Psalm 36 - Perspectives of the wicked and the righteous

Outline

v1-4

How wicked people get that way

v5-7

Comparing the wonders of nature to praise the attributes of the Lord

v8-9

The Lord will do wonderful things for people who trust in Him

v10-11

Asking the Lord to continue His goodness to His people, and to keep me from the wicked

v12

Then the sinners will never recover

Key

v4

He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way [that is] not good; he abhorreth not evil.

We don't merely need to abstain from loving evil. More than that: even, if we do not abhor evil, that is a characteristic of the wicked.

Application

v8

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

We shouldn't deceive ourselves to think that there is something desirable about wickedness. When I'm tempted, I'll remind myself that the abundant satisfaction and the river of pleasures are from the Lord and trusting in Him.

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Who will be in the New Jerusalem?

Revelation 21

v27

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles, neither [whatever] works abomination, or [makes] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Revelation 21 is talking about the holy city, in the new world that God is going to make. None of us would be able to enter into that wonderful place, because of our sins (whatever wrong things we have done).

However, we can be saved, and our names can be found written in the book of life, if we believe on the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, He will save us from our sins and give us everlasting life with Him, in the New Jerusalem.

Mark 13 - Key

v33

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

It doesn't say Don't worry, because we don't know the exact time. It says to watch and pray. It might actually be before people think.

Application

I'll concentrate on quality times of prayer, as the end nears.

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Psalm 30 - Outline

v1-3

I cried to You for help, and You healed me.

v4-11

The Lord has turned my crying into joy

v12

Praise is the purpose of deliverance

Mark 13 - Outline

v1-2

Shifting our focus from the physical realm, to the future

v3-10

Some signs near the end that sound kind of like today

v11-19

The worst time of trouble ever, against the people of Judea

v20-27

The Lord arranges events to keep His elect

v28-31

The parable of the fig tree

v32-37

The Bible teaching that we should always watch, instead of believing people who say that they know the specific time that the Lord will return

Mark 12:18-44 - Key

v40

Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Christ warned against the scribes, who made a pretense in their prayers. We shouldn't use vain repetitions when we pray. We should make our requests known to God, and cast our burdens on Him. Our prayers don't need to be long; they just need to be real.

Application

In my personal prayer times, I'll make a point to pray about what I care about.

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Mark 12:18-44 - Outline

v18-23

The Sadducees tried to discredit Christ with a logical paradox

v24-27

Christ corrected their error by patiently teaching from the Scriptures

v28-34

Asking Jesus trick questions ended up backfiring

v35-37

Jesus asked the people His own trick question, showing how Christ must come as He did

v38-40

Jesus warned the people about the pretentious scribes

v41-44

Christ views giving differently from the way that people view it