Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Every day brings us one step closer to winter, and nature is responding to the cool air and strong winds that are a part of fall in Virginia. It’s how we face each Season of life that determines our joy and contentment. I embrace each Season with the anticipation of a child. I met with the Living God inside, where it’s warm, and I could see the “work” the wind has been doing lately from out the window. One minute, the ground around the front porch is covered in leaves, and the next minute God has blown them away like a Heavenly leaf blower! God uses the wind to prune the limbs in God-style, and we have plenty of kindling for the fire because of it. When the wind howls, the leaves spin like cyclones. Most of the leaves have already hit the ground, but there are still some “stubborn” ones that don’t want to let go as if they’re hanging on for dear life. That simple observation reminded me of how that’s precisely the way God deals with people, too. Sometimes He’ll “come through” and shake things up for a Purpose, and when He does, some people scatter in all directions, some of them fall to the ground, and then there’s always a few that will hang on no matter what. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith, too?

It’s not an easy world we live in these days, and God is shaking things up for His Purpose. So many of His people are caught up in the wind; some are scattered in every direction, some have already given up and fallen to the ground, and some are hanging onto things of this world as they hate their way to the end. Though we’re warned that we’ll “hear of wars and rumors of wars,” even His people are shocked when they do. Though we’re warned that in the last days “they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother,” even His people are shocked when they are. Though we’re told “they will hate you because of me,” even His people are shocked when they are…before they rush off to judge the Faith of another without blinking an eye. I’m not sure if His people are clueless about the Truth or if they love things of this world so much they can’t see the Spiritual Purpose behind all the things we’re suffering through today. Either way, God Almighty is shaking things up and some are scattered in every direction, some have already given up and fallen to the ground, and some are holding onto the world so tight they’ve lost sight of what is still to come…the KING is coming. When you keep the Cross and the King front and center in Life, it’s not possible to scatter around in every direction OR to fall to the ground in defeat…and clinging to the world is never a temptation because of it.

I don’t have all the answers, but I DO know that what we see today has already been Breathed into Black and White by God Almighty Himself, and although I’m pained to see what’s going on around me, I’m not surprised at all. There’s not a news headline on the planet that can come as a surprise to me when I consider how I’ve already been warned. God is shaking things up for His Purpose, and lots and lots of “His people” have gotten caught up in the process. There will be wars! There will be turmoil and hate EVEN within the family! The world will hate because of Him…and a whole lot more pain and suffering is yet to come. But that’s not what to focus on at all!!! Because “in the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” The question is, how can His Spirit be poured out in you as long as you’re scattered around in every direction, on the ground in defeat, or so focused on this lost world?”. The King is coming…ready or not.

The world and everything in it is pretty scary if that’s what you choose to focus on. But the world isn’t my home…I’m here on Temporary Assignment and I’m just passing through… so I’m not nearly as concerned about all the turmoil around me as I am about where I’m Headed. I’d rather spend my time and energy sharing the Truth than debating the politics, and you can’t miss Him in me, no matter where I am or who I’m with. I know “the rest of the story” and I know how the Story ends – I know the “signs” of His coming – I know there will be calamity beforehand – I know people will hate me because of Him – But I also know that One Day that Trumpet will sound to let me know that He’s coming for me and when it does, I won’t be found scattered in every direction, I won’t be found on the ground in defeat, and I won’t be so focused on the things of this world that I didn’t “see” the Time coming. Instead, I’ll spend as much time as I possibly can to be sure that everybody in my path knows the Truth too, so that they aren’t scattered, fallen, or misled. Not just the lost ones that have never Heard the Truth, but His people too – the ones that should be clinging to the Truth and Sharing it as much as they can too…and yet they’re scared, scattered, fallen, and blind.

Look out, world, the King is coming…ready or not!

Are you ready?