Matthew 24:31-46

On a blackboard this week there was a quote written that makes me think of what Jesus says n Matthew25:37-40.The quote is,”If the reality of God doesn’t change you,it’s not the reality of God”.Jesus describes what the hearts&lives of the “righteous” will look like when he says,”Then the righteous will answer him,saying,’Lord,when did we see you hungry & feed you,or thirsty & give you drink?&when did we see you a stranger & welcome you ,or naked &clothe you?&when did we see you sick or in prison & visit you?’&the King will answer them,’Truly I say to you,as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it for me’.”N Matthew25:31-46, Jesus is describing the difference between those that are genuinely changed by personally knowing Christ,& those that are not..”changed by the reality of God”.When we trust Christ as our Savior&Lord,He places His Holy Spirit n us,& the work of the Holy Spirit begins n us & we are made “different”....MADE NEW!2Corinthians5:17 says,”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”This means that IF I am truly “in Jesus”,then the way  I think,the way I live,& what makes my heart beat...becomes more&more like the Ways of Jesus!I am changed from the old ways,and made NEW.N these vs of Matthew,Jesus gives me ways to get a personal “read” on how well my life&heart are doing with His Work of change n my life!He says that I will b having not only His Empathy for people that come n2 my life,but that I will b compelled by genuine/unselfish/sacrificial “action/response” without any thoughts of “look at what good thing I am doing to b like Jesus”,or “what blessings should I get for this good thing I am doing?”,or “I am more like Christ than others because...”.A sign that we have been MADE NEW is when we don’t even think about these things,but we just “do” because of our New Heart compelling us!This New Heart,Jesus says is the “identifier” of those that are His sheep n Matthew25:31-33,”...and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats...”Jesus is saying that when I respond without any of the above selfish thoughts,it is a pretty good sign that I am HIS.By the same token,when I respond w any of the above selfish thoughts,it is a pretty good sign that there is “MORE WORK” 2 b done in “making me new”,& that I need to ask the question “what is changing me to respond the way I respond/live the way I live?”If I have any of the above selfish thoughts/motivations,then “what is changing me”,is “an imposter”...NOT the “reality of God ”!Dear Jesus,oh my,Your Words n these verses have opened my eyes to so many things n my life that r not the result of Your Spirit n me,but that of an imposter.Please “invade” these areas of my life w the Power&Authority of Who You are...change me & make me new n every part of my life,to be like You n every part of my life.

Matthew 25;1-30

If someone wraps a gift of great value & gives it to me,I will not know what it is,let alone it’s value 4 me unless I accept the gift and then open it.Even then,if I open it,the gift’s value may not b something I know unless I seek 2 understand what it is,how 2 put it together,how 2 use it,&how 2 take care of it so that it grows 2 become what the giver intended it 2 b for me.The MIRACULOUS GIFT The Lord has given me is like a gift that is always becoming more of what I need,as it also becomes more&more a source of all things I was made 2 b blessed w...2 have true joy from...realize true purpose from/true fulfillment from.As I seek 2 “discover” more&more about what The Lord has given me through His Mercy&Grace...I will become increasingly filled w the JOY that HE pours out through HIS GIFT that is always growing,reaping more&more “dividends” than ever could b imagined by me.This is some of what Jesus is talking about n Matthew25:1-30.N vs1-13,10 virgins r given lamps.5 virgins appreciate the unique value of what the lamps offer,& “read the instructions” enough 2 know they must fill the lamps w oil in order 2 continue having the benefit of The Lamp(Psalm119:105,”Your Word is a lamp unto my feet & a light 4 my path.”) n their lives.These virgins continue 2 fill their lamps w oil,& even find ways 2 store up oil so that their Lamps will never grow dim.God has offered me the ONLY Gift w endless blessings for me,&everlasting Joy that surpasses all understanding,always&n all things!If I appreciate the significance of His Gift,I will b like the 5 virgins that will seek ways 2 find oil,&store it up(His Word)!N vs14-30,Jesus tells of 3 people that were given exactly what they could handle,&what would enable them 2 “grow”.The Wise Landowner knew just the right amount that would not overwhelm these 3,&yet exactly what they could “handle”.2 of the 3 “take the risk” of trusting the Landowners wisdom of giving them this opportunity.The other 1 chose 2 do nothing w what the Landowner had given him,& buried the gift.The 2 that trusted & “valued” what the Landowner offered,enjoyed “the joy of your master”(vs21b,&23b).The other did not!These 2 parables convict me of how I have failed 2 recognize so much of what Jesus desires 2 give me through His Word,& by stepping out 2 truly trust Him w the principles&precepts He offers through His Word,& through investing His Ways n2 my life & through my life.Dear Lord Jesus,forgive me 4 being so much like the 5 virgins that failed 2 value Your Lamp,and even more like the 1 man that buried his “talent”.Rattle me from the inside w Your Word&by Your Spirit so that these areas of my life r loosened,and shaken free from my life.Make me like the 5 virgins that knew & appreciated Your Lamp,& like the 2 men that trusted You!

