Success

Have you ever heard the idea that success is when preparation meets opportunity? I like that thinking because its true. I bring this to your attention today as a way of encouraging you. Think about the situation in the world today. Everyone, or at a minimum the vast majority of people in "high places" whether it be religion, politics, social organizations etc etc are black in the heart corrupt. The powers that be have corrupted everything, and they now have most people by the throat. Many people see the current situation as helpless. "What do we do" they say, thinking their only options are the voting booth or physical confrontation. All of their options are wordly options. This is how you can spot the so called christians from a mile away. "Get involved" they say, "get out and vote" they say. In their mind, if John McBush would have been (s)elected, we would be sooooo much better off now....

Here's where your encouragement comes in...success is where preparation...meets opportunity. Your options are different from their options. Your prayers can accomplish much..if you believe. You can prepare through prayer. You can prepare through moment by moment taking control of your thoughts and bringing them into obedience with the word of God. You can moment by moment refuse to entertain any idea or thoughts that pollute you. You can choose to rededicate your life to the Master every morning. In other words, you can prepare for "the escape." Our Lord tells us to be watching and ready. He gives us many examples to illustrate what he's talking about. Most notably, the ten virgins come to mind. Some were ready, some were not. What did the "ready" virgins do that the foolish ones did not? They prepared in advance for the masters arrival.

How did they prepare, they brought extra oil. Why? They planned in advance to wait. They made preparations to do whatever was necessary to be ready when the bridegroom showed up. Realize this, if you do not prepare to succeed, you then default automatically over to preparation to fail. You can be proactive today, while the rest of the world has an iron fist around their throats. One size does not fit all today, and it will not fit all in the future. You can work on exercising and building your faith today. Yes, I realize that all of this sounds like utter non-sense to those who have told you to "get involved" with the world to make a difference. If I'm not mistaken, these people have been telling you to "get involved" with the world for years and years and years now, and look at the world. Does it appear to you that their method for "getting involved" is working? People are more enslaved and oppressed in every way today than they were a year ago, five years ago, ten years ago etc etc. They tell you the same things year after year and the world has gone from bad to utterly wicked.

Our Father's ways are not the ways of this world..period. He does'nt think like them, he does'nt love like them, he does'nt act like them, and we are his children. One of our highest goals must be to be just like our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. That means we do not proceed like the world does. Everything they do is futile, spinning their wheels with illusions of progress that keep them snared and walking down that broad road that leads to destruction. The OSAS (once saved always saved) people are fond of telling you "all you have to do is believe" to be saved. Well, I agree to some extent, but what does that mean "believe?" It takes FAITH to believe, no faith=no belief. Your faith is the currency that is worth more than all the worthless dollars the fat cat bankers are gorging themselves on at your expense today.

Today, we are still in the days before the flood...re-read Genesis 7, it says because of the flood, Noah and his family entered the ark (that and our God told him to get in :-). Genesis 7: 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. There it is. We can argue about pre,mid,post trib until we are blue in the face, but try arguing ^^^that. Bottom line, Noah went in because of the waters of the flood, the Lord told him to get in because of the waters of the flood.

There's another flood coming to this earth very soon. Because of this new "flood," once again the righteous will be told to "get in" to the "ark," which is the escape from all we are told to pray for in Luke 21:36. Rev 3:10 tells us that a church will be kept from the hour of trial, just as Noah and Lot were kept from their trials. You can do something today. You don't have to dangle off the ground with an iron fist around your throat like the rest of the world. We are not them. I don't say that in any kind of superior way, I say it in a way of someone who is climbing the ramp into the ark while telling the people on the ground, "come on, its going to be bad out there" all the while they mock and spit on me. That's how I'm saying it. Soon, the Lord will shut the door behind us, and its going to get ugly here on earth.

A part of me grieves for what this world is going to go through. I believe the Lord when he says that there is an escape and I pray that I and you may be counted worthy of it, but many won't. I tremble and I am very sobered by the thought of how many won't make it. This isn't a game, its eternal destiny we are talking about here. How many won't make it through the tribulation, then go to hell as a consolation prize? Many. There is no rejoicing in that, its beyond sad and grievous. I would not wish what is coming on my worst enemy. Without the grace and patience of our God, I know that I myself would be one of the clueless many. My heart is in the house of mourning these days, although I expect to be rejoicing on a day coming soon.

Today, so far, its been a pre-flood day. Today some virgins are filling jars with oil to take out and wait for the bridegroom, while other virgins play with the world and mess around till the last second, taking no thought for preparing while they can prepare. This world will chew you up and spit you out, no mercy. Many are those today who will try to convince you of worldly solutions to the spiritual problems this world faces, turn off your mind and ears to them.

Time is short guys. This year just started and already its looking quite wicked. I think there's a great possibility that the escape and the day of the Lord could start this year. The Lord can create and place on your front lawn a sun black as sackcloth and moon red as blood in a hearbeat. Do not be deceived by those who say "but this needs to happen" and "that needs to happen" when your God told you to watch and be ready TODAY. Please....wake up.

grace and peace