Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11
Testimony
The whole course is exceptional very relevant to me. I have gone away with a lot to think about. I have learnt that I don't have just to cope and be so independent. God is good & loves me, even me!.... Read More...

Seeds of the Kingdom

The Pharisees and Sadducees Seek a Sign

by Trevor Davies

Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
Matthew 16:1-3, NKJV

In the above reading Jesus was very scathing in the way he answered the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious leaders of the day. This is because they could tell what the weather was going to be the next day, by looking at the signs in the sky, but they didn’t know the signs that were in their own Scriptures, pointing to who He was (their Messiah). They of all people should have known who He was. There were over three hundred prophecies in their Scriptures pointing to Him; yet they still refused to recognise Him as their Messiah.

Today we’re living in turbulent days, with much violence and darkness spreading over the face of the earth. Leaders of the nations are seemingly at a loss to know what to do, and people’s hearts are growing cold to the ways of God. Lawlessness is everywhere.
What impacts us even more is that these things are brought right into our homes via the news media, i.e. TV, radio, and Internet. But, as believers, we shouldn’t be alarmed or fearful by what we hear and see happening all around us, didn’t the Lord Himself warn us that these things would happen.

In Matthew 24 and Luke 21 Jesus talks about the end days. In these days, one of the most important things we must remember is that the Lord is in complete control. Nothing phases him or takes Him by surprise. ‘He who sits in Heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision’ (Psalm 2:2).

The Lord exhorts us to be aware of the signs of the times, not to be distracted by the things of this world, and to keep our eyes on Him. We must stay alert, guarding against spiritual lethargy, always watching and praying, so we’re ready for when He returns. For no one knows when that day will be. Jesus said ‘Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption draws near’ (Luke 21:28).

Prayer: Dear Father, when we look around at what’s happening in our world today, it’s so easy to become fearful. Help me to remember that You warned us that these things would happen, and to keep my eyes firmly fixed on You. For You’re our rock, a sure foundation in times of trouble. Amen.

Trevor Davies and his wife, Margaret, have recently left the Ellel Scotland team having been there for over 9 years. Before that they were living in Israel, where they met and were married. Before going to Israel Trevor worked for a machine tool, engineering company in his home town of Colchester.

 

Sign Up Now

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.