Matthew 24:1-12

Jesus has concerns “over” the lives/hearts of those that are His,especially that we will take seriously the significance of “developing” personal spiritual discernment&maturity.YES,The Holy Spirit is ever present 2 b our helper & our guide.But,the enemy of God(&of we who belong 2 Him)is constantly scheming ways 2 lure us away from TRUTH.If the enemy is successful n slowly/incrementally veering our hearts&minds away from TRUTH(revealed through God’s Word&Spirit),then the devil enhances his potential of leading us astray & ultimately fooling us n2 worshipping/following a False Christ...&”heeding”a false spirit(s).     Jesus boils the schemes of the devil down 2 TWO BASIC strategies n Matt24.The 1st is,”See that no one leads u astray.4 many will come n my name...& they will lead many away”(Matt24:4-5).The 2nd is Jesus’ concern 4 our faith n HIM 2 b steadfast when all sorts of challenges&conflicts come n2 our lives and n2 the world around us(“And u will hear of wars & rumors of wars.See that u r not alarmed,4 this must take place...”(Matt24:6-8)).For us 2 battle both of these “strategies”,Jesus encourages us 2 develop SPIRITUAL MATURITY&SPIRITUAL ENDURANCE becuz,”At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”(Matt24:10-12).Our times r riddled w those from w/in the Body of Christ leading His followers away from His Truths as revealed n the Bible,ever veering some toward false teaching and a False Christ.We r also increasingly threatened by all sorts of scary things going on all around us,n our families;our neighborhoods;our country;the world,which create “stressors” n our lives that test our faith.But,Jesus says that “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”Jesus is calling us to a SPIRITUAL MATURITY&SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT,that the author of Hebrews talks about w a sternness revealing the same concern that Jesus does;”We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”(Hebrews5:11-14).These verses n Hebrews tell us that we must “TRY TO(seek to) UNDERSTAND God’s Word;His Character;His Heart;Who HE IS;His Ways,etc.,so we will not b fooled away from HIM by anything!Jesus warns that HIS enemy will attempt everything,from within the walls of the Church,& all the stressors n our lives..2 lure us away from HIS TRUTHS.Dear Lord Jesus,open my eyes&heart 2 the desperate need n my life 2 SEEK YOU/2 TRY 2 UNDERSTAND You;Your Word;Your Ways..with the HELP of YOUR HOLY SPIRIT develop n me the maturity&discernment that Hebrews6:11-14 r calling me 2.

