Mark 13

The chapter starts out with Jesus prophesying about the things that are to come. Jesus talked about the temple being destroyed and it has been. Then He began to reveal what is going to happen in the rapture and tribulation. We don't know the time of His second coming, we can look for some signs and get our household ready to meet the Lord. Many will deceive us by saying they are the Christ, or they know the time,. but we are to look at the whole picture and believe the Lord and not them. Within the last several months we have had three major earthquakes. These are the beginning of birth-pains Christ talks about. Then we will see the abomination of desolation (vs. 14 also see Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11). Desolation is idolatry, and it will become rampant. Daniel puts it this way; 11:32 "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall 5corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering."
It is important not to go off the deep end, but to stay true to the word of the Lord and keep instructing those in your path in the word. Encourage them to get ready spiritually for the day of the Lord. Christ is coming back. Mark 13:24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be ashaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His 8elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven."
There will be no time to prepare on that day. Now is the time to get the word of the Lord to your friends, family and co-workers in the way the Lord would have us do that. Pray about it and He will reveal the way He wants it done. That will be the only way for them to respond. When we follow God's plan, we always get His results. He will prepare them for you as you pray. "Watch and pray" as we prepare for the things of the Lord (Mark 13:33). This reminds me of the words of a missionary who sent a telegraph to his son who was hospitalized after a racing accident; "The things of this world will soon be past. Only whats done for Christ will last,"

Mark 12

Jesus had been dealing with the Sadducees and Pharisees and Chief priests. He is trying to tell them that they have been entrusted with the things of God and explaining in parables about them taking over the things of the master and not preparing for the master's return. They did not want to pay what they owed, in fact they wanted it all for themselves. It will always eventually turn into that when we do not make God the first priority in all things. The master deceiver will tell us things that make sense but are contrary to the things of God. When we put God first, we begin to see what the Lord wants and things begin to get in the right order. Then the stone that the builders rejected will be your chief cornerstone.

In paying taxes Jesus said "bring me a denarius that I may look at it." Here He would say bring me a quarter. Whose image and inscription is this? Give the government what is due to them. Whose image are we made in? We are to give our life to our creator and He will do a work in us and give us life.

This is by the author of life, the author of redemption and the author of all creation. He has taken care of mankind since the beginning of the world. He loves you immensely and has made provision for you in His kingdom. We don't have to know all the detail, we must know the living God who takes care of every detail. He is alive, well and just as powerful today as ever. Not even a bird drops to earth that He is not aware of. In Matthew 6:26 Jesus says "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" And in Mark 12:27 Jesus says "He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

Jesus answered the greatest commandment question: 29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. 'There is no commandment greater than these." Understanding this the way our Lord does, brings us into a true kingdom viewpoint of God's purpose for His world. We then see Jesus instructing us to watch out for those who like importance and seats of honor yet will mistreat widows and make lengthy prayers only for show. we see Him saying the widow,s offering was more than their great showy gifts. We must keep our hearts humble and clean to have the Lord greet our offerings and sacrifice of service as acceptable to Him. That only comes through the cleansing power of Jesus when we confess our sins and pray daily and walk in the light as He is in the light.