Reading 9 Matthew 11

Read Matthew 11. As you do, prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Now, read the Key Verses are Matthew: 11:15; 11:25-27; 11:28-30 in your favorite version of the Bible.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Now, read the version which follows. If you have already used this translation, then use another. The Focus Verse for Today is: Matthew 11:15.

Matthew 11:15 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

15 Anyone who has ears should listen!

We do not just read the Word of God. We listen to it and listen to Him and His voice.

Prayer journal your thoughts about that. **~**

**~** PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS:

Prayer journal your response to each of the following:

1 Are you listening?          

2 How often and how long do you listen to God and His Word?

3 Do you listen at least 75% more than you talk to god in each moment, each day and night? Why or why not?

4 Could you listen more to God? Yes or no. Explain your answer.

NOTE: Let’s be realistic every single one of us could listen a great deal more to God than we do. Therefore:

5 How can you listen to God and His Word, the Bible?  Make a plan to apply to your life and implement immediately. Write it down.

6 How will you evaluate periodically as to how much you have listened, if you could listen more (and you can, so how can you), what He has said, and how you’ve responded?

NOTE: I recommend as part of your closing prayer journaling to each day listening to God and the Bible and evaluating how much you listened throughout the day. Make sure to write what He said, even if you already have. Ask God for guidance in listening and applying the things He’s told you to your life. In other words, take time to: Listen, apply/respond, remember (what He said yesterday, today, this week, last week, last month, last quarter, etc.) evaluate. So, again: Listen, apply, remember, evaluate. LARE.

Matthew 11:15 / Expanded Bible (EXB)

15 ·Let those with ears use them and listen[L The one who has ears to hear, let him hear]!

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

CROSS-REFERENCES

Matthew 13:3-9 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

3 Then He told them many things in parables, saying: “Consider the sower who went out to sow. 4 As he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much soil, and they sprang up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered. 7 Others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. 8 Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop: some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown. 9 Anyone who has ears should listen!”

Verse 9 is the key verse.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Matthew 13:37-43 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

37 He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

Verse 43 is the Key verse.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Now, we’re going to look at the Book of Revelation for the remainder of the cross-references. As we do, remember these verses apply to us personally today, as well as our personal church, and the Church as a whole. Also, remember that these cross-references apply to the future as well as today.  

Revelation 2:1-7 / New Living Translation (NLT)

1 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:

2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.

4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 6 But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.

7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

Verse 7 is the Key Verse.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Revelation 2:8-11 / New Living Translation (NLT)

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

Verse 11 is the Key Verse.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Revelation 3:1-6 / New Century Version (NCV)

3 “Write this to the angel of the church in Sardis:

“The One who has the seven spirits and the seven stars says this: I know what you do. People say that you are alive, but really you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what you have left before it dies completely. I have found that what you are doing is less than what my God wants. 3 So do not forget what you have received and heard. Obey it, and change your hearts and lives. So you must wake up, or I will come like a thief, and you will not know when I will come to you. 4 But you have a few there in Sardis who have kept their clothes unstained, so they will walk with me and will wear white clothes, because they are worthy. 5 Those who win the victory will be dressed in white clothes like them. And I will not erase their names from the book of life, but I will say they belong to me before my Father and before his angels. 6 Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

Verse 6 is the Key Verse.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Revelation 3:7-13 / New Century Version (NCV)

7 “Write this to the angel of the church in Philadelphia:

“This is what the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David, says. When he opens a door, no one can close it. And when he closes it, no one can open it. 8 I know what you do. I have put an open door before you, which no one can close. I know you have little strength, but you have obeyed my teaching and were not afraid to speak my name.9 Those in the synagogue that belongs to Satan say they are Jews, but they are not true Jews; they are liars. I will make them come before you and bow at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. 10 You have obeyed my teaching about not giving up your faith. So I will keep you from the time of trouble that will come to the whole world to test those who live on earth.

11 “I am coming soon. Continue strong in your faith so no one will take away your crown.12 I will make those who win the victory pillars in the temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, that comes down out of heaven from my God. I will also write on them my new name. 13 Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

Verse 13 is the key verse.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

Revelation 13:1-10 / New Century Version (NCV)

1 Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and there was a crown on each horn. A name against God was written on each head. 2 This beast looked like a leopard, with feet like a bear’s feet and a mouth like a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave the beast all of his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast looked as if it had been killed by a wound, but this death wound was healed. Then the whole world was amazed and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given his power to the beast. And they also worshiped the beast, asking, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against it?”

5 The beast was allowed to say proud words and words against God, and it was allowed to use its power for forty-two months. 6 It used its mouth to speak against God, against God’s name, against the place where God lives, and against all those who live in heaven.7 It was given power to make war against God’s holy people and to defeat them. It was given power over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 8 And all who live on earth will worship the beast—all the people since the beginning of the world whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. The Lamb is the One who was killed.

9 Anyone who has ears should listen:

10 If you are to be a prisoner,

   then you will be a prisoner.

If you are to be killed with the sword,

   then you will be killed with the sword.

This means that God’s holy people must have patience and faith.

Verse 9 is the key verse.

Prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc. **~**

**~** PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS:

Prayer journal your response to each of the following:

1 How do these cross-references help you more fully understand Matthew 11:15?

2 Look at everything you’re read to this point today and for all of it, prayer journal your thoughts, whatever jumps out at you, questions you might have, gems you want to consider, anything you want to apply to your life, what God says to you, what you say to God, etc.

3 What does all of today mean for you and your life?

4 What will you apply to your life, starting today, in this moment?