Mary and Her Gift

Matthew 26:7,10,13,  Mark 14:9,  John 12:3, 6
Matthew 26:7:
"a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.-
10:

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 13: "I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark: 14:9 "Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” John 12:3 "Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 6: “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial."   Lord, there are so many religions in this world who give no worth to women.  Here You honored a sinner; a woman who showed her deep devotion and gratitude to You .  The disciples saw her as extravagant and wasteful, but You rebuked them and gave her honor.  That is precious!  She was not trying to showboat or earn points with You.  And true to Your word, she is still remembered today.   Thank You, Lord, for elevating us women to the same place of importance as men.  Unfortunately the feminists have taken that WAY out of balance.  They no longer want equality, but dominance.  They have figuratively emasculated men, taking away the roles and balance You mean for us to have- equally important and treasured by You but with different roles in the home and leadership in the church. Lord, please help me to live within the boundaries You give to me.  I want to honor You every day.

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 25 The End of the Age Part 5 Sheep and Goats

Matthew 25:32-33, 40
"All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. 
 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."  “The King will reply, ‘ I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’

41,45-46 “Then He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and His angels. “He will reply, ‘ I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Lord, what a joyous time this will be for believers, and what a horrible terrifying time it will be for unbelievers!  Those who ministered to others selflessly and sacrificially will be rewarded.  Those who lived selfishly to provide for "me and mine" only will receive a reward they did not expect.  There "reward was what they received on earth during their lifetime...but eternity is VERY long time to suffer punishment! 

Especially at this time of the year, Lord, we receive many many pleas for help from all of the charities...some true Christian, some not.  Some will give out of a sense of guilt or to have their name proclaimed as "magnanimous" for their own glory.  Lord, we need Your guidance as to whom to help.  I know Operation Christmas Child and the Salvation Army are truly Christian and evangelistic.  But there are also some in our very own church who are hurting and need assistance too.  Help us to be selfless in our giving.

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 25 Signs of the End of the Age Part 4

Matthew 25: 1, 6, 10-13  Parable of the Ten Virgins
1-“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 
3-" The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.'

6-“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

8-13- 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, ‘ I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’  “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

O, Lord!  There are so many, even in the church who are not ready to meet You when You come!  They may be thinking they have all the time in the world to decide whether to become a true follower, but not now.  Some have been told of Your Gospel over and over and  want to hold onto their worldly lifestyle as long as they can thinking they can get saved just before they die and still go to Heaven.  Even sadder yet are the ones who "prayed the prayer" but never repented, serve in church etc. and think they are going into the wedding feast, but will not be allowed in because they deceived themselves and are not truly part of the Family.
      Lord, I once was one of them.  Thank You for opening my eyes to the truth.  It is ONLY by Your unspeakable grace and mercy because of Your precious blood that I am one of the "prepared".  I pray for all those who are like I was, living in my own strength in my own power and my own wisdom.  I was as lost as one can be!  I had been in church and done all the "church" things, but my heart was FAR from the Lord.
Lord, if You had come before I trusted You at age 26, I would be one of the foolish virgins.  Thank You, Lord, for opening my eyes and heart to the truth before it was too late.

IF ANYONE IS READING THIS, I WOULD BEG OF YOU TO PLEASE DO NOT WAIT TO PUT YOUR WHOLE TRUST AND FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIM ALONE.  DO NOT DEPEND ON THE FAITH OF YOUR FAMILY OR CHURCH OR ANY OTHER god.  YOUR FAITH AND TRUST MUST BE YOUR OWN.  YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN...YOUR SPIRIT MUST BE MADE ALIVE BY GOD, JEHOVAH, THE ONLY TRUE GOD in order to be allowed into the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.  Your invitation will be validated ONLY if your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life".
Read the book of John and Romans to learn the truth and let the God of Heaven and earth open your eyes too.

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 24:1-33 Signs of the End of the Age Part 2

Matthew 24:1-33
26-35: "So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.  For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.  “Immediately after the distress of those days “ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.  And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.  “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.  Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.  I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."

Lord, I must confess that I am puzzled by the statement, " this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."  when You are talking about Your second coming and in the area before You were talking about the Rapture of the church.  None of these things has happened you and it 2000 years plus later.  Even those who believe there is no rapture or Tribulation and Milenial Kingdom cannot explain this.
Yes, the disciples and followers of Jesus were persecuted, Jerusalem was destroyed, and when You died there was  darkness over all of the earth and lightning as well as an earthquake.  However; the moon still gives light and the stars have no all fallen to the earth.  The sun comes up every day.  Certainly ALL the people of the earth have not mourned Your coming in the clouds with great glory and You have no sent Your angels with the loud trumpet to gather all believers from the four winds.

