Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord

Scripture: Mark 1: 1-3

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Scripture Commentary: Prepare yourself for Jesus – He is coming again!

When the herald arrived in town, the people knew to prepare as someone of prominence was coming. Today through the newspapers, radio, TV, billboards, and online resources, we hear and read about who is coming to town.

John The Baptist announced and prepared the people for the coming of Jesus Christ. Even now there are heralds announcing the second coming of our Lord.

Are you ready for him? What are you doing to get ready?

Jesus promises to return, and God is not a liar. Jesus will come for us today just as he did 2000 years ago. If you haven’t done it yet, it’s time to give up your selfish way of living, renounce your sins, seek God’s forgiveness, and establish a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are living every day with the signs of His coming. Matthew 24: 7-8 says, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

We know not the time, but we know that our Lord and Savior is coming!

Read the Entire Chapter:
Mark Chapter 1

Additional Reading:
Matthew Chapter 24

Watch! Be Alert For Jesus’ Return

Scripture: Mark 13: 34-37

For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Scripture Commentary: Watch and prepare for Jesus will return

Jesus left us the keys to his father’s house. The keys are his Word, the Bible. His footprints are on the ground, in the sand and on the floor.

Our God has gone to prepare our rooms.
What are you doing to prepare for the journey? Are you a servant for God or are you self-serving? Are you God’s porter, gate keeper, or a doorman to His temple? Do you spread God’s Gospel and try your best to live a Godly life?
Be Jesus’ servant; be a gatekeeper for Him. You don’t know when the Master will return.

Prepare! You plan for events in your life, such as births, weddings, home and car purchases. Are you preparing for Jesus Christ’s return?

When God has given you another second, minute, hour or day, give thanks. Spread his gospel to as many people as possible.

Have You Rejected God After All He Has Done For You?

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8: 5-7

And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Scripture Commentary: What would your life be if God rejected you?

How would you feel if you had been taking care of someone all of their life, and they suddenly said that they wanted someone else to take care of them? You had protected them from harm, cared for them when they were sick, and loved them unconditionally. What must it feel like to be so rejected?

The Lord did all of these things for His chosen people again and again – and yet they asked for a new leader.

How many times has God taken care of you? How many times has He protected you, and worked things out in your favor? And how often have you turned away, walking in your own way, not following Him?

The Bible tells time and time again how the Israelites rejected God – and He forgave them every time. How many times have you forgotten what God has done for you? Why do you constantly look to others when God has been taking care of and protecting you?

Our obedience is weak if we ask God to lead us but continue to live by the world’s standards. Reach higher – grow in your faith. Turn to God for all things; He is waiting for you.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Samuel Chapter 8

God Said to Ask What He Should Give You

Scripture: 1 King 3: 5, 9-10

In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.(5) Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.(9-10)

Scripture Commentary: Don’t ask for help and not do your part

When you pray to God, what do you talk about? What do you ask for? Are you asking for things you think you need, or are you asking for things on behalf of others in your life?

God has given all of us gifts to use. Solomon had wisdom, but he had to use it. The gifts God has given you are meaningless if you do not use them.

Don’t ask God to help you or others, and not do your part. Use the gifts you were given to help others in His name. This gives God the glory.

The Bible tells that Solomon was wise in governing his people, but foolish in running his household. Wisdom is both the ability to discern what is best and also the strength of character to act upon that knowledge. The Bible tells many stories of people who made mistakes and squandered their gifts. This is so you can learn vicariously through others.

God shows all of us the way to behave! Amen!

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Kings Chapter 3

Why Do We Disobey and Neglect God?

Scripture: Judges 6: 12-13

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Mid’-i-an-ites.

Scripture Commentary: Why look on God as a last resort?

How much suffering could the Israelites have avoided if they had trusted God? How much suffering can you avoid if you trust God? Why does so much strife befall us?

Turning to God shouldn’t be a last resort; we should look to Him everyday. This isn’t to say life will always be easy, but God will give you strength to take you through anything.

Gideon questioned God about the problems he and his nation faced, and about God’s apparent lack of help. What he didn’t acknowledge was the fact that the people had brought calamity upon themselves when they decided to disobey and neglect God.

Are you disobeying and neglecting Our Lord?

It’s so easy to overlook personal accountability and blame our problems on others, even God. Unfortunately this does not solve our problems. It brings us no closer to God, and it escorts us to the very edge of rebellion and backsliding.

