1. PRAY.
2 Chronicles 2:14. Pray for your nation. Pray for your family. Pray for wisdom. Ask God what wants He wants you to do personally. The first and foremost preparation is spiritual preparation. We must cultivate an intimate fellowship with our God. We must learn to trust Him in the little things, now, if we are going to be able to trust Him in bigger things. We must learn to know Him now, if we are going to stand fast and immovable in shaky times.
The greatest thing that we can do in life is to KNOW God intimately. Jeremiah 9:23,24 says, “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” The word “knoweth” is the word ‘yada’ in the Hebrew. It means ‘to know intimately’. It is the same word that is used for marital relations, e.g. “And Adam knew Eve his wife: and she conceived.”
It is one thing to acknowledge who God is, but it is another thing to know Him intimately as a friend. When we know Him intimately, we will know that we can trust Him fully.
2. PURIFY OUR SOULS.
Amos 4:12, “Prepare to meet thy God.”
Titus 2:11-14. “For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great god and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
James 4:8. “Purify your hearts ye double-minded.”
Ephesians 5:27. “That he might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
Song of Solomon 4:7. “Thou art fair, my love, there is no spot in Thee.”
I don’t believe that judgment is God’s first choice, but it is His back up plan. If the church is not purified in good times, God often allows hard times to come in order for us to be purified. We are so distracted by the entertainments and frivolities of this world that God may have to take away many of these things, so that we will love Him without distraction. He is coming for a bride – a bride who is not consumed and distracted by other loves, but who is totally focused on her Bridegroom.