Matthew 23

N the 7 woes of Matthew23,Jesus warns us of what makes up the core of everything that keeps us from a true relationship w Him,& turns our lives away from being true benefactors of Who He is,& away from WHAT He alone can provide 4 us...the “life more abundant”.In essence,these 7 Woes r what rob us of the abundant life Jesus desires 2 give us(John 10:10,”The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly").These “troubling 7 woes” boil down to issues of insincerity;hypocrisy;arrogance;pride;narcissism;legalism;piety;&greed.Wherever 1 of these characteristics exists...they all exist n 1 way or another.They r intertwined,usually “hidden” “beneath the surface” of our lives & IN our heart.These “Woes” turn our hearts “inside-out”(deadening our heart)making us more concerned about how we “appear” to those around us than what is “going on IN our hearts/minds”-more concerned with how others perceive us than what&who we truly are(Matt23:27b-28,”For you r like whitewashed tombs,which outwardly appear beautiful,but w/in r dead people’s bones & all uncleanliness.So u appear righteous 2 others,but w/in u r full of hypocrisy & lawlessness.”).This hypocrisy robs us of LIFE,making us dead 2 sincerity,&causing us 2 live lies(dead peoples bones...).We battle hypocrisy by becoming honest&transparent w God first,and then others-with God’s wisdom&discernment.We battle lawlessness(lack of respect&honor n & thru or lives for God’s Word),by seeking 2 learn/know God’s precepts&principles 4 a Holy life & assimilating these INTO our life.When we allow these things to knead INTO our heart/life(through Christ alone),what happens” on the outside of our life is a reflection of what Christ is doing on the “inside of our life”...&we begin 2 experience the life more abundant that is a Gift of Christ!And the “Woes”....they “fade away” from our life.Dear Jesus...,I have some of these woes n my life that have deadened parts of my heart/life.Forgive me...& please do what needs 2 b done IN me,so I might b ALIVE in every part of my life,w the life more abundant that You want me to have

Matthew 22:1-14

Almighty God,n HIS over abundance of Love,offers everyone an invitation 2 His Mercy&Grace!Tragically,many don’t even “RSVP”!Let alone “show up”!God’s Overwhelming Love is proven in the Persistence/Patience/Mercy/Grace of His “Invitation Message”!Jesus talks about this n Matthew22:1-14.A wedding is intended 2 b the celebration of a covenant forged w “Commitment&Love”!A covenant that “creates” a union intended 2 never b separated!The wedding that Jesus is talking about here is THE ONE that God is the “COVENANT KEEPER” of!The significance of this wedding is that it is the MOST JOYOUS of ALL CELEBRATIONS!The ONE that Almighty God conveys HIS LOVE,& the BESTOWING of HIS GLORY on HIS Bride(those that Trust Christ as Savior&Lord).Such a CELEBRATION compels those who “appreciate” the significance of it 2 “get cleaned up”&”dress appropriately”2 attend!God offers the “cleaning up”,&”the appropriate clothing” 2 us through Christ alone-His Mercy&Glory bestowed on those that turn to Christ 4 His Saving Mercy&Grace 2 become their “New Identity”!Jesus says that there is man who “shows up”,that is not “appropriately dressed”! This man has “answered the invitation” & “showed up”!But,he has not truly honored the significance of the invitation,nor WHO invited him.We do the same thing when we have a “show up” attitude n our lives about Jesus,& don’t internalize the significance of what Jesus invites us to,nor appreciate the “dress requirements”! We don’t have 2 go out of our way to find the right soap to wash with(legalistic thinking&actions),& the “right things to wear”....,Jesus provides both through His Blood & His Holy Spirit when we truly accept His invitation and commit to follow Him.This is how our lives r “clothed” to identify us as True ATTENDEES of the celebration,and not “imposters”that answered the invitation but did not take to heart what the “INVITER” was offering!These imposters want to be at the celebration,but don’t really appreciate “This Celebration” above any others n their lives!To just answer the invitation w a “show up” attitude is an indication of our lack of appreciation for what Jesus alone can & does offer us!N fact,this attitude flowing n&through our life may sadly mean that we could be an imposter!This “insincerity/imposter” n my life needs 2 b checked & dealt w!Jesus offers this Help through His Word & His Spirit...so my life “processes/challenges/experiences”,etc.,may all  become part of the PREPARATION for my “attendance” to HIS CELEBRATION!Dear Lord Jesus,may my innermost parts know the significance of what YOU have invited me to!And May YOUR WORD & YOUR SPIRIT always b “processing & preparing” me for YOUR GREATEST of all Celebrations.