KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, November 07, 2018
Chapters: Matthew 25
Message: Prepared To Meet Your Groom
Hello My Friend,
It occurred to me as I was reading the chapters for today that there are so many people who actually know who Jesus is, even acknowledges that He in the only way to God and heaven, and believe the Gospel to be true, but what they do not know is how to get saved. You see, religion is good at telling people that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that none should perish, but is bad at telling people that they must receive Him as their Saviour. I mean, I know this, but it is really popping out at me today. There will come a time when we will all face Jesus, and He is either going to say, “Welcome my good and faithful servant.”, or “Depart, I never knew you.” “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” – Matthew 7:23-23.
It is really said when you stop and think about all the people that die and end up in hell because they were never shown how to accept Jesus as their Saviour. We cannot pray someone into salvation, each person must ask Him themselves to save them. The time was coming, Jesus knew that the prophecies concerning His betrayal, capture, and crucifixion were about to come to pass. That did not stop Him from teaching as many as He could about the Gospel before that was about to happen. To explain further, He gave a parable about ten virgin women with ten lamps, awaiting their grooms return. Five were wise and took enough oil for their lamps to wait for him while the other five were foolish, did not have enough oil for their lamps.
“And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” – Matthew 25:8-13.
“Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” This is not an actual marriage between a man and woman, this is a spiritual marriage, Jesus is the groom, the wise virgins are the ones who received Him as their Saviour and were prepared for His coming. The foolish virgins are the ones who believed in Him, but never received Him as their Saviour so, when He arrived to gather His bride they were not there, the door was shut, and were not able to get in. To receive Christ as your Saviour is like a marriage, a union, you become one, and you are never to be separated, even unto death. I have heard many people say they do not want to get saved right now because they do not want to give up the life they live. Too many people die and end up in hell because of that reason, they, like the foolish virgins, were not prepared then when their time on earth was up, the door was locked shut, and they when they tried to get Him to open the door it was too late. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” – Revelation 3:20.
To further explain why it is not only important to know the Gospel, but receive Christ also, Jesus speaks another parable, three servants who were given money to invest it and what happened to the servant who did not.
“After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 25:19-21,24-30.
“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness:” This is a person who believes the Gospel, knows they need Christ as their Saviour, but never received Him. This is an example of a religion, fully knowing and acknowledging that Jesus saves, yet does not know or teach one how to be saved. “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” – Matthew 23:13.
Whether we choose to believe it or not, we will all face Jesus one day, it is wise to face Him with Him knowing who we are. Jesus gives the disciples a glimpse as to what it will be like when He returns to earth as King.
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” – Matthew 25:31-37,40.
“Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee?” We do not realize it, but every good thing we do for others, whether it is helping them find something in a store, hugging, texting loving words, or waiting up until midnight to make sure your loved one gets home safe, we are serving Jesus. What a blessing it is to just minister to people in the love of Christ. “Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” – I Peter 4:9-11.
One day Jesus will sit on a throne here on earth, when that day comes all will bow to Him, but not all will join Him in His Kingdom. Jesus gives the disciples a glimpse as to what it will be like when He returns to earth and reigns as King, keep in mind that those who were saved already will be taken up in the clouds when all this happens. This is a description of the Judgment, and an explanation of the former parables.
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” – Matthew 25:41-46.
“Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these,” To read this without knowing Christ saves by grace and not works one would think that in order to keep our salvation we must do good. This is incorrect thinking, what Jesus means by this is that you can do all the good you want, expecting it will take you to heaven, but unless Jesus Christ acknowledges you as one of His you might as well be trying to get a balloon to float up in the air using our own air to inflate it. Yes, we can put the air that comes from our breath into a balloon to blow it up, but it is full of dead weight, the balloon will immediately sink to the ground, but if you use helium, it is full of life and will cause the balloon to float, way up into the air. Think of our own breath as dead works, they will never take us to heaven. Think of helium as Jesus Christ, He is the life that enters our soul and will take us to heaven. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” – John 17:3.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” – Matthew 25:34.
Today’s Prayer: God, I have chosen today to stand by You, and minister unto You however and wherever you need me. When things are going great, when I am being persecuted, when I feel all alone, and it seems like life is falling apart, I will stand by You. Nothing gives me more comfort, hope, and peace than when I remind myself that You are with me, even when I fall, I know You will pick me back up because You never leave nor forsake me. And although I know my works do not save me, I know that my faith and acceptance of Your Son in my life does. Let me never lose the joy of my salvation and let me never forget that You love me and that Christ lives in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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