bad back pain. Pray for a man that will have surgery this week.

Journal Entry #14235

Matthew 24:12
   Although it is true to say that evil is no new thing, it seems that Jesus is here supporting the idea that things will get steadily worse and worse. The proof of this can be seen in our world today. We have more knowledge than all of the generations before us, and yet we are sadly lacking in wisdom. History has continued on, yet, rather than learning from it, we forget it, or deny it.
   Because of the increase of iniquity (which implies not just sin, but the love of it) many have grown lax and weak. Anemic Christianity is the sign of our times. Indeed, many are ready to settle for anything short of absolute heresy as gospel truth. This lack of dedication is due to the abounding iniquity. When you are around great evil, it is easy to compare yourself to the evil ones and think you are pretty good, when really your zeal is cold and indifferent.

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 25:1-28:27

Scripture Memory: James 2:25 “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and love to us. It is amazing to think that the Eternal God loves us and has our best interests at heart. We will humbly serve You, for You deserve our love and adoration. Our lives are best lived in service to You, Almighty Father. Thank You for all that You have done for us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad. Pray for a man who needs salvation. Pray for an older lady with health concerns.

Journal Entry #14234

Matthew 24:11
   There will not be an end to those who try to benefit themselves by false religion until time is out. Always we will have those who profit from the spiritual needs of their fellow man. Woe to them who would capitalize on the suffering of others! They give people false hope, and that is the greatest travesty one might commit. We are to tell the truth. Being a false prophet does nothing for You but to condemn you forever!

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 21:1-24:27

Scripture Memory: James 2:25 “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your truth. You don’t expect us to believe lies. You give it to us like it is. You don’t water it down or doll it up. Thank You for transparent truth! You have given us a foundation for our feet, and a guide for our path. May we always go in Your way! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ i pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad, who is recovering from heart surgery. Pray for a woman who just had a stroke. Pray for the middle east.

Journal Entry #14233