Ours is a new day with new challenges. God is ready to equip us with spiritual wisdom and power that will enable us to be more than conquerors through the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Israelites were to get their supplies ready.

We of today are in a period of preparation. The Lord's officers are beginning to instruct us concerning what is ahead. It is not a time for carelessness.

The events of the future may move very rapidly. The Christian who wastes his time and strength on perfecting his position in the world will be caught off guard and very well may be deceived and fall away from the Lord.

All kinds of moral evil are rapidly increasing in our country. Our traditional church games no longer will be able to help us through the horrors. The church leaders and people must turn to the Lord and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Many voices are speaking in the land. Numerous programs for "reaching the world for Christ" are being advanced. But whatever has not been planted by the Lord Jesus will be uprooted and burned in the fire.

We have to set aside time for seeking the Lord, listening carefully for our instructions. If we continue to perform our own works when God is ready to move His people forward toward their possession we will not be blessed. If God's hand is on us we may be shaken until we stop what we are doing and pay attention to the change that has come upon us.

We are not suggesting that the believers abandon any good work they may be doing. We are stating however that things are afoot in the spirit realm, and if we do not want to miss God we need to stop long enough to be certain we really are doing what God wants.

We must prepare ourselves and our households spiritually for the climactic events that will take place in our day.

Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh asked Moses if they could remain on the plains of Moab on the east side of the Jordan River. They wanted to settle there with their families and livestock.

The land they desired falls within the limits of the land of promise. But their readiness to remain while the Ark and the priesthood went forward reveals that their heart was not with God. They were ready to settle down and enjoy what had been gained. The Ark, the Tabernacle, the Glory of the Shechinah was not that important in their thinking.

So it is today. There are numerous Christians who desire the things of God. However there is not within them the holy fire that craves to dwell in the heart of God where the Lord Jesus abides. They have little passion for holiness, for the Consuming Fire of Israel.

To be continued.