Dearest Ones,
I have a heart of love and compassion for you today as you go about your labors for me! You are the delight of my eyes and the consolation of my heart because of your devotion and willing eagerness to do my will and glorify my name. I say this not because I desire adoration for my own sake, but because of the beautiful characters you are forming as we fellowship together. That is how it will be forever as you grow up as calves in the stall [Mal. 4:2] and rejoice forever in my presence.
Now for the topic of today. It is "heart preparation." It may seem obvious that this is necessary for the reception of the Holy Spirit and fellowship in an ongoing relationship with me, but there is more to it than is generally considered by most Christians. Every person on earth has been given by me a heart that has the capacity for love and holiness. Without that there would be no hope for anyone to seek after and find me, although I am not a God that is far away [Acts 17:27], but I am ever near, waiting for the slightest indication of a desire to reach out to me with a yearning desire to connect with me and receive my love. I have planted that desire within everyone to guide their hearts toward me so that they would want to seek me and find me.
However, this is what gives Satan such power over humanity, for he takes advantage of this natural desire for God, and tries to fulfill that desire himself. Since there is a desire to worship that I have planted within every person, if they do not know me or about me, Satan forms gods for them that suit this desire for his own diabolical purposes. The gods of the heathen were created and formed to be after the desires of their own evil hearts to fulfill and satisfy the lusts of the flesh. Egged on by Satan, they formed images of gods who they could see and worship and plead for the things they desired. This so degraded them that they would sacrifice their own children to appease their gods in order to receive the things that ministered to their lustful desires.
But modern society is no better! How many millions chase after the gods of the flesh and forsake the natural love and care that should be in family life. Instead of parents who nurture and care tenderly and faithfully for their children, they put them in the hands of babysitters or educational institutions, or just as bad or even worse, in front of the television where they are trained in foolishness and triviality, or lust and violence, until their minds and emotions are seared to the point of losing their capacity for hearing and responding to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. All this is a direct attack upon this generation to capture their hearts when they are young and sear it without hope of regeneration. But I am not absent during this attack by the devil, and I try to bring into the lives of children someone who will bring light and hope in the darkness. It might be grandparents or teachers or a godly neighbor, or whomever I can use to keep the light of truth flowing to the heart by which I can speak and woo them to me and free them from the captivity of the evil one.
Another deadly tool of the devil to capture the hearts of this generation is music. Satan writes the songs and the music that best suits his purpose to direct the thoughts and emotions to himself, and for those who are addicted to his music there is virtually no hope for their salvation unless they are willing to break away from it and escape from the trap of the devil. Music is a part of my creation to draw the hearts of my created beings into a rapturous love experience with me. Music bypasses the frontal lobes of the brain and goes directly to the heart and emotions and draws the listener into emotional fellowship with the one who has inspired both the music and the words.
Can you just imagine how many people are worshipping the devil all day long as they listen to his music at home, in the car, plugged into their ears, and even being played over the loudspeakers in stores, offices, over the phone, workplaces, public buildings, waiting rooms, and so on? Do you see how this is a direct assault by the devil to program the minds and hearts of people to recognize and listen to his voice when he speaks to them? They are already under his control and respond automatically to his commands and enticements. This is why it is imperative to stay as clear as possible from the worldly enticements which are found in the media.
Be as Joseph was when he fled from Potiphar's wife and left his cloak behind him. He dedicated his mind and heart to me and to listening only to my voice, and he was greatly honored for so doing. And so it will be for each one of you who keeps his/her mind and heart clean from the present enticements of this evil generation. It may be difficult to maintain the integrity and purity of your mind and emotions, but by the power of my Holy Spirit living in you and guiding and protecting you, you may remain unsullied by the world and its temptations and fleshly lusts and pleasures. And great will be your reward, both in this world and in heaven, for you will take your place among the heroes of the Bible, and shine as stars in the universe for me forever. [Daniel 12:3.]
Now go to the activities of your day, but do not forget to keep your heart pure and clean from the temptations of the devil through the world around you. If you must be in a place where you will be exposed to evil, pray to me that I will keep your mind unsullied. Do not voluntarily and unnecessarily place yourself at the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Breathe the atmosphere of heaven by keeping your mind stayed upon me at all times, and you will be kept safe. It is only when you voluntarily place yourself in temptation as Eve did that Satan has access to your heart and mind. Guard your heart faithfully, for out of it are the issues of life. [Prov. 4:23.] Let your heart be the citadel through which I can reach you and commune with you and protect you from all evil and harm. Don't break down the walls of the citadel. But if you do, run to me and I will envelop you in my arms and heal the wounds that you received in the camp of the tempter and under his influence.
Will you now commit your heart to me for this day? If you do, I will see you as my vineyard to dress and keep and protect, and drink the sweet juice of our communion together all day long, and we will experience the joy of working together in the fields of labor, for the harvest is ripe, but the workers are few. [Matt. 9:37, 38.] Pray to me that more harvesters will join us in the joy of laboring together for the Lord of the harvest, who is my Father and yours! [John 20:17.] Lovingly, Jesus.