A long time ago in a month far, far away, I began what I intended to be a “Heavenly” series. There have been starts and stops and starts again. This is a start-again moment. Often, what we see as interruptions at the time are later found to be God’s strategic interventions. I have no problem seeing that now in this start-again moment and find it’s nice to be back on track.
I began in the previous installment of this series, Heavenly Vision, reminding myself and you of the importance of preparing our hearts for the coming of the Lord, that time when we will all meet Jesus face to face. The article went on to address one massive distraction from our heart preparations, our tendency to focus more on the rising darkness of this world than on the soon-coming Light. We called this anxiety-breeding activity earthly vision. (That was a quick recap.)
So now we’re circling back around to the idea of preparing our hearts to meet Jesus face to face. Are we actually ready for that, to meet the Maker of the sun and stars? All we are and do and think will be laid bare before Him at that meeting. That gives me a bit of a queasy stomach, and the enemy could have a field day with doubts and questions if I didn’t know Jesus paid it all and that there’s nothing I can do to be any more righteous in His sight than His shed blood has already accomplished. Still, when I get there, I want to kneel before Him knowing I’ve given all of me to my King here in the final whispers of this kingdom age.
I once heard a pastor explain how, back in ancient times, when a king was planning to travel to a city, workers would be sent ahead of him to prepare the way by removing road objects like downed trees and rocks to allow for the king’s smooth journey. I’m guessing the advance team’s mission was no secret as they would tell the townspeople along the way of the coming of the king in order that they may be prepared for his arrival. That’s a great picture of us as we tell others about the soon-coming Jesus. Our warning is that the rapture is imminent, so it’s time to prepare their hearts through salvation. But what of the condition of our own hearts? What do we need to do now to prepare ourselves for our heavenly home?
In a Rapture Ready article last year, I prompted readers to ask this question of themselves: Why are you excited about the rapture? Is it because you merely want to escape the darkness of this world, or are you looking forward to seeing and being with Jesus? I hope that question forced many to look beyond a blurry line that would suggest maybe a little of both. As much as this wicked world sickens me, I can honestly say I’m most looking forward to being with Jesus. But still, the fact that I will indeed see Him soon is a reality check, a call to do a little cleaning of this current bodily tent where I dwell, a place where I’ve recently caught a glimpse of a dust bunny in a darkened corner of my spiritual life.
Anxiety, the dirty-word symptom of a lack of trust, prompted me into fear-filled action in a way I didn’t see for what it was at the time. I don’t mind sharing my story with you as long as you consider learning from my mistake. Last year, when we were being warned by trusted pastors and teachers that food shortages were likely after the burning of many food facilities, the dying or destruction of cows and poultry, fertilizer shortages, droughts, etc., I did some prepping. While it wasn’t the I-think-I’ll-be-here-for-twenty-years kind of prepping, I did stock up my pantry and then some.
Truthfully, I didn’t go too crazy with it (my husband may disagree), not like some who have enough rice and beans to last until 2050. For the most part, I bought wisely, things we normally use. Where I did get off balance was when the idea that I would have to help extended family (who didn’t see) started feeling like a heavy weight of responsibility on my shoulders. I know better. They are God’s to care for. Yet somehow, the more I listened to all the predictions of impending doom, the more I felt I had to “do something.” I did –a little too much, a fact now evident as we pack to make a long-anticipated move to downsize.
Do I think God is angry with me over my anxiety? No, not at all. As a matter of fact, He has tremendously blessed our family with the food I did buy. There was no way I could’ve known last year that my husband would lose his job this spring. So, guess who stocked our pantry at thirty to sixty percent less than most food prices now? (I bet you guessed me.) We now only have to shop for produce and dairy and not inner-aisle foods. Talk about a budget relief during his semi-forced, early retirement. This is a great example of how God takes even our missteps and works them for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
I also know the Lord wants me to learn from it. I have, and I still am. Hopefully, you will too. If you have and still are prepping, this is a no-judgment zone. We are all called to follow the promptings of the Lord as uniquely as are our journeys with Him. I don’t regret ninety percent of what I purchased – well, maybe eighty percent. It’s wise to have what we need for storm preparedness, losses of jobs, occasional empty shelves, and ever-increasing inflation. I merely regret how I missed it when I crossed that line that took me from wise preparations to an anxiety-driven need to take care of everyone. Lesson learned, and now plenty of food is being shared with some of my favorite in-need families as I clean physical dust bunnies and pack to move.
