Category: Uncategorized

Matthew 25:6
   Notice the suddenness of the call. There was no time to prepare now. The bridegroom was present. He was on His way, and there was nothing to do but to go to meet Him. The time to be ready had come and gone. So it is. Jesus will come, and those who are ready will be ready and those who are not will not. And that’s it.

Bible Reading: Psalm 120:1-131:3

Scripture Memory: James 3:14 “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we look forward to that time when we shall see the Lord Jesus. We are so excited about Your plan and want to live prepared for the next step in You program. We do not want to be found lacking in our service to You. Thank You for the hope we have in Christ! It is wonderful to live lives of expectancy. Looking forward to His arrival is not a disappointing activity. It gives us new life and hope every day. May Christ be praised! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man in the hospital. Pray for a woman who will be travelling this week. Pray for a man undergoing difficult medical treatments.

Journal Entry #14279

Matthew 25:5
   While in this world, the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous is not always immediately apparent. On the surface, it may seem, there is quite a bit of similarity among all persons. However, this is only because that the righteous must live in this present evil world. The similarities end there. There can be found no comfort for the wicked in the fact that God’s children are required to walk this earthly vale as well as they. On the contrary, it is a condemnation of the wicked that the righteous maintain faith in spite of the mundane circumstances of life.

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:86-176

Scripture Memory: James 3:14 “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for helping us every step of the way. Your provision for our souls is such a comfort to our hearts and minds. You alone truly care for us. All else have come to steal and destroy. You only can be trusted with our lives, for only You are worthy of trust. May we never cease to praise Your Holy Name! You cannot be touched with the filth of this world, and though we walk through it, we can be free from it by the blood of Christ. Oh Father, may we never lose sight of You Dear Son! He is all to us! I love You, Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman with pleurisy. Pray for a woman battling pneumonia. Pray for a man being treated for several medical conditions.

Journal Entry #14278

Matthew 25:4
   Though the world sees it as foolishness, there is much comfort in the prepared state of the Christian life. When we live a prepared life, a life that is always in tune with the eternal, we are ready for every eventuality. Death may not take us unprepared. Judgment may not fall upon us. God’s wrath is not our destiny. No scheme of man can be a final end to our hope. Thus, living prepared, is living ready to go. Without this state, the circumstances of life are an endless barrage of unexpectedness. The curves of life throw us under the bus, so to speak. With this preparedness in place, we live life instead of life living us. It is the difference between a temporary human living a transitory life, and a citizen of heaven living part of our existence here on earth. This life is, for the prepared, only a part of the overall picture. It is but a temporary home.

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:1-85

Scripture Memory: James 3:13 “Who is a wise man and endued with wisdom among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for answered prayer! You know our every need before we ask! Thank You for Your reassurance as we bring before You our loved ones. You know our hearts and that we will always ask for Your blessings. How can we ask for anything else from You? You are the Source of every good thing. You alone have our best interest at heart. Never let us forget Your amazing love! Thank You for Your Son and the mercy that we have through His shed blood on Calvary. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman with a painful pleurisy in her lungs. Pray for a woman battling pneumonia. Pray for a man having minor surgery. Pray for a couple that is travelling.

Journal Entry #14277

Matthew 25:3
   There are many who begin in Christ, but are yet not His. They start out in the right way. They think they have the Spirit. They presume that they are right with God. They live better than they had. They say all the right words and do all the right things. Yet their lives lack the transforming power of The Christ. They are none of His. They have tried to be good, but yet have loved this present world.

Bible Reading: Psalm 114:1-118:29

Scripture Memory: James 3:13 “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we have not the ability to handle this life. You must carry us through this long journey. Father, You alone know all that we will face and You can guide us through every step of the way. When we don’t understand, You are here with us to help us through each moment. You give us Your Word to comfort our hearts. How can we turn from You? You alone care for the thoughts of our souls. You alone offer strong consolation as One who understands our hurts and sees our suffering. Can we find that in any other? There is none else beside You, Almighty Father. You only love us with that unconditional everlasting love that You have promised to us. We will not turn from Him with Whom we have to do. You are our Lord, and the Master of our lives. We will make our supplication to You and You alone. For nobody else has the ears to hear us with. There is no other Source of Knowledge or Compassion in the universe. We will make our cry to The Christ! I love You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who has very bad upper respiratory congestion. Pray for a man with shoulder pain. Pray for a man having trouble with his appendix.

