Jesus gave a message that is even truer today than when He spoke the words nearly two thousand years ago. “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. . . . Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:42, 44. Watch and be ready! What are some of the dangers that we are specifically to watch for? “My accompanying angel said, ‘Time is almost finished. Do you reflect the lovely image of Jesus as you should?’ . . . ‘Get ready, get ready, get ready. Ye will have to die a greater death to the world than ye have ever yet died.’ ” Early Writings, 64. Get ready, get ready, get ready—are we heading the threefold cry of the angel? Are we dying that greater death to the world? “The angel said to them, ‘. . . Get ready, get ready, get ready. Ye must have a greater preparation than ye now have, for the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. Sacrifice all to God. Lay all upon His altar—self, property, and all, a living sacrifice. It will take all to enter glory.’ ” Early Writings, 66, 67. Are we laying all that we have, all that we are and all our hopes and dreams on the altar? Getting ready requires this complete sacrifice. May we truly be getting ready, getting ready, getting ready!

Enjoying their kitchen creations

One way that we can be getting ready is to help others get ready, especially helping young people to get ready and become an army of youth workers for the Master. This is exactly what the Orellana family from Ecuador are striving to do and the Lord is blessing their efforts. For many years the Orellana family has been engaged in outpost ministry. They have been able to share with their community, train young people and distribute thousands of Great Controversies and other literature throughout Ecuador, but they are very thankful for the additional doors of ministry that the Lord has been opening before them. The Lord has brought a house full of young people who desire an experience of walking more closely with the Lord and learning how to do missionary work. The Orellanas shared how a recent outreach experience was a great blessing to the young people and to those to whom they were ministering. As they walked to one of the neighboring villages one Sabbath, they saw some children playing. As they began singing and doing the actions for various songs, the children gathered around to join in the fun. As the songs progressed to Bible stories, the children and adults listened intently. After the impromptu afternoon Sabbath school class, one of the children asked, “Are you coming back next Sabbath?” On their way home, one of the young ladies shared that this was the happiest Sabbath she had ever experienced. She was experiencing the joy of ministry and was thrilled. This young lady had not wanted to come to live with the Orellana family but because her sister wanted her to she decided to come. Now, she is so excited about the new experience that she has gained and wants as many others as possible to come and learn as she has. As the family has grown with currently nine additional young people living with the Orellanas, learning in the classes, sharing in the work and growing in the Lord together, so have the needs grown, as well. If you would like to help provide additional facilities for the growing family of youth, you can mark your donation, Ecuador. Please pray that the Lord will bless both the Orellana family and their extended family of young people who by God’s grace will grow to become powerful workers for God!

The youth enjoying fellowship and missionary training

Yours in getting ready and helping others to get ready for our Lord’s return,