People Get Ready

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea." Psalm 46:1-2

Major catastrophic incidents have a way of grabbing our attention, whether we are in the midst of the disaster or watching from a safe distance via our televisions or internet. I must confess that it is becoming increasingly harder to watch and comprehend the evening news as we see the aftermath pictures of massive devastation in Japan, nuclear power plants on the verge of collapse…. and then add that to our knowledge of the continuing unrest in the middle east with countries rioting and overthrowing political leaders, intensified hatred of Israel by surrounding nations, global warming, depleting ozone layer, dead fish and animals washing up on our shores, one world currency gaining popularity, massive oil spills that cripple entire ocean regions for decades, tsunamis that can now send 30 foot walls of water across miles of land, massive famine and starvation in countries, wars and rumors of wars, deadly diseases that mutate and have no cures, trillions of dollars in national debt that continue to spiral deeper and deeper with no hope of recovery, financial instability of world economies…. and all the “experts” telling us that it’s really not as bad as it appears. Really? It is hard to find comfort in the words of man when our eyes and ears and brains are telling us a completely different story. It is as if nature itself is trying to give us a message and we’re having trouble understanding what that is.

In light of the recent unprecedented earthquake, a friend of mine sent me some staggering statistics about global earthquake frequency in the last 10 years, and the numbers speak for themselves. In 2008, there were 12 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. In 2009, there were 17 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. In 2010, there were 22 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. And here we are in 2011, and have seen what a 9.0 earthquake is capable of doing in our modern day and age. Take a few minutes and read Matthew 24, and you will find that Jesus told us that among the signs of His return would be earthquakes. The primary example that Jesus used to describe the last days earthquakes were birth contractions, which we all know are universally characterized by a progressive increase in both frequency and intensity. It is almost as if nature itself is groaning with birth pangs and believers should recognize the signs and know that time is so short. Jesus taught that even as one can look to various "signs" within nature as indicators regarding the changing of seasons, so also should we look to some specific signs with regard to the prophetic seasons and the drawing near of the time of redemption.

"Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near." Luke 17:29-31

So what is a Christian supposed to do in times like these where we are experiencing things that can be found in prophecy that relate to the second coming of our Lord and Savior? I’ll tell you what I need to do: I need to be ready, I need to do all that I can to be sure my family and loved ones are ready, and I need to tell as many people as I can to GET READY, because we don’t know the day or hour when Jesus will come back for us. Christians refer to this as the Rapture, an unannounced moment in a twinkling of an eye when two people will be asleep in bed, one is taken the other left behind, two may be working side by side in the field; one is taken and the other left behind.
Luke 17:34

This is not a time for fear, it’s a time for excitement in the Body of Christ, it’s a time to be about the Father’s business and reaching out to those who are still lost and dying in their sins and heading to an eternity in hell without Jesus Christ as their Personal Savior. It is not a time to cower in the closets and bomb shelters of our homes; it’s a time to be BOLD for God. It is not a time to be afraid; it is a time to be filled with FAITH! If Jesus returns in the next minute or the next decade it doesn’t really matter, we just need to be ready when He comes! The devil uses fear to paralyze us as believers and try to get us to look at all the devastation and possible outcomes of recent events, but God says to you, FEAR NOT! “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” II Timothy 1:7 “Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” Proverbs 3:25-26. In almost every book in the Bible there is at least one "fear not" passage so it seems to be an important message for God’s people to hear. The enemy uses fear, but God would have us to have faith that no matter what it looks like, God is in control. When you feel yourself trembling from the current events of this world, go to the Word of God and strengthen yourself with the verses that tell us that God is with us, He will never leave us nor forsake us, and even if the whole world passes away, God’s promises will never pass away, and we will be with Him forever in eternity, and we need to do everything we can to tell as many people as we can that God loves them, that He sent His One and Only Son to die for their sins, and that they need a Savior!

Chrystal Lewis sings a great song that I keep hearing in my spiritual ears these days, and the chorus simply says: “People get ready Jesus is comin, Soon we’ll be going home, People get ready Jesus is coming, To take from the world His own.” My beloved brothers and sisters, believers and any non believers reading this devotion, PLEASE BE READY when the angels of God blow that final trumpet and its time be be OUTTA HERE!!! If you don’t know how to be ready, please contact your local church pastor, or call Grace Harbor Church who hosts this devotion ministry, and let us show you through scripture what God says about eternity and His amazing love for you!

And remember to continually pray for the people of Japan during this difficult time. May the Lord be an ever present Help and Provider in time of need.

Shalom,
Sister Lahoma

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