Journal Entry #14276

Matthew 25:2
   In our day we have so many who would think that Jesus is on their side. They define Jesus their own way. Thus, their foolishness never becomes a burden to them as it should. They live in denial, thinking that the judge of all the earth is happy with them. But, obviously, Jesus does see much foolishness in this world, and He knows who are His. The wisdom of the child of God does not make us somehow better than others in an innate sense, but we are in a better class of people by His grace alone.

Bible Reading: Psalm 108:1-113:9

Scripture Memory: James 3:13 “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I love Your truth. It is wonderful to know that at any time we may open Your Word and find absolute truth. We need not live with the lies of the world. We don’t have to go forth with the uncertainty of this world’s system, but can look to Your kingdom. We can live in Your way and follow Your precepts. Happy are Your servants! They may joy in their Master, no matter the labor. May we accept from Your hand all that You give us, and live our lives dependent upon You for all of our needs. We can know that You care in every situation. I love You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman battling pneumonia. Pray for a single mother that is feeling depressed. Pray for a missionary couple in Guyana.

Journal Entry #14275

Matthew 25:1
   We see the word ‘then’ and ask, when? The answer, based on where we are in Christ’s discourse form the last chapter, is that this is concerning the time of the second coming. The arrival of the bridegroom would be the second coming itself. Thus, this does not directly address us in this church age, as the church will be taken out at the rapture. However, the same kind of admonition applies now. It is for this reason that many have seen it that way. And, it cannot hurt to do so, for we need to remember that, whether we speak of the rapture or of the second coming, the attitude towards the Lord, and the preparation for Him, are to be the same.

Bible Reading: Psalm 106:1-107:43

Scripture Memory: James 3:12 “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for life! You have given to us life and hope that we may live as only You can enable us to. You have all the authority and power in heaven and earth. May we never lose sight of Your wonderful greatness! I praise You for all of Your mighty works, and the holiness that is the paramount of Your being. You are God alone and there is none to be compared with You. Thank You for Your Son, and the beautiful plan of salvation that You laid out for us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man struggling through radiation treatments. Pray for a young couple to have safe travels on their honeymoon. Pray for a young man with many life issues.

Journal Entry #14274

Matthew 24:51
   This is one of many places in the Bible where we see the reality of the final judgement. Though Jesus will ‘cut asunder’ these hypocrites, He will place them with others like them and there shall be anguish as a result. This is not the description of annihilation, but of the continued eternal judgement of the lake of fire.
   For one thing, most people would not anticipate Jesus cutting anyone asunder. Quite frankly, these are part of the many people who try to understand Jesus without reading what the Bible has to say about Him. Jesus is God, and as God He will judge the living and the dead. He will execute His Divine wrath upon His enemies.
   The weeping and gnashing of teeth here describes the condition of those who are eternally in the torments of the lake of fire. Some will weep, realizing too late the foolishness of their failure to obey Christ. The gnashing of teeth comes from those who will spend eternity mad at God, still thinking themselves better by their own pride.

Bible Reading: Psalm 103:1-105:45

Scripture Memory: James 3:12 “Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for this new glorious day of Yours! You have made it and all that is in it and given me the opportunity to live for You in it. You are faithful to us. You never fail and You holiness is always absolute. May we never cease to praise Your glorious name. All praise and honor be the the Lord God Almighty! He is the God of all, reigning for all eternity! You are worthy, oh Lord, of all that my heart can sing. You are worthy of all that my mouth can say. You are worthy to be the center of all that I know and am. You make me what I am, and more and more each day. Thank You for Jesus! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who is awaiting the results of several biopsies. Pray for  a woman with knee problems that keep her up at night. Pray for an elderly woman who is making a big change in her life right now.

Journal Entry #14273

Matthew 24:50
   The suddenness of the coming of the Lord is a part of the judgement of God. His wrath will come as in a moment. This is His design and plan for what He will do. For those who are already prepared for the program of the Christ, this is no problem, but for the rest it is a fear. Such is the import of prophecy. It is here to warn us to be prepared ahead of time. It is not a blow-by-blow of all that will happen and when. Jesus has no intention of revealing every detail to us. Instead, His words are meant to cause action now so that we may be prepared then.

Bible Reading: Psalm 96:1-102:28

Scripture Memory: James 3:12 “Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are so holy! Your righteousness shines throughout history as an amazing testimony to Your faithfulness. Any honor and truth and justice that may be found in our lives is from You. You are the Inspiration, Source, and Authority behind all righteousness in our lives. We cannot be ‘good’ without You. It is not even possible. You are a Light shining in the dark night of sin. Your Lamb shines forth before us showing the way of salvation that He has purchased by His own blood. Jesus is the Preeminent One! He is above and beyond and over all things. He has the dominion over the earth. We may live as men and women in His kingdom only. Without Him we are but impostors in this world. Like the devil, we are foreign to the way of things as they should be if we are devoid of Christ. He is our lifeline! He is our existence! He is our only hope! Thank You, Father, for The Christ! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for the lost. Pray for many who are diseased in third-world nations.

