Monday, March 2, 2015

Getting Ready for a Visitation

There is a stirring in the spirit telling more and more believers that something huge is looming.  Some say judgment and calamity will commence as swiftly as the biblical judgments against pharoah's Egpyt.  Others say not only will the U.S. experience the Third Great Awakening, but the revival will be worldwide.  Still others predict both will occur almost simultaneously.  In all three scenarios, it should be noted that the unique hour is the result of Earth experiencing a visitation by its true King (I don't mean physically...at least not yet).

Regardless of exactly what unfolds, the only clear imperative is this: every believer must ramp up their game!  There will be no point in casual Christianity then.  If calamity and mayhem break loose, each believer must
be confident he has already carefully examined his soul and changed his ways because "everything that can be shaken, will be shaken" (Hebrews 12:27).  Everything.  That is not the time you want your wagon wheels falling off.

If massive revival breaks loose, it will take every believer--both new and seasoned--to be ready to minister to the Great Harvest of souls.  Lukewarm believers will of their own choice bow out of passionate service and thereby disqualify themselves. So don't be that!

But personal preparation does not happen overnight.  Instead, it is a stringent evaluation of where I am today and what in me needs to change in light of the coming challenges of a world redefined?

We don't have a grid to truly grasp just how intent we must be in our spiritual preparation for a visitation from the King.  But we can illustrate that required intensity by recalling real-life preparation...only in this case, a visitation from a queen.

When the Queen of England visited the U.S. in 2007, extraordinary efforts went into making sure every detail of every aspect of her visit was in readiness.  Her visit was to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown.  The celebration itself would have necessarily been met with extensive planning and coordination of all events but once the Queen accepted the organizers' invitation it meant literally everything would have to ramp up to a whole new level. Add to the huge numbers the event was already forecast to attract those additional throngs who would arrive to catch sight of the Queen and suddenly, its "game on!"

Transportation companies re-train their drivers in safety and protocol.  Caterers contracted for a vast array of venues revamp recipes and ensure each item served is a work of art.  Florists order flowers they've never worked with before.  Traffic coordinators redraw population movements.  And security--oh, security!  Weeks ahead of time, background checks are done on anyone and everyone remotely associated with the anniversary (including garbage collectors); the Coast Guard scrutinizes every inch of the shores of every waterway; the port authority has to reschedule ships to arrive early or else be delayed offshore till the events are concluded; every hidden corner along potential motorcade routes are mapped to have plainclothesmen stationed.  A no-fly zone is created.  You get the picture.  Only the most professional in all the various trades could hope to produce the excellence required.  And the professionals themselves had to become more professional than they'd ever known.  Not even the most menial task nor detail can be left to chance!

Readiness!

Preparation for the coming hour demands the same attention to detail.  We need to give ourselves a revamp. In the hour that is almost here, the people of God are the only "professionals" our God has to draw from.  If you're an older believer, learn now to be a mentor to those younger and be devoted to excellence in living your life as an example to others.  If  you're a business owner, prayerfully rework your budget to be able to divert a percentage of revenue into funding special outreach and discipleship programs.  If you're in the marketplace, get a good book about friendship evangelism are start practicing what you read with the people you rub elbows with every day.  For those in ministry, it would probably be a good idea to get a little part-time job to rub elbows with coworkers and reacquaint yourselves with the issues they face daily.  But for everyone who calls himself a Christian, it is a necessity to fall in love with Jesus all over again and devour the Word of God as never before.  Believe me, you'll need both!

We have no time left for tepid saints but instead, we need to make ready for a lifestyle change that demands we are the caliber of disciples Jesus paid with His own blood to have.

Make ready!  We have the visitation of the King on its way!