"If you have not already done so, from now on you must cultivate a time with Me to listen very carefully to My heart. It will be very important for you to do so, for your sake and for the sake of those around you. Most of you have known for some time now that you have been called to a sincere walk with Me. While most of the church seemed to be able to conduct "business as usual," you have heard the wooing to deeper prayer and focused commitment, which caused you to discern the times and seasons that are at hand.
"Because of Our communion, you are now well aware of the fact that some very intense times are coming throughout the land, times similar to those of My early church. I will be using those of you, who have cultivated ears to hear My voice, to guide and give solace to those who have been too busy to prepare. They will be wide-eyed and drooling at the mouth because of fear. You must keep your eyes on Me, so that I have a people who are able to function properly and carry out My will.
"I am calling you to live a crucified life, dead to yourselves and alive to My perfect will. You have been in training for that kind of life for some time now. Those who have not followed Jesus' example of living and dying will have no idea how to function when it is the only way to survive. Their "success"-oriented lives will be of no benefit to My kingdom. They will reel with the prospects of pain and loss. Unable to have any success from their formulas, hyper faith teachings, and "positive" doctrines, they will flounder foolishly with the rest of the world, instead of being My example for others to see.
"You must be there for them, holding them close, until they recover from the shock of seeing that I meant what I said all along. You remember the power of My might. You lead the way. Serve others as Jesus did. Listen only to Me. I will be there for you."
Isaiah 42:9 NIV
"See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
Hebrews 12:12 TLB
So take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs, and mark out a straight, smooth path for your feet so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves, but become strong.
Ephesians 1:17 NIV
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
I am reminded of the time when Mt. Saint Helens (the volcano in the state of Washington) blew up. For some time before it erupted, warnings went forth to everyone near. They were told to evacuate their homes by increasingly intense warnings, as the expected time grew closer.
I remember hearing of some foolish people who did not heed the warnings, trusting in their own fortifications, or simply believing that they would be able to weather the blast. They had no concept of the devastating power that was soon to be unleashed in their direction. Because of their ignorance, they perished.
For many years, our gracious Lord has been calling for His people to prepare for times and seasons that will be extremely difficult. He has been calling us to fortify ourselves with His Word and cultivate a relationship with Him that is focused and trustworthy. The posture for which we have been in training is not one of survival; it is one of service and implementation of His will.
Very much like those who perished when the volcano erupted, most of the church has not heeded the warnings that the Lord has presented. Having never before experienced the impact of what is about to happen, they have based their decisions on their own interpretation of what is about to occur. The magnitude of the impending devastation eludes them.
I don't believe that most of us realize how much of our "American dream" has already eroded. Our safety can no longer be promised because of our supposed might as a nation. We are in a different kind of time with a different set of rules that eludes those who do not know Jesus intimately. Proper preparations for these times are not those that are designed to protect personal safety. Physical fortifications will fall. The only safety will be in Jesus. There, nothing can touch us.
Needing to learn how to "tuck in" now,
Jim Corbett
