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Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - July 25, 2007

 

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Ready and Waiting

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ”

—Matthew 25:6

Some people may believe they are going to heaven and may even be looking forward to the return of Jesus, yet still not necessarily be Christians. As they look at the world today and realize that Bible prophecies are being fulfilled, they might even believe that Christ is returning soon. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they are Christians.

In the parable of the ten bridesmaids, Jesus told the story of bridesmaids who were attending a wedding (see Matthew 25:1–13). Five were wise, and five were foolish. The five wise bridesmaids had oil in their lamps, while the five foolish ones did not. And when the cry went out that the bridegroom was coming, the five bridesmaids who were wise were ready to meet him. But the foolish bridesmaids were unprepared.

Jesus told this story to illustrate the fact that you can appear to be a Christian. You can sit in church next to other Christians. You can carry a Bible like everyone else. You can even believe that Christ is returning soon. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you know Him.

If you truly have a relationship with Christ, then the truth that He could come back at any time should dramatically impact the way you live. The Bible says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). In other words, if you really are a Christian and you believe Christ is coming back again, you will want to want to be a more godly person. You will want to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. You will want to avoid the things that would be wrong or sinful or spiritually detrimental, and you will be growing more like Him. Are you ready and waiting? 


For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to  www.harvest.org.

Copyright © 2007 by Harvest Ministries.  All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.  Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.

 



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