CONCRETE OR FLUID?

"[Jesus said] ... for all these things must come to pass ... But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day."

(Matt. 24:6,20 cp. Mk. 13:18; Lk. 21:9)

Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are all prophetic chapters. As I was studying these recently I noticed most of the things mentioned are set in concrete, but not all. Some things, as they say, are fluid: that is, subject to change. The great time of distress coming upon all the world is set; the weather conditions and day connected with them are not. Those things, says Jesus, can be prayed about. That is, if it ain't nailed down-PRAY!

Some saints worry themselves in prayer as to what is fixed and what is fluid, causing them to hesitate in asking things. I heard an old country preacher when I was just a novice say, "There are preachers who tell us some promises in the Bible are for us, others are not. I didn't know which was which, so I've just claimed every promise I come across, as I've read the scriptures. I didn't get everything I claimed, but I sure got more than I would have had I not asked.” "Ye have not, because ye ask not," Jam. 4:2.

In 2 Sam. 12 there is an enlightening illustration of what I've been attempting to get across. David had sinned with Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet delivered God's message to him that the baby she would bare unto him would die. The babe thereafter became very sick. Upon hearing this, David fasted and prayed for the child's recovery for seven days, after which the child died. When David was aware of the child's demise, he arose, washed and anointed himself, worshipped God, and afterward ate a meal. His servants did not understand the great change in him and asked him concerning it. David replied, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?" (V22) In other words, who knows? David felt it was worth the try. DO WE? 

By An Old DIsciple