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In Times Like These, Be Always Ready

       Jesus teaching the multitude on one particular occasion made some declarations that troubled His Disciples. These teachings were strange and markedly different from what they were taught by the teachers and scribes of the law (Matthew 7:28-29). In response to one of such teaching, Peter said: “…’Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?’” (Luke 12:41). The particular parable Peter was referring to was that of them being ready for the Lord’s return (Luke 12:35-40). In this parable, Jesus particularly warned that as His servants and followers, we must be ready to go with Him when He returns. This is the goal of our followership – to reign with Him at the end!
       He gave certain conditions that would determine our state of readiness to follow when He returns. The conditions are: Be dressed ready, be at alert, and be ready to open the door immediately we hear the knock. It was clear from the parable that those that will miss the return of the Master are those that were not prepared and waiting for Him, not because they were not servants. Beloved, your walk, and work at this present time are not in question. But what is in question is, are you ready for His return by the state of your walk with and work for Him? Does your service reflect a heart that is attentive to the voice from Heaven or the voice on earth? It is good to live well on this earth, pray for favor, influence, increase, and all that we need to live very successful lives on earth, but what about listening to and discerning that still small voice from Heaven? Will our living well and successfully on earth translate to gaining an entrance to the Heavenly dwellings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Please ponder on this thought!
      Beloved, as we await the Return of our Master and Lord, the Book of Hebrews details four particular warnings that should encourage us and act as a check for us to always keep our eye solely focused on the eternal prize! The warnings are:
         First, “So we must be very careful. We must continue to remember the message that we have heard about God’s Son. Then we will not go in the wrong direction, and turn away from God” (Hebrews 2:1, EasyEnglish). We live in a world that is constantly evolving its many ways of luring as many as it can into the trap of lusts designed to take a person’s attention away from his Creator. As we continue to remember the message of God, we are anchored in His Presence and we will not drift away from Him.
       Second, daily the Lord speaks to our hearts through His Word; training us to hear and obey Him. Thus, we must not harden our hearts to His Word, even when it is inconvenient: “…Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled” (Hebrews 3:15). Beloved, ‘Today’ in the Scripture refers to the moment you are in. 
       Third, as you hear God’s Word, obey and put it to practice; and as you do this, you mature in the Spirit and in the things of God. It will then be difficult for the world and its systems to lure you from your firm stability in God’s Presence: “But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law” (Hebrews 5:14, AMP). In other words, don’t fall away from the Truth you have come to know!
        Finally, don’t refuse God. Do not allow your immediate satisfaction to cause you to take a decision against God: “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven” (Hebrews 12:25, NLT). If you are led by your sight and your appetites like Esau, it will likely cost you your position in God, and you will refuse Him when He comes knocking!
       In conclusion, beloved, as we see the Day draw ever closer in a world that is in so much of a hurry to steal the hearts of people away from God, let us hold firmly to the message of undiluted truth we have come to learn of Him, and we will surely hear and respond promptly when He comes knocking: “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:6-8, NLT). Beloved, in these times, that it is so difficult to live as a child of God because of all the distractions, may God help you discern that which is pleasing to Him and to continually do it, in Jesus Christ name, Amen! God bless you. 

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