Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …Please take 20 seconds to take in a YouTube declaration … strongly proclaiming the reality that Jesus is coming again … SOON!!
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Highlight Verse[s]: John 20:14 [NLT] … 14 She [Mary Magdalene] turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. … The context of the moment confused Mary’s recognition of The Messiah.
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Highlight Passage [context]: John 20:13-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Mary Magdaline was confused when she saw Jesus outside the tomb.
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Reference Passage : … Matthew 24:36-42 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus teaches on the confusion of our times and the lack of recognition of the urgency of being ready for His coming again.
Reference Passage : … Luke 24:13-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Two men walking to Emmaus after the crucifixion didn’t recognize Jesus as He encountered them.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Elisa Morgan, uses a personal story to illustrate how we often have trouble seeing the truth at times because of the context of the circumstances in our times. The ODB author writes … As I queued up to board my flight, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned and received a warm greeting. “Elisa! Do you remember me? It’s Joan!” My mind flipped through various “Joans” I’d known, but I couldn’t place her. Was she a previous neighbor? A past coworker? Oh dear . . . I didn’t know.
Sensing my struggle, Joan responded, “Elisa, we knew each other in high school.” A memory rose: Friday night football games, cheering from the stands. Once the context was clarified, I recognized Joan.
So often we see things in the context of the moment; and it can be confusing the ODB story illustrates. I can recall an instance which occurred shortly after I was transformed by Christ from my former angry atheist self to a new man in my new faith. And the first day I went to the church I now serve as an Elder Emeritus [a God story in and of itself], I encountered a dear colleague I had worked with for years who knew me only as a cynical atheist. When she saw me that day in the church, she said, “What are YOU doing here?” When she learned of my conversion, she was delighted, and she now even follows this blog; but on that day, seeing ME in the context of church was confusing.
Today, in the attached photo, we see the depiction of Mary Magdalene being confused when she saw Jesus at the tomb [see highlight passage]; and from the Luke 24 passage, the two disciples not being able to truly see their Messiah as they walked to Emmaus after the crucifixion. Both passages depict how easy it is to let the context of our circumstances hide us from the reality of our relationship with Christ.
In the Matthew 24 passage linked above, Jesus teaches about what will happen when He comes again to retrieve His Bride, the Church, … the reality that MANY will not be ready to receive Him as Savior and Lord. I pray that all reading here will not be confused by the context of our lives and are ready … ANY TIME … ANYWHERE … when Jesus comes again.
ARE YOU READY?!!
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your promise to come again soon.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to be ready for Jesus to come for us; … yes, maybe even today! … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
1 comment:
Wonderful, Bill! My mom was the first believer in our family, when she was 40, due to a small group women's Bible Study group of real people with real problems. But also with the real Lord Jesus in their hearts! 💖 Talk about confusion in my family after she entrusted her life to Jesus! Instead of sitting around the house smoking, watching soap operas (she did more than that), she started playing the piano again with songs strange to me, like "Amazing Grace". There was an unusual expression of happiness about her. We thought this change would soon go away--but when it didn't, I wanted a piece of the action! 😁 I was 13 then & started going to choir practice with her. We stiil sang the old hymns that were new to me. Some would bring tears to my eyes. And so led my path in coming to know Jesus as my Savior!
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