I also know that those pastors and teachers were right. There was every reason to believe that a food-pocalypse was coming. Every indicator was and still is there. We’re on the brink of a total financial collapse, and our supply chain is exceptionally vulnerable, but what I didn’t rely on enough then that I’m more intentional about now is that the restrainer is doing His job effectively and will continue to do so until the day the Father issues the order for the Son to come for His bride. “They,” the evil minions of the devil, can’t do even one thing to further their agenda unless the Lord allows. He may hold back their plans for another year or five. Until then, I can live well-stocked and only a little embarrassed, knowing that I don’t need to worry about tomorrow since it has enough worries of its own (Matthew 6:34).
I didn’t do anything wrong in getting my earthly house in order. I just did a few things with a level of anxiety that I know the Lord doesn’t want to drive me, not ever, not even in the face of all the destruction “they” are doing to our economy and food supply.
Since early springtime, while once again residing in my peace-filled, earthly tent, I’ve wondered: Could this have been our last spring before we move to our heavenly home? Has that crossed your mind lately? What if your face-to-face with Jesus is weeks, days, or even hours away? That possibility makes dust bunnies a greater priority these days and the need for a little “spring” cleaning due. Whether it be a shred of doubt, a moment of apathy, or a selfish motive, what enemy-inspired attitude or bad-itude do you have lingering around, corrupting your spiritual home? News flash: Jesus is coming soon! You’ll have an audience before the King. What undesirable thoughts or actions can you sweep away now? Whatever it is, let it go. Cling to Jesus instead.
We’re not the only ones who’ve been in need of a little tidying up prior to seeing a “wonder” of God.
“Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5).
The Israelites, newly under Joshua’s leadership, were facing a river overflowing its banks. In order to get to their Promised Land, they would have to cross over. It’s easy for us, those who read the account after the fact, to miss the intensity of their predicament. If you’re familiar with the story, you know that the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant were required to step foot into the flood water prior to its parting – not part then step, but step then part. Their step of faith took confidence and trust in the One who parts waters. Faith and trust aren’t present in lives filled with fear and anxiety. No wonder it took a good dose of “consecration” for this people to step first and then see such a wonder as the parting of a river and dry ground to walk on.
What’s headed our way is the parting of the skies and our Groom coming for His bride to take us to our heavenly home, one He’s been preparing for us for over two-thousand years. Is there any more wonderFULL wonder than that? It’s nearly preposterous to think and believe, but we, you and me, those who are alive now, will soon be caught up in the air to meet Jesus face to face. I’ll say it again this way: We just might need a good dose of consecration ourselves to be set apart from this world and its polluting influence. Join me as I kick off a little mud from my shoes that I tend to track around my earthly tent. I can’t actually take sin with me to my heavenly home, but I sure want to resolve those issues here and now and live in the freedom Jesus offers me.
Speaking of joining me: A group of us gets together most Thursday nights on Zoom to discuss rapture and last-days-related topics. We will be discussing this topic of our Heavenly Home on June 15th. If you want to know more, visit the DaybreakGathering.com site. Topic assignments, discussion questions, and the link to Zoom can all be found there.
I hope to see you there,
Lisa
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If you would like to read Lisa’s previous Rapture Ready articles, you can find them here: Lisa’s Rapture Ready Articles/Series.
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Daybreak, Last Days of Light – Free ebook download
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About Daybreak with Lisa:
Daybreak is a way of life, one of exposing the rising darkness and telling of the soon-coming Light. We only have so many daybreaks remaining before that final sunset when we, as believers, are caught up in the air to meet Jesus.
As an author, Lisa Heaton is a storyteller with a heart for truth. Her greatest desire in her fiction and nonfiction work is to challenge the reader to discover the truth of who Jesus is and who they are to Him. Now, here as we wait for the any-minute arrival of Jesus for His church in the rapture, Lisa’s latest mission is to warn the lost and wake the found and to help others discover their unique voice to share the truth of our times. More at DaybreakWithLisa.com. Contact Lisa at Lisa@LisaHeatonBooks.com.