Are YOU Ready?
By: Maxine M.

You’re ready to set the world on fire for Christ…that’s your heart’s desire
But have you spent time PREPARING in life’s crucible, obtaining the strength you’ll need to acquire?
Salvation comes the instant we believe & accept, BUT DURABILITY is achieved under FIRE

An illuminating fire that can purge away impurities that daily our lives can fill
For it’s when in that time spent ALONE with God, He conforms our being to His will
A time of PURIFYING, LEARNING, LISTENING to the wisdom the Holy Spirit can instill

Now, God gave “examples” of this refining process in the bible in which ALL can read
Those used greatly in fulfilling His purpose, needed to LEARN how to lead
Some would become fugitives, prisoners, wilderness wanderers…His guidance, came to heed

We see how He USED Joseph to save His people in their hour of need
But Joseph had some maturing to do first, hard times to experience, faith to proceed
Finally learned, what others meant for harm was really God’s plan for him to succeed

Scorn, hatred & ridicule led his brothers to commit the ultimate betrayal
Falsely accused by a women, forgotten by an ungrateful servant…brought 2 more years in jail
But then LIBERATED, rewarded with power, as GOD’S plan would prevail

40 years in a palace, 40 years on the Midian plains before God said “Moses, you’re ready”
Ready to assume responsibility, deliver My people…lead with a hand that’s steady
You’ll need to RISE ABOVE all their grumbling & complaining…their protesting everything petty

But I’ll be there with you, guiding & instructing every step of the way
Come up to Mt. Sinai, there I’LL write the Commands My people are to OBEY
And one day in the FAR future, an endtime message of repentance I’ll have YOU convey

David was anointed as a young man, but it took years before he became king
His motives and loyalty misunderstood…he Knew the trouble ANOTHER’S jealous heart can bring
Lonely, on the run, he found comfort in his psalms…the ones we still read & sing

Hiding in a cave, he must have longed for the old days of just watching sheep
But he was learning leadership, developing a trust in his Lord that would run deep
Finding the price of failure wasn’t cheap…but ALL God’s promises, He’ll keep

Now, these 3 men were REAL people with REAL problems, but a special calling they would receive
Because God had a plan for their lives…a SPECIFIC goal for them to achieve
Just as He has for our lives also…calling us to TRUST, OBEY, BELIEVE

So, do you see that trouble in your life as a learning tool?
Realize that life’s lessons are as important as knowledge learned in school?
That heartache & disappointment are to help us grow…NOT because God is CRUEL

For when we go through sorrow, grief & distress…emotions fully drained
We’re BETTER able to SERVE Him, knowing how in each day His Mercies are contained
Thus, EMPATHY for others in similar circumstances, we’ve gained

Because once you take that decisive step to ASK Him into your heart
You’ll come to understand how His molding of your life is a work of art
And that your relationship with Him is the “GLUE” that keeps life from falling apart

So, ARE YOU READY to embrace His plan for YOU & the time of learning it may take?
Seek what He has in store…spend time in prayer from the moment you awake?
READY to tackle the problems of today, assured He will never forsake?