News Ahead of Time

Matthew 24: ¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— ¹⁶ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁹ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ²⁰ Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

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“You better make some calls” a friend told me. The company was about to go through a reorganization which is a fancy word for firing people at random. I was prepared. I made a few calls and secured a position!

• I have been blessed to have warnings I could react to in enough time.
• I have been blessed to see things coming that I could be prepared for.
• I have been blessed to hear the words of warning so I could ask for help before it was too late!

JESUS warns me about HIS imminent return but am I listening? I mean HIS description of HIS return does not sound too inviting if I were to actually read what HE is saying. False saviors, false prophets and the Anti-Christ were spoken about in JESUS’s message to the disciples and me. What should I be doing?

• GOD says to me “Have enough compassion for the world so they will not go through this horrible time.”
• GOD says to me “Prepare people for MY return on a daily basis.”
• GOD says to me “I have told you ahead of time so do the same for others.”

Instead of complaining about the leadership I need to pray for those around me to not be dullened by rhetoric of society. JESUS gives me full warning of the things that are to come. Its up to me to heed those warnings.

• What do you talk about daily?
• Do you find yourself in discussions that are about today’s leaders?
• Can you stop focusing on empty discussions and open your mouth for GOD today?

Pageant Prayer

Matthew 24: ⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ¹⁰ At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

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When the person in the beauty pageant spoke, they uttered the words “And I hope we have world peace.” I laughed at the person and turned to something more interesting. That statement made the cartoons I watched even funnier as they too mocked the pageant statement of “world peace” as if the pageant participant were aloof and out of touch.

• My cynical view of the world has prevented me from thinking it can be saved.
• My pessimistic view of the world has stopped me from going out into it to reach people.
• My skeptical view of the world has sometimes made me judge the world, condemning it to hell.

Laughing at “world peace” means I have bought in to the thought that the world cannot be saved. When I step back out of the picture false prophets step in and preach wealth gospels and health gospels. BUT GOD wants me to do something different.

• GOD wants me to stand firm in belief in HIS might to save the world.
• GOD wants me to keep my love “hot” for the world, believing it is worth saving.
• GOD wants me to preach the gospel of JESUS’s love to the whole world as a testimony to all nations.

Giving up leads me to a cynical, pessimistic, skeptical life where every word spoken from “their” mouth or mine is negative. GOD wants me to speak life through HIS power alone. HE doesn’t want me to point people to false gods rather point them to the ONE true GOD in JESUS. My prayer is for world peace.

• Have you given up?
• Have you lost your fire to love others?
• Will you drop your cynical, pessimistic, skeptical view of the world and preach JESUS’s salvation?

No Surprise

Matthew 24: ³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.

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Walking down the crowded hallway, I felt excited. I was finally at my next school and this time things would be better. I was finally away from the thugs at my old school. When the day was over we were given warnings about the travel path home. “Take only these specific safe routes when walking through the neighborhood” they told us. “Aw man! This sounds worse than my old school!”

• At one time I panicked when I heard warnings.
• At one time I got nervous when I heard something could go wrong.
• At one time I was frightened at the mere sound of danger.

JESUS told HIS disciples what was to come and the future did not sound bright at all. There would be wars, famine and lying claims of the Messiah. Then HE said “such things must happen.”

• GOD wants me to know things will go wrong in my life but HE is there.
• GOD wants me to expect trouble so I will know to pray instead of falling apart.
• GOD wants me to be aware of my surroundings so I can rely on HIM instead of freezing out of fright.

Understanding that something could go wrong made me more prepared as I walked through the shadows of thugs. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil” enables me to go without fear through troubled times, not around them.

• Are you going through troubled times?
• Are you filled with fear?
• Can you ask GOD to lead you through the times, knowing these things have to happen?

Nice Skyline

Matthew 24: Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ² “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

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Wonder filled my eyes as I approached the city on the train. I had been downtown many times, but this time I was there to see the sights by myself. I looked up in amazement. “What wonderful buildings!” I thought to myself.

• I love cities with nice architecture.
• I admire those who can plan buildings and execute putting them in place.
• I enjoy visiting cities with buildings that look like art.

Around the world I have seen buildings built with magnificent prowess. JESUS’s disciples were trying to get HIM to notice the magnificent buildings of the time, probably in awe of human accomplishment. JESUS explains what will happen to the buildings.

• JESUS says to me “Everything you do on earth is temporary except with humans.”
• JESUS says to me “Every project you build on earth will be thrown away, except those concerning humans.”
• JESUS says to me “Every accomplishment that makes humans point to other humans will be brought down, for I AM the way.”

