Matthew 24 is a dreary, foreboding chapter. But Jesus does not leave us without hope.

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (12).

Please, not me. Or my families. Or my friends.

“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (13).

Oh, may we live by His enduring grace!

“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (22).

Talk about things getting bad! What terrible deception comes around the corner. But God doesn’t want to lose His people, so He will not allow them to struggle long with such deception.

“And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (31).

I am so grateful for this hope.

And for these warnings:

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (42).

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (44).

May I live today in watchful readiness, allowing His enduring Word to determine my living.

Posted: December 1

I am concerned about what others can see of me. And I’m concerned about what others think they can see of me. To put it another way, I’m concerned about my reputation and my testimony.

But what about what other people cannot see? In other words, what about the real me? That is, the Mark Roth that God sees?

“Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matthew 23:26).

Clean the inside first. Good point.

“Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:28).

Outward righteousness is very important, but only as it reveals genuine inward righteousness. Another good point.

But I can’t do the cleaning!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

Great!

Posted: November 30