Aug 17, 2021
Jotting to Jesus in Response to Matthew 24 (The Destruction of the Temple, The Signs of the Times, The Great Tribulation, & The Faithful/Evil Servant)
I’ve recently started working my way through the gospel of Matthew using the SOAP method (read the Scripture, Observe what is happening, Apply the scripture to my life, & Pray). I was supposed to be on Matthew chapter 23 today, but flipped forward by accident to chapter 24, & realized this wasn’t a coincidence when I saw the titles + given the climate of Afghanistan right now. I’d encourage you to read Matthew 24 for yourself, but below are a few verses that stood out to me this morning.
- 24:9 -14— ”Then they will deliver you up to tribulation & kill you, & you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. & then many will be offended, will betray one another, & will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up & deceive many. & because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. & this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, & then the end will come.”
- 24:33 — ”So you also, when you see all these things, know that He is near — at the doors!”
- 24:44 — ”Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
When you stop & think about it, we’re on borrowed time. Personally, we’re on borrowed time with our individual lives. Generationally, we’re on borrowed time with making the gospel known before the final coming of Jesus Christ. He’s fulfilled all other promises, & He’s not going to let us down on the promise of coming back. We’ve been charged with making the gospel known & lived out in the meantime, yet some of us (myself included) have fallen into seasons of sleepiness. We’ve become lukewarm, complacent, & our bones are becoming dry.
This morning’s scripture “accident” was not a coincidence. I was meant to read Matthew 24 after falling asleep last night (in the comfort of my American home that’s not under direct physical warfare) to the news of the war on Christianity in Afghanistan. Perhaps you’re meant to read it, too. & when you get to the “prayer” component of the SOAP method, here’s my jot to Jesus from this morning if you find yourself overwhelmed/at a loss for words:
- “Heavenly Father, brothers & sisters in Afghanistan are receiving threats on their lives as I write this. They are growing Your church body by preaching Your gospel to unreached populations. The Holy Spirit is there — bringing dry bones to life admidst civil unrest. Satan hates it, God, yet the battle has already been won. Those souls are coming for Heaven no matter the wars raged. Please protect the missionaries & evangelists who are willing to lose this world to gain Your kingdom for the sake of making the gospel known. May their love for You be larger than their fear of the Taliban. I hope they’re calling Your name right this minute, Lord. Please forgive me, Father, for the times I’ve retreated from spreading the Word out of fear of being merely uncomfortable or worried about coming across ‘too holy.’ I am guilty of letting my American comforts make me lukewarm to Your vision. If nothing else, let the scene of Afghanistan stir up American Christians like me, waking up in the USA today, to speak Jesus. May His name become popular in our homes, workplaces, & in our communities. We love You & we need Your Spirit’s revival! Amen.”
