Readiness
/Dearest Ones,
I am with you today as I was with my disciples when we walked and talked together about things too wonderful for them to absorb, but afterwards they would remember what I taught them and take it to the world. So it will be with you. As you walk with me now I will reveal treasures with you to share with the hungry multitude, and as you share it, it will multiply in your hands because you cannot outgive me, the giver of all good things.
Now for the topic of today. It is "readiness." The question I have for you to ponder today is this: Are you ready to follow me through the perilous times just ahead of us? I say "us," because I will be with you every step of the journey to the end, just as I was with my people on their journey to the promised land. I deliberately led them through the wilderness so they could learn to trust me and my leadership, and get to know me and my ways. Although they could not see me in person, they could see the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, and see the miracles that I did for them day after day. My communication with them was through Moses, as they had asked it to be. [Ex. 20:18, 19.] But they often rebelled against me when they did not understand my ways.
Yet I loved them and led them to the promised land, just as I had promised them I would do. Now the time has come for me to lead my people to the promised land again. But this time I will be the leader in person and not through a human leader. Everyone who goes through alive with me will have to have a personal relationship with me even greater than I had with Moses or any of my other leaders, for I must lead you through the last days and hours of earth's history and you must know my voice personally speaking to your heart. No one will make it through by following another person or leader, no matter how great the leader may be. Each person must be a finished product of my grace, and thus be a representation of what my saving power can do for every person if they allow me to walk and talk with them as I did with Moses, Abraham, Elijah, and Enoch.
You have no idea how much I love each one of you, nor can you know until you reach the eternal promised land, and see me face to face and know what it means to live in my presence all the time. Now you must live by faith and see only through a glass darkly [1 Cor. 13:12]. But the relationship that I have with you now must so satisfy your need for my love that you would rather die than be separated from me and the special relationship that we have together even now. So it has been with all who will be in heaven, no matter when in the progress of history they have lived. But no one else will have lived when the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the earth and only the righteous had a connection with me. And none of them will have lived when there was no mediator in the heavenly Sanctuary. No one else will have seen the whole earth in utter chaos and live through the time of trouble such as never was.
So you will be my special display before the universe of what my life, death, resurrection, and mediation can do to bring forth a finished and perfected people, ready to walk through the gates of heaven without seeing death. It is not that you are more spiritual or more dedicated than any other people. It is a combination of when you have lived in the outline of history, and how you have responded to my call to be among the 144,000 who will represent all the saved people of all the ages in history. Therefore, the concept that I am emphasizing today in order to be among that number, is readiness, because this must characterize every person who goes all the way with me to the perfected state of holiness, or complete agreement with me, that is necessary to complete the journey to the heavenly Canaan.
Do you see the contrast between those who completed the journey from Egypt to Canaan and those who did not? There were only two - Joshua and Caleb - who trusted and obeyed me. Do you remember what Joshua said to the rebellious people who died in the wilderness?
"The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them." [Num. 13:7-9.]
So it must be now with those who go through all the way. The majority of Christians, even of my own people are saying, we cannot overcome the giants in our lives. We cannot have perfect victory over sin and the temptations of the devil. And so, as I said to ancient Israel, so I say to you: If you will not, you cannot. I accept your decision to stay in Egypt in your hearts and in your behavior. Because you say you cannot overcome the giants in your life, you have pronounced your own doom. You will die with your sins unconquered and never see the promised land.
But those who, like Joshua and Caleb, believe my words and follow me all the way through the end of time - these will triumph with me, and by their readiness to believe my word and obey my counsel, they will represent me forever as the finished work of redemption. Do you want to be among that number and be ready to move forward to obtain the prize? I know that you will, for you have already stepped out from those who are saying, it can't be done. You are my Calebs and Joshuas who are leaders in Israel because of your belief and trust in my promises and my cleansing power. And to you I say today:
"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." Isa. 26:20, 21.
Soon you will see me coming in the clouds of heaven to take you home. Be faithful until that day and your reward for following me faithfully on earth will be to follow me forever by my side throughout eternity! Lovingly, Jesus.
