Prepared 2

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51,52

My husband and I are going on a road trip.  My list has been made of all I need to do before we leave, while we are away, and even the things I need to do as soon as we return.  Our route has been planned, hotel reservations made, clothes, toiletries and even food for the car has all been packed and we are ready to go.

I like to be prepared.  

Jesus tells us to be prepared for His Coming.  

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  

1 Thessalonians 5:2

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; 2 Peter 3:10a

Not only are we prepared to go, but our family is also preparing for our arrival!  They are getting things ready!

Jesus is preparing for us too.

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."  Jesus speaking, John 14:1-3

Friend, are you prepared?

Do you know without a shadow of doubt that when you die, you will be in heaven with the Lord?  If the Lord returned today, would you meet Him in the air?

If so, are you preparing others?  Do you witness to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers?

Whenever we leave for a trip, as we are getting into our vehicle, my husband always asks, "Are you all set?  Do you have everything you need?"  I just smile, and say, "Yep, I'm ready!"

I'm prepared.

    I want you to be prepared too.

        But that's just me!

        

Storms

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  1 Peter 5:7 

As I'm writing this morning, there is a storm right outside my window.  The rain is a torrent, the winds are gale, lighting is flashing and thunder is crashing!  It is like a lullaby to me.  Sometimes storms put me to sleep.  For my puppy, not so much.  She is nervous and scared, and can't sit still.  Other times, she is content to sit in my lap and cuddle or sleep, but for some reason, during the storms, she cannot sit still, nor does she want my comfort.

Weather storms are a comfort to me.  The storms I face in life are not.  I'm sure you have 'weathered' storms in your life as well, that don't rock you to sleep, but instead, seem to rock your world!  Maybe it's your health, conflict, separation from a loved one, no job, no friends, no money?

Take heart!  Jesus is in the storm with you!

I love Matthew 14:24-29  Jesus' disciples were in a boat when a storm came upon them.  Jesus knew where they were, and He came to them.  The first words out of His mouth is, 'Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.'  Really?  Be of good cheer?  In the middle of my storm, Lord?

And what did Peter do once he realized it was Jesus?  He stepped out on the waves!

Don't be to hard on Peter when he loses sight of His Saviour, sometimes storms will cause us to focus on the storm instead of the One Who is in control of the storm.  But it didn't take long for Peter to realize where His help comes from;  His Lord!

This same Peter wrote 1 and 2 Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.  The same Peter who tells us not to be surprised concerning trials we will face in our life, and the same Peter who tells us to be glad and have exceeding joy because of them!

Just like Jesus tells us to 'Be of good cheer.'

As I'm finishing up today's Blog, the winds have stopped, the rain is now a drizzle, and all is quiet.  The storm has passed.

Your storm will pass too,  Be of good cheer!

    But that's just me!

"The more the wind rages the more you feel that the anchor holds you.:  Charles Spurgeon 

Keep On Keepin' On

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Christian, are you getting tired?  Does it seem like nothing ever seems to change regardless of your efforts?

We've all been to the breaking point of, "I'm not going to help this person anymore."  or "The next time they say something hurtful, I'm going to give them an earful!"  

Maybe, in frustration you have said, "I quit!"

I want to encourage you to hang in there!  Our relief and reward are just around the corner.  We can't see it because of the bend in the road, or perhaps the obstacle before us, but it's there!  Just keep running!

When you get tired, pray.  Reach out to a friend.  

I remember when I was a little girl, I had a friend who would race around the yard with me.  If I got tired, my friend would run up beside me, reach out her hand and place it on my elbow and helped me move forward.  If she got tired, I would do the same for her.  We always finished the race together!

That's what we need to do for each other.

Do you have a friend who has run out of breath?  Weary, tired, discouraged, ready to quit?  Then you have the opportunity to help them stay in the race!

We all get tired but take a deep breath, stay in the race and let God carry us through.

We won't ever regret it!

    But that's just me!

Rushing Wind

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."  Jesus speaking, John 14:26

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and filled all the house where they were sitting-Acts 2:2

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost-Acts 2:4a

Recently we had an air duct cleaning company come to our house to prep for our new heater and AC unit. Unfortunately, it is time to replace the older units.  In order for the new units to work properly and efficiently, the duct work needed to be cleaned out.  A large vacuum hose was attached to our current heater and literally sucked out all of the dust and debris that had built up in past years.  Then, the Technician went to each vent, and air exchanger in the entire house with an air compressor hose that he used to blow pressured air down into the vacuum to make sure no dust and debris were left inside the air ducts.  The air ducts became wind tunnels.

I asked the Technician what types of things he has seen blown out of, or vacuumed up from the air ducts since he has worked there?  He scrunched up his nose and said, 'Lot's of things; dust, dirt, dead mice, tennis balls, food, jewelry....'

It had me thinking.

What am I harboring in my life that has prevented the Holy Spirit from flowing through me?

Has something blocked, or clogged the Holy Spirit from working properly and efficiently in my life?

Do I have a 'dead rat' of sin that is causing my attitude to stink?  Maybe I've allowed dust and debris to cover my God-given talents and abilities?

Have I forgotten that I am treasured by God, and allowed my Gems, (possibly the Fruit of the Spirit) to tarnish?

Have I limited the Holy One of Israel because I have not asked God to fill me with His Holy Spirit as I begin each day?  Unconfessed sin?

Just like the vents in my house needed a good cleaning, my spirit needs a good cleaning every day.  I need to confess and remove the sins of yesterday, so that the Lord can work through me today, for His Glory!

    But that's just me!

"The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity.  It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people."  A.W. Tozer

Rushing Wind

Keith Green The Ministry Years

1981

Rushing wind blow through this temple,

blowing out the dust within,

come and breathe your breath upon me,

I've been born again.

Holy Spirit, I surrender,

take me where you want to go,

plant me by your living water,

plant me deep so I can grow.

Jesus, you're the One, who sets my spirit free,

use me Lord, glorify, your Holy Name through me.

Separate me from this world, Lord,

Sanctify my life for you,

daily change me to your image,

help me bear good fruit.

Every day you're drawing closer,

trials come to test my faith,

but when all is said and done, Lord,

It was worth the wait!

Persecuted for Good

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.  1 Peter 4:19

A missionary wife once shared this verse to me.  She explained to me that when we do right, we will suffer persecution, and when that happens, give that situation over to God, let Him handle it, and just keep on doing right!

Have you ever been persecuted for doing something good?  For doing the right thing?  If so, you are in the same group as Jesus because Jesus was constantly being persecuted for doing good.  Just check out the Gospels.

1 John 3:12 explains why this usually happens:

    Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.  And wherefore slew he him?  Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

Envy.

Jealous men want good men to stumble.  It's as simple as that.

John Bunyan once said, "Therefore, I bind these lies and slanderous accusations to my person as an ornament; it belongs to my Christian profession to be vilified, slandered, reproached and reviled, and since all this is nothing but that, as God and my conscience testify, I rejoice in being reproached for Christ's sake."

I would rather be persecuted for doing right, than doing wrong...

    But that's just me!

"The devil doesn't persecute those who aren't making a godly difference in the world."

    Paul Chappell