s.b.p.III

To say it as clearly and concisely as I can, if God is telling us to prepare for what is coming, it is because that is precisely what He is up to at this present time.  He is preparing us! The question is, are we recognizing what He is trying to do in us and properly responding to that?

One more thought. In my first s.b.p. post I mentioned that it was important to be forewarned about the good that is coming, not just the bad. Back when the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land God gave Moses a song for him to teach the people that was a prophecy of how the very blessings they would enjoy in the Promised Land would be a test to see if they would continue to faithfully obey God or be turned away to serve false gods. It predicts that they would flunk the test, turn to false gods and end up serving their enemies rather than serving the true God who had blessed them so richly to begin with. And this has been the history of God's people ever since! Will there ever be a time when God can pour out His blessings on His people and they will continue in those blessings, passing those blessings on to the next generation as well? Satan has a boast that although God can save people from hell, he is still more attractive than God because invariably the people that God has saved will lose their initial love for God and turn back to Satan's enticements. But this will end! God will have a people in the end who, as Revelation tells us, will "follow the Lamb wherever He goes, who will not love their lives unto death." If you are a true believer, a true seeker after God and a lover of the truth, understand that everything that is happening in and around you is designed to achieve this very thing. Every trial and every blessing is meant to achieve the same thing - to draw you closer, to become joined to Him who alone is Life in such a way that we will never again even be tempted away from the one and only true Love. In the end the bride will indeed have made herself ready and will indeed be dressed in a spotless wedding gown.

So, to make the point as clear as I can: if God is still withholding blessing (revival) it is because we are not yet ready. There is a time for everything, and now is the time for preparation. God is the one preparing us, but we need to recognize that this is what He is up to and live in agreement with what He is doing. Otherwise the coming glory (like I learned as a painter) won't "stick". So embrace the present trials (and blessings!), for they are all training tools designed to prepare us to fulfill the greatest command of all (which sums up all the others): Love God with all that we are, now and forevermore!