Journal Entry #14272

Matthew 24:49
   One of the most important elements of the Christian life is the sense of the presence of Christ. Jesus is always with us. This much He promised to us when He left for heaven. Now this is not some kind of out-of-body float around our head manifestation of a ghost of Christ or something. Jesus gave to us the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ. He is resident in each born-again child of God in a very real way. Indeed, without Him in us, our spiritual life would be, as with the lost, non-existent. He is vitalizing that spiritual part of us. He indwells our very being. Thus, His presence with us is not just some reassuring promise of His care, which we do have, but it is far more. He is literally in residence in us.
   This is no less a miracle than the incarnation of Christ Himself in the sense that it is amazing to our natural sentiments. Those who are unaware of the presence of Christ are either doing despite the Spirit within them, or are none of His to begin with. To grieve the Spirit of Almighty God is a serious problem indeed. We must consider the ramifications. Many, it seems, are quite content to say that they are saved, having this heavenly gift in their life and heart, and yet live in contrast to the power and authority of The Christ.

Bible Reading: Psalm 90:1-95:11

Scripture Memory: James 3:11 “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing care for us! Your care is not just comforting, it is complete. We tend to relate to You like a good friend or family member. Though those living illustrations of Your care are accurate, we must remember that they are imperfect as we are. Your care is perfect, strong, faithful and true. You give us just what we need just when we need it. We will not always understand Your care either. Like a father or mother when we are young, we may not understand how You are providing for us. We have to learn to trust. Thank You for Your patience with us! You are infinitely higher than all that we might expect. You can do what we could never conceive of. May we always trust Your leading. You are perfectly, wonderfully holy and will always do what is best and guide us in the right way for our steps. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a young man that needs to be saved. Pray for an older lady with pneumonia. Pray for a young family battling sickness.

Journal Entry #14271

Matthew 24:48
   The attitude of individuals towards Christ makes all the difference. This evil servant represents those who, knowing the truth of God’s Word, fail to take it seriously. Keep in mind here that Jesus is referring to His second coming at this particular point. There will be manifest evidences of the coming of Christ at that time, but it will be an exceedingly difficult time for the faithful. Thus, many, knowing that Jesus is Lord, and that He is bound to come soon, will think He is not coming ‘right away’ and will be carried away by the great falling away from the Lord that shall be going on in this era.
   Indeed, likely Jewish Christians at the time of the second coming are in view mainly here. They should know that Jesus is Lord, but like the rest of us, temptation to laxity is great. Keep in mind too that knowing Jesus is one’s Lord does not necessarily make a person a child of God. No saved person would deny or resist that fact, but the lost man may believe it even if it does not change him in practice. At the time of the end, all will have to admit that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Bible Reading: Psalm 85:1-89:52

Scripture Memory: James 3:11 “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your love! You have made Your plan and purpose in all things as clear to us as need be. We cannot say that we have not seen the great mercy of Almighty God! For You, who made the heavens and earth, to allow us to be redeemed after our rebellion against You, oh that is just like You! You are just and pure. Our evil does not prevent Your holiness. You have not turned back from Your gracious plan in spite of our disgusting sin. In fact, You have made a way for us to be changed into something so much more that we could ever hope. We may be, in Christ, new creations. We do not have to remain held down by this evil sin nature that has changed our bodies into living graves. We may look towards an eternal future of life and growth and creativity and love and fellowship and friendship and praise for You and enjoyment of all that is real and good and beautiful! This is surely the life that is meant for our souls! You have put eternity in our hearts, and we cannot but think that eternity is our rightful home. Truly, without sin it would be. Thus, You have taken aside the great enemy of our life, the bane of our existence. To live in Christ is to live free from the power of the degrading influence of the course of nature in sin. To be in the Spirit of Christ is to live with the ability to match the beauty of all that we might imagine about You and Your universe with the actual state of our own selves. We may be more that brute beasts with a mind that makes us mad. We may be glorious creations of the Eternally Self-Existent Lord God Over All. And we may enjoy and serve You forever! Thank You for the Christ! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for my Dad as he continues to recover from heart surgery. Pray for us, as we recover from being ill. Pray for a man awaiting some important results from medical testing. Pray for a man with sugar. Pray for a family that travels for ministry and needs a new motor home.

Journal Entry #14270