Cruise ship or dreadnought?
Wail, for the day of the LORD is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man's heart will melt …You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. - ISAIAH 13:6-7; JAMES 5:8
The Good Ship Zion is not a luxury liner, but a battleship! A recruit who believes the posters and signs up to see the world. He reports for duty on his Navy ship in a splashy Hawaiian shirt, his feet shod in open-toe sandals and wearing festive red Bermuda shorts. Quickly he discovers he should have worn battle dress!
People who embark on the Christian life believing it’s a Caribbean cruise melt when they see guns and ammo. There is indeed wonderful peace and joy in Christ, but it all comes in the midst of battle, not apart from it.
The heart that melts at the coming of the Lord has not been strengthened. Ready your heart by yanking off glad rags and putting on the battledress—the Salvation-helmet protecting the head, the truth-belt holding everything together, the feet wearing the running shoes of witness, the shield of unwavering faith protecting it all and the weapon of Word and Spirit to get the job of victory done. (EPHESIANS 6:13-17)
TODAY’S FOCUS
Ask the Lord to prepare you for battling the powers of darkness, not snorkeling the Caribbean.