LET FAITH AND JOY RISE ON YOUR INSIDE, NOT FEAR, NOT AGITATION!
Hi, Dear One. How are you utilizing the blessing in this season? Trust me, I watch the news and I’m somewhat aware of the statistics… Nevertheless, guess what? I’m more woke to the promises in God’s Word and the limitless power that lies therein. This doesn’t cancel out the responsibility on our part to take heed to instructions given by the Government and W.H.O.
In the midst of all the happenings, are you preparing for what’s coming next?
Self Distancing☑
Hand sanitizers☑
Toilet Paper☑
Food Supplies for the next 2 months☑
No hard feelings but permit me to let you know that your list is useless if the most important thing is missing. Are you currently thinking to yourself, “What in the world is coming next, and how do I get prepared? “That’s the entire essence of this post- to spur you to prepare for what’s coming next.
Let me share an insightful story with you.
There were two farmers, Hank and Joe, who lived on adjacent properties.
They were in the middle of a long drought that had left their land parched, making it almost impossible to grow crops.
One day Joe looked over his fence and saw Hank working on building a new dam.
“What are you doing that for? There’s no water.” Joe said.
“The rain’s coming.” replied Hank.
Joe looked up at the cloudless sky, shrugged his shoulders and walked away.
A couple of weeks later, Joe looked over the fence again and saw Hank working on a new irrigation system.
“What’s the point of doing that? There’s still no water.” Joe shouted.
“The rain’s coming,” replied Hank.
“That’s what you said last time,” Joe muttered under his breath as he turned around and walked away.
A few weeks later, large black clouds started to fill the sky and then the rain finally fell, breaking the drought with a massive downfall that had the potential to change the future for all of the farmers in the region.
Hank looked out from his farmhouse as his new dam and irrigation system filled with precious water, ensuring that he would benefit from the rain for a long time in the future.
Joe was relieved to see the rain, but he was unprepared and his property soon dried up again.
A few months later, Joe looked over his fence at Hank’s luscious farm with envy. “Why is he so lucky?” he asked himself.
Hank looked back at his neighbour’s dust bowl of a farm with pity. “Why is he so foolish?” he asked himself. ©Darren Poke, September 2011
The Global Pandemic, COVID-19 has adversely affected the world in no small measure. More than anything, what the world needs is a cure and a quick return to normalcy. A lot of persons and organizations are working tooth and nail to make things happen. Many others are watching to see what happens. Prayers are constantly going up, researches are being made in order to find a cure to this lethal strain of virus. Advices are flying everywhere on how best to live in this dreaded season. “Stick to your normal routine, just do it differently.” “You can travel without leaving your home. Read books.” “Use Chloroquine to cure COVID-19, it works.”
Friend, if all you are prepared to do is to not shake anyone, regularly wash your hands, avoid touching your face, work from home, homeschool the kids, delay all travel plans till further notice etc., then there’s great need for you to get your priorities right. If you think all you need to prepare for pertains to earthly things only, you are sadly mistaken. Preparation, they say, is the mother of manifestation. You cannot excel at what you are not prepared for. Also, what you prepare for determines how you prepare. Remember the parable of the 5 foolish and 5 wise virgins? Their level of preparation is what categorized them as foolish and wise.
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV
The ten maidens referred to in the above scripture were generally categorized as virgins. None of them were defiled. Nevertheless, some were foolish and some were wise.
Like the wise virgins, do we have oil in our vessels as well as in our lamps? Are you prepared to meet the Bridegroom when He returns? Or are you carried away by the activities in this world? Don’t get me wrong. Finding a cure to this lethal virus is a need, but we must not let this one issue lord itself over our thoughts. Verse 13 in the above scripture instructs us to watch. Be watchful! While you are applying the sanitizer, watch. While you are homeschooling the kids, watch. While you are dashing to the grocery store, watch. Even as everything returns to normal, watch. No one knows when Jesus Christ will return. No one. No one knows when The End will come. And even if the end does not come in our lifetime, the day we leave this earth, The End will finally dawn on us.
Friend, whether it’s far, whether it’s near, Eternity with Christ, seeing Jesus Christ face to face is worth preparing for. Do not be careless about it. The Blood of Jesus was not shed on the Cross of Calvary in vain. Let’s give primary priority to things that are above; righteousness (living on God’s terms), peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The great news is- we have the Holy Spirit in us to help us on this pilgrimage. He’ll lead us home if we will let Him take control.
Are you reading this and you feel like you’ve lost your lamp and vessel as a virgin of Christ? Do you feel like you have been defiled? Do you want a fresh start with Jesus Christ? Click on this link to get on track and experience what truly living is. I cannot wait to hear testimonies of transformation.
Before I sign off for today, let me remind you of the 7-day free online course I’ll be launching come March 30 at 10 AM CST titled “Serve Your Way Up”. With just 2 days left, if you haven’t already signed up, I encourage you to do so. Get set to be stirred to serve like your life depends on it, because it does! Keep preparing for what’s next- eternity with the Trinity.
With love and passion,
Ashley
