"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Rev. 19:10) Dear end-time saints of the Lord Jesus Christ - the following series of messages represent a reflection on the spiritual aspect of the Lord's prophetic testimony. As believers, we often focus on the events, the things, or the timing of prophetic truth, when prophecy is given chiefly to the saints that we might be prepared for the Lord's execution of His plans in history. What does it mean to be ready? How can we know we are ready? What will those who will be found ready be doing when the Master returns for them? What are the obstacles or distractions to readiness? Why does the enemy invest so much of his time and attention in preventing us from being found ready at the coming of the Lord into His presence? Did you know that, in the New Testament, there is more having to do with being found ready for the Master at His appearing, than that having to do with the new birth? I actually petitioned the Lord to show me from His Word all that has to do with being found ready at the end of this age. I then went through many books searching for direct and indirect references to how we should be approaching these final days in the spirit. Was a it a dominant topic for the Lord in His instruction to His disciples while on the earth? Is it something running through all the writings of Paul and other Apostles? Was the Revelation given to John given primarily such that those living immediately before the fulfillment of those times would be prepared in the spirit? Is this important to our Lord? Is it something very dear to His heart for us? You better believe it is my brethren. This book is just under 300 pages, yet it could very well be 1,000 or more. It is, we believe, the singular message that end-time saints need to be hearing at this time. The Apostle Paul, in his writings, likened the Christian life to a long-distance race, with a glorious prize at the end for all who endured. To finish this race is everything. In fact, it is the single great imperative for all Christian saints alive in any age To press on; to hold fast and to stay the course until the end. The Lord is coming quickly, and this prophetic urgency is nothing more than knowing this deep down where spirit touches bone. Paul wrote of "winning" Christ in his letter to the church at Phillipi, and we can almost picture Him there at the finish line as the very prize in view - More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain (or win) Christ. (Phil. 3:8) Here in a nutshell then, is what the ever-teaching Spirit means by readiness - a willingness to lay anything and everything aside, to lose all, such that we might gain the Lord Himself, to the very fullest extent that both the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit convey to each of us. Dear brethren, I hope and pray that you will discover, as you make your way prayerfully through these messages, just how much exhortation and encouragement there is for us to make ourselves ready for the Master's return. In these pages, we will also consider, as the Lord directs, just what readiness implies; what it means, and even what it might cost us. To be sure fellow saints, the temptation to forsake the hard and difficult path of the Lord's training and preparation is great in this hour. There are growing numbers of supposed prophets and teachers convincing many that there is an easier and broader way, a lighter burden, a path around the cross. Swelling numbers it seems are finding this most appealing, and for this reason will not be found ready at the Lord's appearing for His own. Our prayer for everyone who reads these words, is that you will not be found among them; that you will heed the Spirit's exhortation in this hour, and hold fast to the Lord and His patience, right through to the end.