ARE YOU READY? OR ARE YOU ASLEEP?
Do you remember 911? Do you remember the shock, the horror, the awful timeless ages in front of the TV wondering what happened? Did you feel helpless? Did you wonder what if it had occurred in your city?
Do you remember Hurricane Katrina August 28, 2005? Even with 5 days notice – it was not enough for the City of New Orleans, or for thousands of her residents. And while many have enough to take care of them for a couple days – there are some there who are still waiting for help to meet their most basic needs.
Do you remember Greensburg, Kansas in May 7, 2007? In a brief moment – a town all but wiped off the face of the map with only 20 minutes warning.
Do you remember the evacuations of Hurricane Ike and Rita? Do you remember the horror of the earthquakes in Japan?
Do you remember the tsunami that followed those earthquakes?
Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, mudslides, volcano eruptions, forest and plains fires. Blizzards that bind people helpless in their homes trapped by fallen trees, alone without help able to reach them because of those very trees.
What makes you think this could not happen to you?
What makes you so desperate you don’t even want to think about it?
How can you be so asleep you won’t even prepare for your own family and neighbors?
You say you want the Kingdom of God to come. How is it you won’t believe the context of Matthew 24 that lists all the things that must happen before Jesus comes back for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle? Before Jesus comes back for a victorious warrior Bride – she must make herself ready. She must bid those on the highways and byways to come in. Have you ever thought perhaps they are there because they are evacuating disasters?
How can you call yourself a Christian?
Even if you and yours are spared any of the multitudes of possible natural disasters and acts of terrorism or wars – how can you call yourself a Christian if you are unwilling to be prepared to succor others?
Do you know CPR? Do you know 1st Aid? Do you know how to be prepared for loss of utilities, water, or housing? What if the disasters come in a harsh winter or blazing summer?
Do you have cash set aside for essentials and to bless others? How about food? Do you have a generator?
Do you have the essential skills, tools, and tactics to not only survive but be a beacon of life and hope to those who need it?
Or are you content to be a “church” Christian only?
Have you considered the Good Samaritan? He had enough money on him to move the man, secure housing and food, and pay for medical bills. Furthermore, he arranged for the man to be housed and cared for until he was fully recovered.
How would Jesus speak to you, would He say, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” Matthew 25:45
Luke 10:30-37 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”
2 Peter 3:4 “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
Revelation 3:14-22 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ” I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Romans 12:3-4 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Matthew 24:1-14 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
If you want to prepare yourselves and do not know how to begin – start by calling your local emergency management, FEMA, or your local fire department. If that does not help – email me and I’ll try to get something posted asap.
Lest you think I’m being too hard, this message was for me first,
and I found I preferred the comfortable, the convenient and have repented
to do the works befitting an Ambassador of The King.
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