The One Year New Testament
July 18
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Luke 21:20-33
Luke 21:20-33
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Reflection
By providing the proper perspective on pain and suffering (Luke 21:16–19), Jesus is preparing the disciples for the future destruction of Jerusalem (vv. 20–24). The catastrophic scene Jesus describes would be unthinkable to his disciples. Yet the events are real and Jesus assures us that he will ultimately come to rescue his people from their distress (vv. 25–28). Therefore, it is important that we do not despair and that we remain watchful as we wait for his return (vv. 28–33). In his grace, Christ will soon come and we will fully experience our deliverance from all evil and destruction.
1 Timothy 1:18-20
1 Timothy 1:18-20
18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Reflection
Timothy has been called by God to the work of the gospel (1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14), and is being specifically “charged” to deal with false teachers who are disrupting the church (1:18; cf. v. 3). Paul points to an example of two teachers in particular, Hymenaeus and Alexander (v. 20). These men have rejected good teaching and as a result have “made shipwreck of their faith” (v. 19).
Society is flooded with countless ideas about how to live our lives and nourish our souls, but Jesus is the only one who truly knows who we are and why we exist. He is the exact revelation of God himself (John 1:18; Heb. 1:3), and therefore it is vital for the health of our faith that our churches measure all spiritual teaching by the standard of his Word, the Bible.
Psalm 119:24
Psalm 119:24
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
Thoughts For Prayer
Allow God’s Word to determine your perspective as you encounter the popular spiritual, moral, and ethical teachings of society. Pray for wisdom and courage to stand firm on the perfect and eternally reliable Word of God.
Missions Prayer Requests More
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July 18, 2025
Supported Workers: Andrew & Angie James
Country: Uruguay
From July 18-20, Andrew will travel with a group of college students to the Uruguayan countryside for a short-term missions trip. Please pray for fruit from their evangelistic efforts and for the Lord to use this time to develop hearts for evangelism in these students. As we thank God for the James family, pray that they will continue to walk in dependence on the Lord and that their three children will grow up to love and serve him.
The Gambia (Africa). Population: 2,822,093 Believers: 0.8%. Thank God for the mostly friendly relationships between Muslims and Christians in Gambia. Christians have more religious freedom here than in most Muslim countries. But most Christian work has been in the Greater Banjul area (coast). Few reach out to the Muslim majority, especially those who live upriver in the less-developed inland area. Pray for continued religious freedom and peace. Pray for Gambians to have a vision to reach their own nation, and for creative ways to support those who move into more isolated areas. From Operation World DVD-ROM 2010 and www.operationworld.org
The One Year New Testament Copyright Tyndale House Publishers, used by Permission. NIV Bible copyright International Bible Society.