Be Found With Work Gloves On
09/13/2019

PRAISE THE LORD FOR WHAT HE IS DOING AT THIS VERY LATE HOUR!!!

Wednesday, after I had just moved the new fridge(!!) into the kitchen, I had the thought, "Lord, if we had X amount of money, I would get a Sam's card [a discount club store], and absolutely fill the truck with foodstuffs." (Since that is what we needed).

With the new sort room, how the Lord has been supplying, and with the fridge, it has been amazing to see His wonderful outpouring getting this place ready - why expect less! The Lord has definitely stepped up the preparation and urgency that this mission is about to go into service!! With my foodservice experience (with local monthly community events), I knew that it would cost a lot to fill the truck! Sam's is about 45 minutes away, so it has never been worth my time (or budget) to have a card, or go there...

PRAISE THE LORD, Thursday morning, the EXACT AMOUNT of X came in!!! Plus another offering matching the fridge amount!! PRAISE THE LORD, combining the amounts gave amazing liberty to spend even over the X amount at Sam's! Two VERY FULL flatbed cart's worth!!! I don't think I could have fit another thing in the truck!! Praise the Lord for travel mercies, too! I had to strap it all down with a cargo net (not including everything crammed in the cab)!

PRAISE THE LORD, the kitchen is now chock full! It's taken me several hours, Friday, to get most of it crammed into various corners! Praise the Lord, we now have plenty of commercial foodservice supplies, bulk foodservice food quantities, patient foods, staff snacks and energy bars, 24 more #10 cans, and a number of supplies that can be used in the medical areas!! It has brought tears to my eyes, several times the past few days, to reflect on how the Lord is outpouring and preparing for what is about to happen.

Thank you so, so much for your prayers, intercessions, and upholding of these weary arms!!! Special thank you to the servants who gave of their time, in tangible form. It is so encouraging, and strengthening, to see fellow servants have a heart and willingness to be involved with what the Lord is doing! Please continue to keep me in prayer, as I am still running wide open; and it is still very hot here!! I definitely need prayers of strength, rest, refreshment, wisdom, and liberty. With all of the driving that I've had to do lately, it's given plenty of quiet time to pray for you all, and to lift you up before the throne!

One of the unique challenges of a disaster medical clinic (different from 'prepping' or survivalist-type goals), is that patients have a unique diet, the staff have high-calorie needs, morale boosters needed all around, and you really don't want to change everybody's diet on top of it all (body does not like that). Additionally, the purpose of this mission is not long-term survival; it is a extremely short-term goal: make a difference in as many lives as possible, within the first 72+ hours of their world falling apart. The Brook Cherith is a stop-gap measure, ready to hit the ground running, from the very moment the rapture happens, and accidents/chaos start inflicting injuries. It can help bridge the gap till the community can organize better long-term options, in larger, and more conducive, facilities.

Because of the mission's essence - to buy people precious time and life - there are many more expenses for time-saving 'convenience' items and prepared foods. In other situations, it would be far cheaper to mainly buy bulk basic ingredients (rice, beans, flour, etc.). However, in this scenario, they will not have the luxury of time; we are literally buying them time, by purchasing foodstuffs and supplies that allow them to focus intently on the important life-saving tasks and high-priority needs of the first few days. Many of the budget considerations here are intended, firstly, to save valuable time. Time is money. Money invested buys time - with eternal time consequences. For many of the more critically injured, Lord willing, efforts can buy them time to reflect on all that God has extended to them by demonstration of grace and mercy, and consider Christ's offer of eternal salvation. Lord willing, the clinic's testimony will also strengthen many non-injured to also turn to Christ, and follow Him boldly.

"And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul." - Acts 11:28-30

It is sobering, exciting, and compelling to see how the Lord is so quickly and urgently pulling so many things together at this late hour - final preparations, right when we know sudden destruction is also at the door. There will be tasks for the King's servants, right up until the very moment He comes. Let us apply ourselves to His service - AND SO MUCH THE MORE!! PRAISE THE LORD FOR WHAT HE IS DOING!!!

"Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. LET YOUR LOINS BE GIRDED ABOUT, AND YOUR LIGHTS BURNING; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are THOSE SERVANTS." - Luke 12:33-38

May we strive with urgency and zeal, applying ourselves to His service, occupying ourselves with eternal concerns - till He comes! Notice that Christ specifically stated (firstly) that He wants to return, finding us with our "loins girded about." In ancient times (and in some cultures still today), when a man was about to do some serious work on the job site or in the field, he would first tie up his lower garments, closer to his waist, so they wouldn't interfere with the work; and to allow his legs to run/jump/climb/move more unhindered. To have one's loins girded about, meant that they were ready to work - and to do some serious work. It would be our modern equivalent of rolling up your sleeves, having your steel-toe safety boots on, and your leather work gloves on. Christ wants to return, finding His servants WORKING.

Friends, we all labour in the King's vineyard, in various ways. My job is not your job; and visa versa. We all have different responsibilities that the King gives us, and expects of us. We are also told that - as we see the day approaching - we should be provoking each other, and exhorting (inviting) each other to 1) LOVE in action, and toward 2) GOOD WORKS; and both of those SO MUCH THE MORE than we had previously done. When we know our Master is about to come (at an expected season - yet with some ambiguity), we should be making sure that He finds us WORKING! Whether that is physically, tangibly, or prayerfully, we should all seek Him for wisdom of how we can SO MUCH THE MORE roll up our sleeves, get busy, and be found working on that which is good!

Praise the Lord, the past two days, I've been running around like a hummingbird. :-D The Lord has given strength and wisdom for the needed tasks; and so I have been applying myself to what is most needful at the hour. Every day, recently, it has been abundantly clear that we are going forward each day, on an hour-by-hour basis; time is so very short. As I have been moving stuff around, I was thinking how the Lord wants to find us with our loins girded about: working. As I put on my leather working gloves, it really impressed upon me that - of all the things that I COULD BE doing - I most want my LORD, King, and Redeemer to return, finding me with my proverbial work gloves on.

Friend, we have heard so many trumpet calls at midnight, telling us that the Bridegroom - our Master and King - draweth nigh. Go. Ye. Out. To Meet Him. When we hear the Master knocking, and at the very door, do we rise immediately to go forward to open our heart and hands to sup with Him? Will He find us with our loins girded about, busy so much the more? Will He find us watching with our hands, heart, and life? Will He find us with our lights burning - going wisely forward, drawing nigh to our Redeemer? He has told us what He wants to find in our lives, when He returns; these are not suggestions; they are commands of faithful service.

The hour is late, and we see so much telling - and showing - us that time is almost up. We see The Day of sudden destruction, judgment, and indignation looming on the horizon. Calls of peace and safety continue to ring in our ears - while life goes on like the days of Noah and Lot. Let us remember Lot's wife. Let us remember Noah - who was faithfully busy and obedient until the very last day.

In many ways, we hear a boarding call - and a knocking at the door - going out now. LET US live to be found faithful and wise (with our proverbial work gloves on!), drawing nigh to His call with a true heart. LET US go forward obediently: LOVING Him, and SERVING Him - FIRST - AND HIGHEST ABOVE ALL ELSE!!

Maranatha!!
Brother Daniel

 

 

info@informedchristians.comPO 403 • Shelby, AL 35143