In anticipation of the coming storm, I have decided to request a house inspection. I want to know that my roof will not go flying off in the high winds and turbulence. I want to know that my house will not float away in the flood – to know that it has been securely anchored to a firm foundation. I want to be reasonably confident that the walls and ceilings of my house will hold up under the storm’s pressure; and that my whole house is water tight.

In anticipation of the coming storm, I have decided to request a heart inspection. I don’t want to be surprised by a weakness in my relationship with the Lord, a fault in my character, or a lack of faith in His keeping power. I want to know that I will trust Him and keep my eyes on Him, even in the most violent storm. More than anything, I want to know that I will remain steadfast in my commitment to His reign in my life.

I want the same for you. So, I hope you will join me in my request for an inspection. It’s actually a very simple process:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

Recognizing that His searching in you may be similar to, or very different from, His searching in me, I offer a couple of examples where He has been preparing me for the storm:

1. Trust: The most obvious and influential characteristic in the life of the man whose house will withstand a storm is his trust in the Lord. Consequently, God has been sending test and trials my way – to “try me, and know my anxieties”. He is teaching me not only to trust Him, but how to find that trust in the midst of a storm. For the most part, it has simply been learning to recognize and intentionally confess that I trust Him with ___________________ (whatever the test or trial). I do this every morning, and throughout the day; sometimes silently and sometimes out loud. He has also encouraged me to tell others that I am learning to trust Him in these areas (my confession to the brethren).
2. Pride: The Lord has rooted pride out of me on several significant (and painful) occasions. While I once thought, “that must be the last of it”, I am now not so naïve to think that it is all gone. Sure enough, the Lord has exposed some more of “this wicked way in me”. In this case, it is the pride that expects to be treated in an acceptable, non-offensive way; a pride that turns inward toward self-pity and self-defense. This type of pride will be an especially dangerous enemy in a storm that includes persecution and suffering for the kingdom of God. I have been leveraging 1John 1:9 in my dealings with the pride in my life.

God desires to lead each of His children “in the way everlasting”. He loves us so much that He will allow storms in our lives to search and try us. He will spare no pain to make us free, and prepare us for the marriage supper of the Lamb. In His mercy, He is willing to inspect our houses before a big storm test us. I hope my examples have encouraged you to invite that inspection. The time is growing short.

Please let me know if I can help you in this regard. It is the ministry He has called me to fulfill.

Humbly yours and forever His,

P.S. It has occurred to me that some have misunderstood my talk of a coming storm to mean the “Great Tribulation”. For the record, I believe there will be tribulations (perhaps many) before the final one. This seems particularly important for the pre-tribulation rapture folks. We all need to prepare ourselves spiritually for tribulation. I believe the coming storm will be more difficult and challenging to our faith than anything this generation has faced.