Matthew 24:14-34 - Securely Looking Forward Through History

Matthew 24-14-34-English Standard Version-14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.--The Abomination of Desolation--15 -So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place -let the reader understand-, 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days- 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ-' or 'There he is-' do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.--The Coming of the Son of Man--29 -Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will n

Matthew 23:36-24:14 Leaving an impression with everyone of us

Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. -O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it- How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing- See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'-- Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, -You see all these, do you not- Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.- As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, -Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age-- And Jesus answered them, -See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. -Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one wh

Matthew 23:13-36 - An Actor's Mask

--But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites- For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites- For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. -Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools- For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred- And you say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men- For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred- So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. -Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites- For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law- justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel- -Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites- For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee- First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. -Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites-

Matthew 23:1-12 - Different Beast of the Burden

Matthew 23-1-12 -ESV---Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees-23-Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2--The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3-so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4-They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5-They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6-and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7-and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8-But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9-And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10-Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11-The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12-Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 22:41-46, Psalm 110 - Dismaying Them Softly with His Song

Matthew 22-41-46 -ESV- -41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, -What do you think about the Christ- Whose son is he-- They said to him, -The son of David.- 43 He said to them, -How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, 44 - 'The Lord said to my Lord, -Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet- '- 45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son-- 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions. --Psalm 110 -ESV- -A PSALM OF DAVID. 1 The LORD says to my Lord- -Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.- 2 The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies- 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments- from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, -You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.- 5 The Lord is at your right hand- he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses- he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the way- therefore he will lift up his head.

2 Timothy 2:1-4 Spiritual Soldiering

2 Timothy 2-1-4 -ESV--1You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, -2and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. -3Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. -4No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

1 Peter 2:9-17 Christian Citizenship

1 Peter 2-9-17 -ESV- 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people- once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.--11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.--13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Psalm 84 - The Journey

TO THE CHOIRMASTER- ACCORDING TO THE GITTITH. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts- My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD- my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise- Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs- the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength- each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer- give ear, O God of Jacob- Selah Behold our shield, O God- look on the face of your anointed- For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield- the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you-

Matthew 22:1-14, John 2:1-12 Ready For The Wedding

Matthew 21:33-46 He offers, We know

33 -Listen to another parable- There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.--34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.--35 -The tenants seized his servants- they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.--36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.--37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said.--38 -But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.'--39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.--40 -Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants----41 -He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,- they replied, -and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.---42 Jesus said to them, -Have you never read in the Scriptures- - 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone - the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes' ---43 -Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.--44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.---45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them.--46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.