Sonchild
(4
Sep 2007)
"Prepare For What Is Ahead"
Prepare For What Is Ahead
- Joni Ames
JoniAmes@aol.com
"For nation will rise
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in
various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings
of sorrows." (Mark 13:8)
"And there will be great earthquakes in various
places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great
signs from heaven." (Luke 21:11)
The Bible tells us that the signs for the
'end of the age' will include earthquakes, fires (we've had a 'few' in America),
floods (we've had some of those too), pestilences, wars, famines,
'troubles,'(anybody had 'troubles'?), and fearful sights & great signs from
heaven. - Even so, these things would only be the "beginnings of sorrows."
Day after day, I talk with and counsel friends and strangers alike who
are having a rough time with what has already been happening. In fact, to be
'real' about it, there are times when I also nearly feel like "quitting!" -
(Whatever that means!) - So, if these are only the 'beginnings of
sorrows,' what are we going to do when we get to the 'middle,' let alone towards
the 'end?'
The Bible asks us, "If you have run with the
footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses?" (Jer.
12:5) - That verse so penetrates my being and causes me to press into the
Lord!
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GET READY!
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Folks, the horses are on their way.
And if we are going to be the 'light that shines in darkness' (ref. Is. 60:1
& 2), then we have got to GET READY by beginning to "Strengthen the weak
hands, And make firm the feeble knees (Is. 35:3) so that we CAN say to those who
are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with
vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you." (Is. 35:4)
Hebrews 12:12-14 says it to us like this: "(12) Therefore
strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, (13) and make
straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but
rather be healed. (14) Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which
no one will see the Lord."
And in Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
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BE PREPARED
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The Lord began to
speak to many before the turn of the century into the year 2000 to "prepare" for
the times ahead, but it wasn't for Y2K. I began to tell people that, even if
nothing happened for Y2K, to know that they HAD heard from the Lord anyhow.
However, many who stocked up due to the "Y2K Scare" then got embarrassed because
"nothing happened" and they wanted to get rid of everything. I believe the Lord
allowed that "scare" to occur so that people WOULD get prepared for other things
that were to come. The Lord knows what is ahead, and even if
people had those things simply to send to victims of Hurricane Katrina and
disasters in other places, God allowed it to be so. And I believe He is speaking
to many others in this time to "Prepare."
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OUR "PREPARATION
H!" = PREPARING OUR HEARTS FOR HIM!
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Preparation is
important to the Lord. First and foremost, we need to prepare ourselves and our
hearts for HIM. David prepared a place for the ark of God, and in this
day, WE are that "ark."
"David built houses for himself in the
City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent
for it." (1 Chron. 15:1)
It is good to search our own hearts and
get rid of any "idols" we may have: "Nevertheless good things are found in you,
in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your
heart to seek God." (2 Chron. 19:3)
King Rehoboam didn't prepare his
heart, and this is what 2 Chron. 12:14 says happened to him as a result, "And he
did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord."
When we humble ourselves and prepare our hearts for the Lord, He
responds in a positive way:
"Lord, You have heard the desire of
the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear." (Ps.
10:17)
"For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and
to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel." (Ezra 7:10)
"Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his
God." (2 Chron. 27:6)
There will be many "suddenlies," for which
we must be prepared for IN ADVANCE. And, Like Hezekiah, we'll be glad we did:
"Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people,
since the events took place so suddenly." (2 Chron. 29:3)
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PREPARING THE WAY OF THE LORD
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Many of you are 'out there' in the
'wilderness' of the day to do as John the Baptist did - prepare the way of the
Lord in the midst of the "desert" of today. You may not ever be "known," and you
may even be misunderstood and maligned. But God knows your heart, and as you
prepare yourself and a people, you will do great exploits!
Like John,
you also are: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of
the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God." (Isa. 40:3)
Like the wise virgins, the Lord wants us to be prepared by
"getting our own oil" from the Holy Spirit. Matt. 25:1-4 reminds us:
"(1) "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their
lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) Now five of them were wise, and
five were foolish. (3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil
with them, (4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps."
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PREPARING FOR BATTLE
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What general is there who would not prepare his armies for battle ahead?
Whether spiritual or natural, whether for defense for war or natural disasters,
the Lord wants us to be prepared. And so He says to us:
"Proclaim this
among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of
war draw near, Let them come up." (Joel 3:9)
"He teaches my hands to
make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze." (Psalm 18:34 & 2 Sam.
22:35)
"Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears,
helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones." (2 Chron. 16:14)
And woe to those who would try to weaken God's warriors:
"Therefore the princes said to the king, "Please, let this man
be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in
this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For
this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm." (Jer.
38:4)
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GOD IS PREPARING
VICTORY FOR US!
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And in the
midst of it all, the Lord wants to remind us that He prepares victory for us:
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You
anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over." (Psalm 23:5)
Even when the
enemy thinks that he is preparing defeat for us, like Haman, he will be
preparing his own: "So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for
Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided." (Esther 7:10)
"They have
prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before
me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah." (Psalm 57:6)
We must remember that our relationship with the Lord is of
utmost importance, for as Daniel 11:32 says, "Those who do wickedly against the
covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall
be strong, and carry out great exploits." - May we be those who know our God
intimately, and are strong in Him, so that we will stay strong and do great
exploits!
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GOD IS
PREPARING US FOR ETERNITY WITH HIM!
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No matter what happens on the face of this earth, Eternity is much
more important and lasts a lot longer! Whatever we do, we must keep our
eyes on the fact that the time we are here is merely "boot camp" and preparation
for what is ahead! And Jesus is preparing us for it, as well as preparing a
place for us when our days here are over:
In John 14:2 Jesus promises,
"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 in John 14:3: "And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where
I am, there you may be also."
For as we are faithful, Matt.
25:34 promises: "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you
blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world."
At the same time, Matt. 25:41 says, "Then He
will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the
everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
In Esther 4,
she prepared herself to meet with the King many times - physically and
spiritually - with beauty treatments to get his favor, and fasting and prayer,
to get God's.
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PRAYER
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Lord, we thank you
that, as it says in 1 Cor. 2:9, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have
entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who
love Him."
Help us to remember to "get our own oil," and to seek
only YOUR favor and approval.
We love You, Lord, and we
ask that You help us to be thoroughly prepared for what You have for us to do in
this time, and that we properly prepare the way for You as well. Help
us to focus on You, hear You clearly, and be obedient to Your directions. We
thank You that we are Your Sheep, and we DO know Your voice, and You will direct
every thought, word, and deed, as we stick close enough to You to hear Your
heart beat, Your voice, and even Your breath. In Jesus' name, Amen.
-
Joni Ames
JoniAmes@aol.com Other
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