When problems come, the first place to look is within. Our first action should be one of personal accountability – confessing to God our sins that created the problem. God will lift you up, if you believe in Him.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Judges Chapter 6

The Wise Take Time to Prepare

Scripture: Matthew 25: 1-4

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Scripture Commentary: Are you wise or foolish?

Matthew 25 tells us to be prepared because Jesus Christ is coming. What about you – are you prepared?

If Jesus came today and asked you what have you done in His name, how will you answer? Have you fed the poor, visited the sick, helped someone in need or prayed for someone?

In John 14:3 Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” Help others. Show love. We are responsible for each other.

You will give an account on judgement day.

Jesus gives us the parable of the 10 virgins. Five came prepared, and five did not. The bridegroom took those who were ready to the wedding banquet, and he told the others when they returned that he didn’t know them.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 25

Additional Reading:
John Chapter 14

Judas Let Himself Be Used by Satan

Scripture: Matthew 27: 3-5

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Scripture Commentary: All of us have been in Judas’ shoes

How many times have we said or done something that we regret and wished we could have taken it back? If we truly think of the consequences of our actions before we say or do something, we wouldn’t do it. All of us are like Judas at some point.

Judas allowed Satan to use him. Consequently, we place ourselves in Satan’s hands when we let him use us.

Judas returned the silver to the priest but they refused to take it back and free Jesus. Therefore, they, too, became Satan’s instruments.

When we let ourselves slip into doing the wrong thing, we become like Judas. The Word – The Bible – shows us right from wrong, and the path to follow. It gives us the direction to travel, and all we have to do is follow God.

Forgive and forget. Love and help one another. Don’t be a hindrance. Ask “What would Jesus Do?”

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 27

Gideon Continued to Question God; Trust That What God Tells You Is True

Scripture: Judges 6: 36-39

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

Scripture Commentary: Why are we like Gideon, always testing God?

Are you like Gideon? When God tells you to do something, do you question Him? Furthermore, are you always asking Him for signs? Because Gideon asked God three times to give him a sign so that he might believe God. And He believed only after seeing the miracles.

Was Gideon testing God, or was he simply asking God for more encouragement? Are you trusting God, or do you need more signs?

Was Gideon’s motives and methods correct? What about you – do you ask for a sign when you go to God and pray for help?

God will always guide you the right way. Visible signs are unnecessary if they only confirm what you already know is true. The greatest means to God’s guidance is his Word, The Bible. If you want to have more of God’s guidance, put your life in His hands and study the Bible.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Judges Chapter 6

They That Were Ready Went In With Him

Scripture: Matthew 25: 6- 10

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Scripture Commentary: Will you be ready when the time comes?

God has planned a banquet for us … and He sent each of us an invitation to attend. Sadly, we won’t all be there. Are you ready? Why not? Because not everyone has read the instructions for how to get to the banquet.

Where are these instructions? The instructions – the roadmap – is The Bible.

The instructions are easy to understand. In Matthew 25, He gives us three parables to help us find our way. These parables tell of three separate stories of joy, foolishness and judgment.

The first parable tells of ten virgins. Five are prepared and ready to go with the bridegroom; five are not and as a result, they are not able to go to the wedding banquet.

In the second parable, a master entrusts his money to three of his servants. When he returns, the servants must give an account of what they did with the money.

Lastly God tells us how it will be when the Son of Man sits on His throne in heavenly glory. He asks a number of questions: did you feed me, give me drink, clothe me, or visit me when I was sick or in prison?

What will be your answer?

Will you be in the group that He tells, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire”? Or will you be part of the group that He tells to “take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world”?

God loves you, and He has shown you the way to eternal life with Him. Spiritual preparation cannot be bought or borrowed.

Our relationship with God must be our own.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Matthew Chapter 25

God Will Not Fail or Forsake You

Scripture: Deuteronomy 4: 29-31

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

Scripture Commentary: God will neither forsake, destroy, nor forget you

Before Moses led the people into the promised land, God had him deliver a message, and that message is still viable today. God will not forsake us; He loves and protects us.

God promised the Israelites – and He promises us- that we will find Him when we search for him with all our heart and soul. God teaches us who He is. He wants us to know Him, but we have to want to know Him.

We learn in Hebrews 11:6 that, “he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

In 1 John 4: 8, we learn that “God is love.” In Hebrews 13: 8, we learn that God is constant. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

And there’s the ultimate evidence of God’s love laid out for us in John 3:16, which says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We are not to be tempted to look everywhere for guidance. Our God is a jealous God, the kind of jealousy that is appropriate and good. His love requires our love. We must treat the Lord our God with respect and have no other before Him at anytime in our life.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Deuteronomy Chapter 4