There is something amazing about seeing a nice skyline. BUT GOD has a greater place planned for me. In other words, if I thought humans could build magnificence, wait until I see what GOD can do!. JESUS referred to HIMSELF as the temple that would be torn down and raised back up in three days. I need to admire HIS beauty alone!

• Do you admire what people do and accomplish?
• Do you want to be admired?
• Can you stop wanting the spotlight or shining the light on humans and start pointing at JESUS?

I Want To

Matthew 23: ³³ “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? ³⁴ Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. ³⁵ And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

³⁷ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. ³⁸ Look, your house is left to you desolate. ³⁹ For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

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Zealous in my position, I sought out those I could fire. I mean if you weren’t pulling your weight I would have a much needed discussion with you. This was a very long way from where I started. At one time I could not stand to see someone fired.

• Positions were important to me at one time.
• Titles were important to me at one time.
• Authority was what I sought after even at the expense of someone’s demise.

JESUS made it very, very clear of HIS plan to condemn HIS enemies to hell. Those who would do anything for power and authority would have the blood of the innocent heaped upon them. From slanderous words to the act of killing, GOD hates those who hate others. HE sees my actions and knows my ambitions.

• JESUS longs for me to desire HIM.
• JESUS often looks for me to seek HIM.
• JESUS wants me to be willing to receive the rescue HE sends me.

Spiritual blindness can be cured by giving a simple answer to this question, “Do you want to be healed?” The answer from me is “I want to.” JESUS gets delighted by that answer and blesses me abundantly!

• Are you ambitious at some else’s detriment?
• Do you believe you are doing the right thing by tearing someone else down?
• Do you want to be healed of your spiritual blindness?
• Will you say to GOD “Blessed is HE who comes in the name of the LORD” today?

Good Old Days

Matthew 23: ²⁹ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. ³⁰ And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!

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Sitting in my car, I found it difficult to get out this particular day. Looking back on simpler times made me wish I could go back and relive life at a slower pace.

• There have been times I have looked back in the past and wished I were there.
• There have been times I have looked back and thought those days were better than the present.
• There have been times I have desired to be in the “Good Old Days” versus these difficult days.

Whenever trouble pops up my mind wants to go on vacation back to a time when things were good. Unfortunately some of those “Good Old Days” caused these bad days. I easily forget that trouble existed then too. I also forget that I sinned then as I do now.

• GOD wants me to focus on HIM rather than the past.
• GOD wants me to desire a wonderful outcome rather than living in a place I cannot go.
• GOD wants me to dwell in HIM and not the past.

JESUS points out that the Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to clean the sins of their ancestors but in fact they were associating themselves with rebel mongers.

It’s funny how the mind scrubs clean my past. I mean I was rescued from myself many days by GOD and going back and reliving them would be disastrous. GOD took me through the right circumstances to grow me and HE is not finished yet. HIS plans for today are just as good as they were then,

• Are you longing for the “Good Old Days?”
• Do you think you were less of a sinner then?
• Can you focus on what GOD is doing today and praise HIM?

Nice Threads

Matthew 23: ²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

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Adorned with a matching tie, new shoes and socks that went with the suit, I was ready for church. I also had a new, unread Bible. When I arrived, I saw tight skirts and smelled perfume. “I have no idea what was said, but I’m sure I would fit in here” I thought to myself. “I mean I look pretty good too!”

• Why did I gather when my heart was filled with lust?
• Why did I attend church when I wanted to be in a club?
• Why did I look at GOD’s children as something I could eventually mistreat as common.

My attitude towards church was that it was a gathering made for me. If I did not like the message or the way people were dressed, I would eventually leave and try again. I found a place where I could hear about GOD and lust at the same time! What a deal! BUT GOD wanted different.

• GOD wanted me to care more about my insides than out.
• GOD wanted me to go to church caring about people not staring at them.
• GOD wanted me to seek to be cleansed from the inside.

Dead and unclean were the words JESUS used to describe the Sadducees and Pharisees. They would bring business deals, lust for power and lust for humans into the church while wearing nice garments and proud smiles. Respected in the community, they pranced before men.

GOD wants me to act different. HE wants me to go to church, ready to confess at the drop of a hat. HE wants my insides to become clean more than the outside.

• Do you pay a lot of attention to clothes?
• Are you trying to dress to please people?
• Can you stop trying to please others and let GOD clean your insides?