March 29

Mark 13

Jesus responds to His disciples¹ questions regarding His future coming.

INSIGHT

To the world, the idea of Jesus returning in history to judge His enemies and reward His friends is a joke. “Come down out of the clouds,” people say, “and spend your time thinking about what you can do right here and now.” Though the world doesn’t take the doctrine of the second coming seriously, the Bible places great emphasis on the teaching. Christians, then, need to take it seriously as well. Twice in Mark 13 Jesus warns, “Be on the alert!” Properly understood, awaiting Christ’s return should help us live righteously as we do God’s work in this world.

PRAYER

Express your gratitude to the Lord for His promises by offering Him praise:
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;…
Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises (Psalm 98:1, 4).

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand (Psalm 95:6-7).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

As you agree with God, pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
This is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment (1 John 3:23).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

• Greater discipline in your personal Bible study
• National and world affairs
• Your activities for the day

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen (1 Timothy 6:15-16).