Are you prepared for His coming?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
(Matthew 25:5 (NIV))

You probably recognize this as part of the parable of the ten virgins. What follows is the remaining part of this parable and what happens when they are awakened.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
(Matthew 25:6-12 (NIV))

A recent non-scientific survey indicated that 75% of the respondents believe that our churches have fallen asleep and are unprepared for the return of Jesus. The same survey indicated that approximately 33% of the respondents didn’t have a church home. These respondents stated this because all of the churches in their area were completely ignoring this part of His promise and focusing on social issues! This is just as Jesus foretold in the parable of the ten virgins. Are you prepared? Would you be a part of the wise or the foolish? Is the return of Jesus even one of your priorities?

With that question asked, exactly what are your priorities?

Do you look forward to your office parties more than you look forward to the return of Jesus? Do you look forward to the championship football game more than you look forward to the return of Jesus? Do you look forward to your vacations more than you look forward to the return of Jesus?

I could provide many more examples, but I pray that you understand what I am trying to convey. We need to take a serious look at what our priorities truly are. We must be wise and prepared. We must keep watch for the return of Jesus. It must be our greatest priority!

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
(Matthew 25:13 (NIV))

It is true that we do not know the day or the hour, but we can rest assured that we can know the season. Many are saying that now is that very season! What do you recognize as happening in the current season? Is the season making you weary?

We all need rest. We will become drowsy and fall asleep, but it is what we do in our waking hours that determines whether we are prepared. What we set as our priorities in our waking hours will determine if we are prepared. Is Jesus your greatest priority?

Are you prepared for His coming?

Copyright 1998 – 2022 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
https://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you prepared?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
(Luke 21:25-28 (NIV))

Are we beginning to see these things come to pass?

I saw something on TV that stated there have been more cosmic events in the last few years than have ever been recorded. These events, according to this show, have all sorts of repercussions including a hotter sun, higher temperatures, and warmer oceans. All of these lead to events like the ones that we saw that left New Orleans in a disastrous state. This show also made it a point to say that the tsunami in southeast Asia may have been influenced by these cosmic events.

Are these the beginning of the signs in the sun, moon and stars. I do know that nations are starting to feel the anguish and perplexity at the roaring and the tossing of the sea.

I do not begin to know God’s prophetic timeline, but I do believe that what we are seeing is no accident or no coincidence. We must look not at what the creation is experiencing, but we must continue to look at the Creator, for it is through Him that our salvation comes.

We must turn to Jesus and place our faith in Him. We must look for His return and be like the wise virgins who were prepared for the bridegroom’s return.

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
(Matthew 25:1-5 (NIV))

Are you prepared?

Copyright 1998 – 2019 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Will Jesus say that He doesn’t know you?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

“Later the others also came. `Sir! Sir!’ they said. `Open the door for us!’

“But he replied, `I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
(Matthew 25:10-12 (NIV))

I am sure that everyone knows this story, but have you ever stopped to think about the true meaning of this in detail and how it applies to your life?

Everyone who professes a faith in Jesus likes to think that they are doing what Jesus calls us to do. We all like to think that we have a faith walk this is exactly what it should be. We all like to think that we know Jesus, but does He know us?

It is human nature to exaggerate things in our lives. For example, is there anyone that you have met that is famous? If so, it is human nature to think that they know you and remember you just because you may call their name. Unless you are in their inner circle of friends, what you refer to as knowledge is nothing more than a superficial acquaintance at best.

Now for the tough questions!

Is your knowledge of Jesus more than a superficial acquaintance? Do you know Him intimately? More importantly, does He know you? This is an interesting spiral, for the more intimately that you know Jesus, He knows you!

How well do you know Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are you ready for the return of Jesus?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
(John 14:1-4 (NIV))

This passage presents several questions for those who profess a faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Your answers may surprise you!

First, I need to lay a little ground work. If you are familiar with traditional Jewish weddings, once the bride was betrothed, or engaged, the bridegroom would then go back to his father’s house and start to build or prepare a room for he and his bride. When the room was finished, he would come for his bride. This is reflected in the parable of the lamps and the oil. No one knew the day or the hour the bridegroom would come for his bride. She simply knew that at some point in time, he would return for her.

Does this sound familiar? It sounds identical to the promises that Jesus made to His bride, the body of believers.

Do you trust in God?

Do you trust in Jesus?

Do you firmly believe that Jesus is preparing a place for you?

Do you know beyond doubt that Jesus will return for you?

I want you to think about the following passage and what it has to say in regard to those who are not ready.

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
“Later the others also came. `Sir! Sir!’ they said. `Open the door for us!’
“But he replied, `I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
(Matthew 25:10-12 (NIV))

One last and very important question for you!

If you believe and answered “Yes” to the previous questions, and you are not ready, what does that tell you will happen?

Are you ready for the return of Jesus?

Copyright 1998 – 2016 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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