Matthew 25:28
   This principle is one of the hallmarks of Christ’s teaching. Those who have little will loose what they have, and those who have much will gain yet more. Why is this? Because it is not about how much You have, but what you do with it.

Bible Reading: Isaiah 14:1-18:7

Scripture Memory: James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your provision. You give us all that we need for Your service. We are not lacking in ability because all of the ability comes from You. You give us the strength to  live from day to day. It is only by Your grace and power that we are able to do anything that we do. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a family that just lost a loved one. Pray for a man in the hospital.

Journal Entry #14301

Matthew 25:27
   Regardless of how much the man was given, he might have made at least a marginal profit. The talent could have been invested at the bank, and though this would likely produce a lower return than the other servants generated, it would have been easy enough to achieve. Thus, the master shows how miserably this servant failed. It was not that he was just a poor manager of the talent, but that he had the wrong attitude from the outset. He did not even try to do right by his lord.

Bible Reading: Isaiah 10:1-13:22

Scripture Memory: James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this glorious day! You always do so much more than we expect. Your glory is above and beyond all that we can imagine. We are humbled before Your mighty power. May we never cease to thank You for Your wonderful mercy and grace. It is so amazing! You have made this evil world a place where hope may live because of Christ in our hearts. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for two men in the hospital. Pray for a woman with advanced cancer.

Journal Entry #14300

Matthew 25:26
   Notice that the servant is called wicked and slothful. Both of these things stem from the confessed knowledge of the servant. He was wicked because his attitude was wrong in spite of his knowledge. He was slothful because his actions were wrong in spite of his knowledge. Notice also that the master admits to the description of him gathering and reaping when he had bestowed no labor personally. But, to being a ‘hard man’ he does not admit. Why? Quite simply, he is not hard, but is abundant in mercy. He reaps and gathers from our labors because without him, we could not labor. Outside of his magnanimous beneficence, we would be doomed.

Bible Reading: Isaiah 6:1-9:21

Scripture Memory: James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You cannot be outdone. We could never serve You enough to thank You for all Your blessings. So, we will live to sing your praises. Your holiness inspires us to recognize the greatness of Your person. You are limitless and wonderful. May we always remember Your mighty power. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman considering quitting her job. Pray for a woman having shoulder surgery soon.

Journal Entry #14299

Matthew 25:25
   This seals it. The man says he was afraid. This is the spirit that works in the children of iniquity. The spirit of fear. A child of the devil can have no other spirit, for that is all the devil can offer. He was afraid, and fear kept him from blessing. That is really it. Adam knew this reaction well. It is the reaction of a guilty soul before the Holy God. It is not the reaction of one who belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians need not be motivated by fear.

Bible Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5:30

Scripture Memory: James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness to us. You have given us family and friends to support us. You listen to our prayers. You care for every part of our lives. Your Word shows us how to live. You guide us every step of the way. Thank You!  In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man with Crone’s disease. Pray for a man in poor health.

Journal Entry #14298

Matthew 25:24
   There is much here. Like the other men, he called his master lord, and yet, he did not act as if that was his true position. Indeed, he presumes to explain his precise knowledge of the master, and yet we can detect a hint of disloyalty which becomes apparent as he explains his actions. He has a rather foolish approach in that he elucidates upon the character of the master before him. This is ill-advised. The master was a good man, but it was disrespectful to address him in such a manner. The servant’s words make it sound as if the master was somehow undeserving of his profits. This is the very kind of thing that will keep many from heaven. Thinking they understand Christ better than others, they condemn themselves from their own mouth.

Bible Reading: Song of Solomon 5:1-Isaiah 1:31

Scripture Memory: James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You can never be ridiculed because Your enemies them find themselves in compromising situations. You have the last word, so to speak. The devil and all his followers can never even truly understand Your nature, let alone find a cause for accusation in Your character. You are altogether Holy! Thank You for Your faithfulness. It is great! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a a man who had surgery today. Pray for a woman starting a new job.

