KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, November 03, 2018
Chapters: John 12, Matthew 22
Message: Dressed For The Wedding
Hello My Friend,
As we approach the holiday season we see all kinds of things to catch the eyes of the little and big ones, many portray this as the time of year where miracles happen, people act a little nicer, give a little more, and may even try to get along with each other. What they seem to ignore is the fact that miracles happen every day, and it is not by chance, luck, or karma, it is by the grace of God. While we who know Christ believe and trust that He is the one any only living God without seeing Him face to face, the world us blind to Him, that is why we who are the light must show the Light not only through this holiday season, but all year long because seeing a saved soul whose life has changed under the Light is more believing than anything we could ever possess. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” – Ephesians 5:8-10.
Now, God has given everyone the gift of freewill, that means He gives us the choice to personally believe in Him or not, but that does not mean He will not try to influence us with miracles to make that decision. When Jesus decided to raise Lazarus from the dead, He did so to show them that He is the promised Christ the Scriptures talk about, and hopefully change some minds of those who were teetering on the matter. His plan did work, and many did believe that day, but this did not go over too well with the Pharisees nor Judas Iscariot, one of very own disciples. As Jesus sat at dinner with Lazarus, and other believers, Mary came over to Him, anointing Him.
“Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.” – John 12:1-11.
“and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” Judas was angry because he was about to steal the perfume and Mary ruined his plans when she used it to anoint Jesus. And the Pharisees only wanted to kill Lazarus because people were believing in Jesus. There is something about the name of Jesus that gets people fuming, it is really sad, and they hate anyone who believes in Him too, but in the midst there are a few who will stand by Him, they will not turn back on their faith in Him no matter what they are faced with. Why? Because they know what Jesus has done in their lives. Do you think that Lazarus, Mary, and Martha could turn on Jesus after all that He had done for all of them? On top of that, not only were Jews believe, so were the Greeks.
“The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.” – John 12:17-23,26-29.
“The hour is come,” That hour was none other than His passion, the prince of the world is none other than the devil, and the only way to escape the judgment of the world is to lift Jesus up, meaning believe in His death, burial, and resurrection. How oblivious are we that we hear something from God and ignore it? More often than we think. It is His death, His giving of His life draws believers to Him, and it is believing that saves every soul. Denying Christ never means that He did not exist, it just means He will deny them. Not all who say they know who Christ is actually do, Jesus explains this through a parable.
“And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22:1-3,8-14.
“how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.” When we stand before Christ He is going to look at our clothes and see if we are dressed for our wedding day as His bride. Many, many people will be called to the wedding feast, meaning witnessed to or having had the opportunity to know Christ personally as their Saviour, including the religious. However, they will stand there speechless as Jesus asks them why they did not put His blood upon them to save them. When Jesus returns in all His glory on Judgment Day, He will not be the meek and mild man as the first time, He will be powerful, bringing fire upon the entire earth, and will cast every unbeliever into outer darkness, along with the devil. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:11-15.
God really does not want to see anyone end up in hell, nor does He send them there, but they put themselves there when they refuse to believe. It is not harsh or cruel, it is getting people to realize that they are sinners and cannot come to Him on their own. They were at it again, the Sadducees and Pharisees out to catch Jesus do something they can pin on Him, He already silenced that Sadducees, so the Pharisees thought they would be the ones to finely get Him. “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 22:34-40.
“they were gathered together.” We all know the first ten commandments, in fact, they were the only one written by the finger of God, all ten are summed up into two, Love God, Love people. If you love God you will love Jesus, and that is clearly seen as you continue to walk with Him, if you love Jesus you will learn to love others, this is a brotherly kind of love, one that we all treat people the same regardless of their faith or how good or bad they are. No matter how many people try to discredit Jesus, they will always be put to silence. Many, many people will be witnessed to, you either believe or not, there is no in between, only those who believe and receive Christ personally as their Saviour will be saved and join Him for the wedding feast and in His Kingdom. “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” – Revelation 21:2-4.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” – John 12:47-48.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus to save us, through His death, burial, and resurrection, we have a way to be saved from hell, and not only that, be resurrected when He returns. And one day I get to rejoice at our wedding feast. Now, we know that the only way to receive that great gift is to admit that we cannot be saved without personally receiving Him as our Saviour. Lord, open the hearts of those who believe, but have not accepted and received Him. Use me to show them how much You love them too and do not want to see them in hell either. Use me as a living sacrifice to follow Your Will in my life and to glorify You in the body that You have given me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://readytofollow.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus Missions: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2018 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.