Are You Prepared?

Are you prepared for what's to come? Do you know how to be bold, strong and courageous during trials? Do you even know what persecution looks like? Are you comfortable in your safety zone? Look at the lives of the disciples. Honestly think about the lives they lived as they followed Christ. Have you read the book of Acts lately? Do you know how to respond when trouble comes? Are you prayed up? Have you fasted for your family?

This isn't doom and gloom, this is common sense - are you ready? Where is your focus? Are we self-focused or Christ-focused? What do you spend your time doing? How do you spend your money? Are you serving God or Mammon? All the riches of the earth will fade away - only the Kingdom of God will remain. It's time to focus on His Kingdom and tear down our own.

What if you didn't like in the United States? What if you lived in China or the Middle East right now? Do you have a burden for your brothers and sisters in Christ that are truly suffering right now?

We are living in the last days - don't you see it? Jesus is coming back for His spotless bride, we cannot have the body of Christ living defiled and divided. The remnant is going to rise up from the ashes of what remains - are you pursuing Him? Are you desiring to live holy and righteous before the Lord? Put us through the fire O Lord, burn up everything that is not of You and purify us, prune us. Let it happen O God, let us remain humble before You. Without You we are nothing!

There is no reason to fear the fire and the pruning because He is right there with us. Jesus was the substitute for us on the cross, this life we live is all for Him. It's Him living in us and through us by His Spirit! Are you yielded to the Holy Spirit? If Jesus comes back today, will you have any regrets? Have you truly given Him your life?

Daniel 6:14-25 (NKJV) Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”

They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

God didn't stop Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego from being thrown into the fire, He went in there with them. Just as God did not stop Daniel from being tossed into the lion's den, He was right there with Daniel. Do you see the picture? We have no reason to live in fear! The God in us is greater than the evil in the world. He will not leave us nor abandon us. Whatever you are going through, He is right there with you. Stop and acknowledge His presence, allow His peace to come and quiet your soul. He's the God of the universe and He cares deeply for you!