2 Chronicles 33, Ecclesiastes 9, Matthew 21:23-46

What God said to me – There are people in your life that you think are never going to change – they’ll never give up their sin – they’ll never be saved no matter what happens to them or how bad things get.  But you are not Me – you don’t know who “I AM” going to save or when “I AM” going to do it.  Look at Manasseh – he was one of the evilest kings of Judah ever.  He worshipped idols and even set them up in My temple.  He sacrificed his sons to idols and practiced witchcraft, and he misled his nation – My people – into these same evil practices.  But then I judged him severely and, in his distress, this evil man everyone thought was beyond redemption turned to Me and acknowledged Me as God – he humbled himself and repented and went to work to reverse the damage he had done to his nation.  So, learn from Manasseh’s example.  Your sin is never so great that I won’t forgive when you humbly repent and no one is beyond redemption.

2 Chronicles 32, Ecclesiastes 8, Matthew 21:1-27

What God said to me – The enemy, Satan, is a great deceiver and in these last days he is causing a great delusion to fall upon the world.  One tactic he is using is to try to convince the world that all “gods” are the same – that people are all worshiping Me but calling Me by different names – Buddha or Krishna or Allah, etc. – so it doesn’t matter “who” they worship because they are all the same.  Sennacherib the king of Assyria tried a similar tactic when his armies were besieging Jerusalem.  He tried to convince the people of Jerusalem that their God was the same as the “gods” of the nations he had defeated so they better surrender or face the same fate.  The problem for Sennacherib was that My people knew Me personally and they knew that “I AM” God Almighty, the one true God and the “gods” of the other nations were the work of men’s hands and nothing more.  King Hezekiah and the people of Judah turned to Me for their deliverance and I saved them.  Never forget that your deliverance – your help in time of trouble – is not a “god”, or an army, or a medicine, or money, or success, or anything else but Me – God Almighty – the One True God – the Great “I AM”.

2 Chronicles 31, Ecclesiastes 7, Matthew 20

What God said to me – Have you ever taken a test that you failed miserably because you blew it off and didn’t take the time to prepare or study beforehand?  You knew the test was coming but there were so many other things you enjoyed and wanted to do that you put it off until it was too late.  I have told you that in your life you will have tribulation – trials will come!  So, what are you doing to prepare – to study so you are ready?  That is what this time is for – to teach you – to train you – to prepare you.  You’ve heard people say that they don’t like to hear sermons or to study about patience because then God let’s all these bad things happen to teach them to be patient.  But in reality, it’s the opposite – because I know there are things coming in your future that will be difficult to endure, I preemptively teach you what My word says so you will be prepared for what I know you are going to encounter.  I shared with My disciples about My betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection to prepare them – so they wouldn’t be surprised or frightened and yet they faltered.  So, learn from their failure – take this time with Me seriously.  Listen, not just with your ears, but with your heart and mind.  Be alert for opportunities to practice what I teach you so you are prepared for whatever you may encounter.