day 8 devotional- preparation

like i mentioned last time, new week, going forward we are moving away from self renewal and now focusing on renewal in the body of Christ.

Here's what my 21 days of fasting guide says for day 8: preparation

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scripture: matthew 25:1-13 (NLT) At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to mett the bridegroom. Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise.... Therefore, stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour."

personal reflection:
The warning of the ten virgons came after Jesus' disciples requested to know what sign would signal our Lord's coming at the end of the age. Jesus spoke to them about the last days. He made it clear that the end would not come immediately, but only after a considerable time and troubles. Our Lord issued various warnings because during these troubled times there would be many who would seek to turn men's attentions and affections away from Jesus, the true Messiah. It is with this understanding that we are instructed to always stay alert, in continual preparation for our Lord's coming. Jesus is warning us to not be like the unwise virgins who had no oil for their lamps at the bridegroom's arrival. Ask God to strengthen His church during the times of trouble that we would stand strong and be ready, even in the midst of persecution.

Going forward I'm committed to ________

Additional Scripture Support: prov. 6:6-11 & 22:3; 1 thes. 5:3, james 1:22-24 & 4:13, 16, 17 & 5:1, mark 13:18-20, 37, 1 peter 1:17-19

Praying through scripture:
Matthew 24:42-50 (MSG)
Jesus, I pray for the body of Christ, your bride, that we would stay awake and alert because we have no idea when you will show up. But we do know that we should be as vigilant as a homeowner would be if he knew his house was going to be broken into. Holy Spirit, our great helped, I ask that you help the Church be a dependable worker that is trusted and whom the Lord can drop in on at anytime and find doing a good job. We know that you are going to show up when we least expect it, and I ask for the strength to stand strong until the very end. Amen

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So, I really had to go back and reread the verse in its biblical context to fully understand it. basically Jesus is talking about 10 girls getting ready to get married, and that 5 of them are prepared to wait for their bridegrooms and 5 are not. 5 don't have lamps with them, and when it takes longer than they were originally expecting for them to show up, it's dark, so it's harder to them to be found. The other 5 girls are alert and ready. He's using this analogy with us waiting for Him to come back. He's saying we should always be prepared for Him; that he might come earlier or later than we thought, but He is coming, and we should be ready.

So going forward, how does one prepare for the Lord? By preparing themselves in all the ways we talked about last week.

Going forward, I'm committed to being ready. Which means loving God, not compromising myself to sin, rejecting worldiness, not falling into complacency, being faithful, being hot and not lukewarm in my actions and beliefs, and enduring it all with consistancy.