Please, Lord, help me to understand.  I know the Holy Spirit will guide me into ALL truth!

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 24:1-33 Signs of the End of the Age Part 1

Matthew 24:1-33

1-2 "Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

O Lord,  You saw what would be in Jerusalem's future the day You said this.  And to this day the Temple has yet to be built back up again.  Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.
BUT You knew that the "temple" would be each of us as believers!
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

Lord, help me never to forget WHO resides within me and that I am not my own.  Remind me when I am about to take something in either by my ears, eyes,  mouth, or mind, or am keeping a "treasured" sin without looking at it through Your eyes that would defile Your dwelling place.  Remind me when I sin so I might confess and repent quickly as to keep it clean and holy unto You. 

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 24:1-33 Signs of the End of the Age Part 3

Matthew 24:1-33
44-47
 “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

"

I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions." O Lord, I want to be found doing what You have called me to do no matter what time You come.  Help me to live every day as if You could come at any moment, just like a theif in the night.  I long to be holy as You are holy in my thoughts, in my deeds, in my heart, and in my words.  Lord, I know I cannot do any of these without your help, guidance, protection, and Holy Spirit's filling."

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 23:33-37 Woes to the Parisees

Matthew 23:33-37
"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?  Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.  And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
 " I tell you the truth, all this will come on this generation."

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.  Look, 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.’"   Here, Lord, You have personally given several "woes" to the Pharisees.         O Lord, You had to be, and are still so very sad over the state of Your chosen ones.  Even today, the unregenerate Jews reject You as their Savior and long awaited Messiah .  She is like a bride that never left her family and their "traditions" to be wholly committed to her husband.       That generation did indeed see the "woes" happen because in 70 AD the temple in Jerusalem was burned and the Jews were scattered all over the earth. Lord, don't ever let me become like them in my walk with You.  Do not ever let me become proud of my works not done in the Spirit, that I walk away from You!

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 21:31 Two Sons in the Vinyard

Matthew 21:31
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “ I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him."

Lord, You have been talking with the priests and elders, and here You tell the parable about the two sons.  The father had asked them both to go work in the vineyard.  The first said he would and did not.  The second said he would not, but then changed his mind and went.

Sweet Lord,  I was like the first son!  I grew up in a good home, was exposed to the Bible in church, was baptized at age 13, sang in the choir, etc. but never came to You in submission and repentance admitting I was a sinner and in need of salvation, asking You to rule and reign in my life until I was twenty-six.
      You tell the priests and the elders that John came and they would not believe and repent but the tax collectors and prostitutes did.  Thank You, Lord, for opening my eyes, ears, and spirit to Your truth!

I tell You the Truth Matthew 10:5-7, 11-15 The Deciple's Charge

Matthew 10:5-7, 11-15
"These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.

Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave.  As you enter the home, give it your greeting.  If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.  If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town." NIV Sweet Lord,       I am sure most all folks in that era knew the story of what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah.  They were gentile town whose sins were so great You led Lot and his wife and daughters out of Sodom and then rained down fire and brimstone which destroyed them and all that lived within them.  Their sins were great indeed.       Lord, You make it very plain that the Jews in those towns to which the disciples were sent would suffer a greater fate if they rejected their Messiah.

I Tell You the Truth Matthew 21:21-22 Jesus Withers the Fig Tree

Matthew 21:21-22
"Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Sweet Lord, Here You were hungry and passed  a fig tree that was bearing no fruit.  You cursed it and it withered immediately.  Of course Your disciples were amazed, so this is what You told them.
O Lord, I lack faith in some things I'm afraid.  You tell me in several places that if I had even tiny faith I could...
If I look at myself and at Your church as a whole, I must confess that we have lost our first love and have become like the Laodicians.  Most are lukewarm because they have let more of the world into the church than church into the world and we are content with that.  I do not mean the politicians and the culture, I am speaking of our zeal to win the world to You.  We compromise and are in fact more worldly than godly.  We have lost the urgency to win as many as possible into Your kingdom.  We talk about the woes in the world but do nothing to capture the ones who are pushing these things for You.

You tell me here that if I believe, I will receive whatever I ask for in prayer.  I believe You can do all things, so here You are:
I ask that You send revival not only to me and my family, but to Your church. 
I ask that if it be Your will, to heal Dick of his constant pain and rid him of his addiction.
I ask that You would use all of my children in a mighty way for Your Kingdom; that their homes would be a haven of peace and love; that the evil one would not have dominion over them, their children, and their children's children.
I ask that You use me in a mighty way in the lives of those You bring to me, for Your glory alone.