Journal Entry #14297

Matthew 25:23
   This is what all of God’s faithful servants want to hear at the end of their lives. It makes this journey here on earth worth every minute of it. No task is too great for the ‘well done’ of the master!

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 11:1-Song of Solomon 4:16

Scripture Memory: James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this day to serve You. Never could we say that You are not righteous. You are always right, and Your will and ways are perfect. You have given us Your Word, and You help us to serve You as we should. Thank You for Your love for us in sending Jesus to this earth. Thank You for the chance to respond to the gospel. 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 family moving to a new home.

Journal Entry #14296

Matthew 25:22
   Just like the previous man, this servant gives a good and honest accounting of his activities. He was not slothful, and gained just as much as the other in that he doubled what he had. I have often thought that this is quite a testimony to the kind of effectiveness that we may have with he Lord’s help. A 100% increase is quite remarkable. Usually a 20% to 30% return on an investment is quite nice. But, 100%, that is something only a few might accomplish. Yet, it seems that the Lord is implying that His faithful servants will experience this measure of return.

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 7:1-10:20

Scripture Memory: James 4:2 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this day and for all Your blessings upon us. You give us the opportunity to give You the praise for it all, and we will take it. You are worthy of all the praise and honor and glory. They belong to You as Your rightful possession. Thank You for being so spectacular! May we always humble ourselves before You. You have made us, and You take care of us. Thank You for Your love! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who had heart surgery. Pray for a young girl that is sick.

Journal Entry #14295

Matthew 25:21
   The essence of what the servant’s master says here is that the same faithfulness that is required to do a small job is needed for a big one. Because he could trust the man with five talents, he was more likely know to trust him with a much larger amount. And this is how it is with the Lord Jesus. Our faithfulness here and now will determine our privilege, and responsibility, later on.

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-6:12

Scripture Memory: James 4:2 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and care for us. You know just what we can handle and you help us to grow into the servants You wold have us to be. Thank You for Your nurturing care. You make us more than we could ever imagine or hope. may we always trust to Your leading. in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man in critical condition in the hospital. Pray for a woman who will have shoulder surgery soon.

Journal Entry #14294

Matthew 25:20
   This servant comes with a full understanding that all these talents belong to his master. And yet, there is a certain amount of ownership in the responsibility and faithful working practiced by this servant. his attitude is one of a trusted employee who performs well in the business and is above board and honest in his dealings. He gives a clear and honest accounting of his activities and offers no more or less than the lord expects.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 31:1-Ecclesiastes 2:26

Scripture Memory: James 4:2 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and goodness to us. You are so just and merciful at the same time. Thank You for the amazing grace that You have made known to us! 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 is not feeling well.

Journal Entry #14293

Matthew 25:19
   Though I would not for a minute try to suggest that the Lord is not coming soon, here we have the statement that the Lord returned after a long time. This simply tells me that from our standpoint, it will seem like a long time. For the Lord, of course we know that it is not that long. For one who is eternal in both directions thousands of years are but a moment. But, for us here it may seem quite a long time before his return. Because of this many have assumed that there will not be a reckoning. May this verse serve as a warning that no matter how long it seems the Lord may tarry there will come a reckoning day. He will meet with us and try our works and try our hearts. The Lord knows who are his and he knows our works and the value of them. He loves us and he will judge justly, but he will not spare those who have not obeyed such as the servant who hid his lord’s money. The attitude, the lack of obedience is the key here. Jesus shall return looking for those who obey Him, regardless of the amount of profit. He will look at the percentage due to our faithful obedience to His commands.

Bible Reading: Proverbs 28:1-30:33

Scripture Memory: James 4:1 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful beauty that You have put all around us. Even as the days get colder, and we love the warmth of the inside more and more, we remember the great grandeur of Your creation. Even in the cold our hearts are filled with the great warmth of Your power and mighty love. How can we ever stop singing Your praises? In every minute of life You give us another reason to praise Your holy name. As scripture says, may the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for an elderly woman with health issues. Pray for a family that just lost a loved one. Pray for a woman who needs to make some changes in her life.

Journal Entry #14292