Don’t Be Late, Be Ready!

Scripture Reading:  Matthew 25:1-13

Focus Verse:  Matthew 25:10  “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.”

On June 19th, 2021 my daughter Tamara was married.  She was a beautiful bride and it was a great honor for me to walk her to meet her bridegroom.  As we were at the back of the church preparing to walk we watched as the guests came in through the door.  They were all dressed in their nice clothes for this wonderful event.  But then the time came at 11am.  This was the time I would walk my daughter to the front of the church.  But before we walked I noticed something. The lady that was directing the wedding shut and locked the door to the church.  If you were late to the wedding you could not get in.  The opportunity to attend the wedding had passed.  

This reminded me of a story that Jesus told.  As you have read our scripture reading.  There were 10 bridesmaids who wanted to go to a wedding.  Five were prepared and went in and enjoyed the wedding, and five were unprepared and were locked out and missed the wedding. Today the door to salvation is open, but one day that door will be shut and locked and we don’t know which day that will be.  Five of the bridesmaids were prepared for the wedding because they had extra oil for their lamps and were allowed into the wedding.  This is a symbol of someone prepared to meet God in heaven.  The other five bridesmaids were foolish because while they went to buy more oil for their lamps the wedding began, the door was locked and they could not get in.  

 

This is a parable of someone who has delayed in preparing for the day of salvation. If this is you do not delay any longer.  We do not know the day of His return.  Prepare to meet God while there is still time.  Repent and follow Christ. This is one wedding for which you do not want to be late and locked out.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Don't Separate What God Has Joined

Bible Reading:  Matthew 19:1-12
Focus Verse: Hebrews 3:8  "Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness."

Jesus had just finished teaching about how to handle a brother’s sin against you and how much we should forgive.  I don’t think it’s an accident that that is covered just before marriage.  Forgiveness is needed regularly in any marriage based on our nature to sin.  The Pharisees came to test him and asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”  Jesus replied that from the beginning, God created them male and female to be united as one.  God joins them together and man should not separate.  There was a concession given by Moses for marital unfaithfulness, but only because of the hardness of their hearts.  He said it wasn’t that way in the beginning.  Jesus went so far as to call it adultery if someone divorces and remarries for any reason other than that. 

There is a beautiful trinity in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  At the end of each day of creation, God said it was good.  After He created Man and Woman, he said it was “Very good!”  Why this difference.  We are not like the animals.  Marriage is a reflection of the unity found in the trinity.  Jesus many times said that the “Father and I are one”.  Now he says that man and wife will become one.  We are to honor that commitment. 

After saying this, it stands to reason that you should be careful and prayerful as you choose the person you will marry.  I remember when I was in High School that I made a list of the qualities that I was looking for in a husband.  I then rated them in priority.  Sure, we can get swept up in emotional love, but the lasting marriage takes commitment.  Remember how I started this devotion?  It was about forgiveness.  It really works.  Be sure that when you marry, you both are committed for life!  Begin now by praying about the person that you will marry.  Pray for that person as they walk with Christ.

~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Love One Another

 Bible Reading: 1 John 3: 11-24
Focus verse : 1 John 3:11 "This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. "

God is loving and caring. He has called us to love and care for others as well. The old man (Marcus Ochieng) and his family today have a reason to thank God. For many years the family has had a poor shelter, small in size to accommodate the family and has had a leaking roof. His attempts to get a better shelter had not worked due to their merger income. Together with the wife they live by pulling nets for fish despite their old age. The man is about 80 years today.
God placed in my heart the burden to pray for them and help them get a better structure. Thanks to God for provision for their new semi permanent shelter of three rooms and with enough space for the whole family. Work has also been made easy through the church community of Makira Baptist Church who have volunteered to offer the needed man power to help raise the structure. Congratulations to the church for partnering to see this area come true through physical support and any donation added.
As we celebrate the miracle for this family, many other destitute families with poor shelters are praying for their miracles as well. God has placed in my heart the burden to pray and help meet shelter needs for the less fortunate more so old age, widows and orphans. Your prayers and donation can help do a miracle to another family. The church community is ready to labor together in this endeavour.   After a few days, we today celebrate a house almost to full completion. Words can't tell this big joy to the family but the smile in Marcus face crowns it.

Eliazar Wambo
Bethesda Faith Ministries

My Hope Is In The Lord

Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-11

Focus Verses:  Romans 5:3-5  "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.   And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

There is a generation living in the world today who were born between 1995 to 2015.  Many in this generation live with hopelessness.  We know this because it has been observed that the rate of suicide is higher in this generation than any other generation.  I think this is because they are looking for hope and happiness in the things of the world.  This is lost thinking.  

 

Psalm 38:15 says, “For in You, O Lord, I hope, You will hear, O Lord my God."  David also tells us in another Psalm, “In the Word of the Lord I do hope.”  The world will never give you a lasting satisfaction.  You may find a temporary happiness in the world, but in the end you will be left empty.  Only Jesus can give you a lasting hope, and peace, and happiness.  Many of us are now coming out of one of the hardest years of our lives.  Covid-19 has ruined many peoples hopes and dreams for this life.  That’s because they have placed all their hopes in this world, in their money, and in their possessions.  Everything in this world is only temporary and will not last.  Gladly, when your hope is in Jesus, we know as believers in Him, He will walk with us now and carry us safely into eternity one day.   I have heard that Christians are like tea bags.  When you add hot water then you know if the flavor is good or bad.  We say someone is in "hot water" when they are having troubles.  Therefore, when Christians go through adversity and trials you find out what their faith is made of.  As we face this world let us say, “my hope is in the Lord, and in Him I will put my trust."  He will never let us down, because He loves us that much.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries