EXPAND TO READ: MATTHEW 24 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 44): In this verse as well as several preceding it, You are essentially telling all of Your followers to always be ready and prepared for Your return. You assure us that You will return, but that it will be at a time that nobody will know nor expect. I must admit that I have never really felt ready for Your return. I have always felt like I have so much to do in this life before Your return, so I have always hoped that Your return is not near. I have always felt like there are far too many lost souls on this earth during my lifetime that Your return can’t be soon because there are far too many who are not followers. Please forgive me for this, Father, because this goes directly against what You are telling me to do in this verse. You say that Your followers must ALWAYS be ready for Your return because only the Father knows when that time will be. Help me to be better prepared as well as more willing to be ready for Your return, Father, so that I never miss an opportunity You want me to pursue. Help me to always be prepared for when I will get to see You, so that I do not leave this life as an unprepared person who did not walk in alignment with Your will for my life, Father.
PROMISE (verse 5-8): These words are an amazing testimony because of how much I have been a witness to them in my short life. You tell us that there will be false messiahs in this world who are there simply to deceive us. You tell us that there will be wars, famines, earthquakes, and all other types of major events that must occur before Your return. You say that these are all events which are the beginning of birth pains. The birth You speak of is Your return to us when You will reign supreme over this earth once and for all! Thank You for this promise and for making me aware of the things that are happening and are to come as a necessity for Your return. Thank You for the promise of Your return, but also for the heads-up about all the things that must happen before Your return, Father.
ATTITUDE (verses 4, 42): Father, You say that we must remain alert in this life to ensure that we are not deceived and so that we are prepared for Your return. I have admitted that I have not lived a life of preparedness, but I must also say that I have not lived in an attitude of alertness, either. I guess my question to You here is, how do I truly embrace an attitude of being alert? The example You give for this verse is that on Your return, there will be two people in a field; one will be taken to You and one will be left behind. Do You mean to live in an attitude of alertness to ensure my faith is always strong no matter what is going on around me? Do You mean to live in an attitude of alertness to ensure that I am always professing Your kingdom and Your glory to others with the hopes of them being saved as well? Maybe it’s both or maybe I’m completely off here, but I must learn what it means to live in an attitude of alertness so that I may be fully prepared for Your return.
COMMAND (verses 4-5): You tell us here to be cautious in our walk in this world as there will be many false prophets, false messiahs, etc. whom we must hold caution against to ensure we are not deceived. Your command direct is to “watch out that no one deceives you.” Help me with righteous discernment, Father, so that I can be on watch at all times so that I am not deceived. I will admit that I am, unfortunately, a rather gullible person at times. I pray that I am able to truly follow this command so that I am always keeping a watch out in this life for the purpose of avoiding the deceptive practices of those I encounter. Help me to be better at this, Father, so that I may lean on Your strength, wisdom, and discernment through it all.
EXAMPLE (verses 29-31): This example You give us of Your return paints an amazing yet very scary picture of Your return. After all the wars, famines, earthquakes, destruction, and more events, You also say that the sun and moon will go dark and the stars will fall from the sky and all of the celestial powers will be shaken. At some point during these frightening events, You will have a glorious return to us. You will appear to us in the clouds with great power and glory. You will send out Your angels with a loud trumpet for the whole world to hear. You will then gather all of Your elect from all over the earth to join You in Your vast kingdom on earth. Thank You for this great example, Father. If Your return happens during my lifetime on this earth, then I pray I am not shaken by the tragic and scary events that will occur. I pray that my faith is on the foundation which You provided to me and that I do not try to step off of that foundation in any way. I pray that I do not falter or crumble in my faith by giving into the fear of those events occurring.
*DAILY NOTE: Today’s quiet time definitely took a bit of a turn as compared to the rest of Matthew. Speaking of the end times is never a “comfortable” topic to discuss as there’s quite a bit of destruction and tragedy that will occur prior to Your return. Yes, it’s all because of our own brokenness, sin, and evil ways, but You foretold it to happen because You know everything, even the decisions we’re going to freely make in the future. This doesn’t mean I should be shaken by any of these events. Yes, I may mourn as You stated in verse 30, because the events will be tragic as we will witness many deaths and many things being destroyed, but in no way should I ever falter from my faith. If anything, I should become stronger in my faith for those around me so that maybe in the end times I can bring at least 1 more person to Your kingdom. Help me with this, Father. Help me to remain strong in my faith by leaning on You through all things, so that with You by my side I may endure for those around me. Be my strength in this life, so that I may overflow Your strength to those around me, Father.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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