Are These Really the “Last Days”? Know How to Be Prepared.

Drenda Keesee • September 12, 2018

1999, 2000, 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2015.

Those are just some of the years people predicted Jesus would return to earth.

And that’s just in the last 20 years and not counting all of the other “last days” predictions that had nothing to do with Jesus. There were plenty more before that, and there will be plenty more predictions for when He might return in our future. Google it if you really want to see the list.

But WHY? Why do we spend time trying to figure out when Jesus is coming back, or listening to the predictions, when Jesus plainly told us Himself in Matthew 24:42, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

Because we want to be prepared.

We want to know how to protect ourselves and our families and loved ones.

We want to make sure we have our acts together.

Who wouldn’t?

But here’s what we can’t forget: The clock is moving, no matter what.

While it’s true that we’re seeing plenty of signs that make it look like we’re living in the “last days,” it doesn’t matter whether Jesus returns in your lifetime or not, and whether it’s the earth’s last days or the end times or not, because YOU have just ONE life to live.

It’s time to make sure you’re living the way God has called you to live and preparing for what your future holds.

If you read the rest of Matthew 24, you’ll see that Jesus was warning the disciples not to be alarmed or deceived by what they would see happen in the world. He uses an example of a burglar breaking into a house to warn the disciples to stay expectant of His return at all times:

But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him (Matthew 24:43-44).

Jesus told us He would return when we don’t expect Him, so why are we so eager to recognize the signs of the times? So we can minister to more people? So we can do what’s right before we run out of time? So we can stand watch at the door right before the “burglar” shows up?

Jesus said we should keep constant watch and always be prepared.

So, the most important question isn’t “Are these the “last days?”

The most important question is:

If Jesus comes back tomorrow, will you be happy with what you did today?

Because whether we are or aren’t living in THE last days, we are living in OUR last days.

You and I only have a certain amount of time to make an impact, so we should always live our lives as if Jesus were returning tomorrow.

We need to make every minute count.

Proverbs 20:4 says, “A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.”

This version says sluggard but it also means people who procrastinate .

It’s easy to procrastinate. We all do it. We put things off until later. We say we’ll get to it when we “get a chance.” Some of us even justify our procrastination by saying we “work better under pressure.”

This quote about procrastination really hits home:

Procrastination is the arrogant assumption that God owes you another chance to do tomorrow what He gave you a chance to do today.

See, if you think that you can procrastinate and still have the same harvest you would’ve had if you hadn’t procrastinated, you’re wrong .

Because whether you like it or not, we live in seasons. We have to understand the seasons and the timing of things. We have to know how and when .

We have to recognize that there are times when we need to prepare, times when we need to sow, and times when we need to harvest.

This is a season to prepare.

People send our ministry emails all of the time asking us if Jesus is coming back. We tell them, “Yes, He is.”

Of course, we can’t tell you if He’s coming back today or tomorrow or 20 years from now, but we know He’s one day closer to coming back today than He was yesterday.

You don’t need an angel to show up in your bedroom tonight to tell you that the world is getting darker. Just turn on the news for two minutes.

First Thessalonians 5 tells us that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night:

Now, brothers [and sisters], about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

You may have heard that part of the Scripture before, but keep reading…

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then … let us be alert and self-controlled.

Did you see that?

YOU, as a believer, are not in darkness, so the day of the Lord should NOT surprise you like a thief.

We know He’s coming back at some point, but we don’t have to be caught off guard.

So, what should you be doing to prepare in this season? What do you need to know and do?

#1 – Make every minute count by keeping your focus and priority on God, be sure you’re in faith and living it, and glorify God with your life and your choices.Jesus told us He would return when we don’t expect Him, so why are we so eager to recognize the signs of the times, Because we want to be prepared.

#2 – Recognize that strategy and timing are essential to every area of life. The mystery of strategy and timing is one of the greatest mysteries in the Word of God, and it’s one you have to understand if you expect to capture the harvest opportunities God will show you.

First Corinthians 2:6-16 tell us that if Satan had figured out the plan of God, he would have never killed Jesus. The devil would have adjusted his strategy if he had picked up on the plan of God. This is true for you too.

Satan will adjust his strategies against you if he can pick up on God’s plans for your life.

God’s primary tactic against the enemy is to surprise him with unusual strategies, which God gives a man or woman in the earth to bring His will in any given situation. Read 1 Samuel 17, and you can clearly see that David’s victory against Goliath was accomplished by using an unusual strategy—a plan that caught the enemy off guard. Many Christians don’t understand this vital law of spiritual warfare.

All too often, we get an idea from God and we procrastinate; we lose valuable time; we tip off the enemy. Then, by the time we move on it, we run into all kinds of issues and problems because the enemy has had time to line up interference against it.

Because it isn’t just the unusual strategy that makes you successful, it’s the timing .

David ran to meet Goliath. He didn’t procrastinate. He didn’t go have lunch, check on his sheep, and take a nap. He took action. He made every moment count.

#3 – Understand the times we’re living in —know what’s going on, and prepare for the future.

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As a friend of this ministry, we want to help you make every minute count; help you get a better understanding of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God—like strategy and timing—than you’ve ever had before; and help you know more about the season we’re living in and how you can prepare.

That’s why we’ve pulled together an incredible resource package for you that includes:

I’m so excited to share these messages with you! It’s prophecy that helps prepare us for future events—that gives us a glimpse of the future so that we can make every minute count in the present.

Click here to get your copy of this new mentorship resource today!

Success That Lasts: God’s Blueprint for Your Life

By Gary Keesee • October 10, 2025
Reading Time 3 mins 42 secs – When most people hear the word success, they picture a number in a bank account, a title on a door, or applause from a crowd. Those things aren’t wrong, but they’re not the whole story. Kingdom success is the fruit of living aligned with God’s presence, God’s purpose, and God’s principles. It’s success that sticks in your family, your finances, your calling, and your soul. What God Calls “Success” The Bible defines success as prospering in what God has assigned you to do. Joshua was told to keep God’s Word front and center. You shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. —Joshua 1:8b (NIV) Success begins with alignment, not achievement. When your ways line up with His ways, outcomes change. Success Grows Where Purpose Lives You weren’t designed to drift; you were designed to steward. Deuteronomy 8:18 says God gives you the power to create wealth—not so you can worship wealth but so you can build, bless, and advance His Kingdom. Purpose answers why you’re pursuing something. When your why is right, God can trust you with more. Ask yourself: What problem has God wired me to solve? Who gets helped when I win? How does this goal move God’s purpose forward? Three Pillars of Kingdom Success Presence – Success starts by seeking God first (Matthew 6:33). In His presence, you get clarity, courage, and correction. Purpose – Your assignment sets the target. Aimless motion is not momentum. Practice – Faith works when you work the principles. Plan, sow, and act; God multiplies. Principles That Produce God’s system isn’t random. There’s a time to plant seeds and a time to harvest. If you plant the right seeds consistently, a harvest is inevitable. In Proverbs 16:3, we’re reminded to commit whatever we do to the Lord, and He will establish our plans. Think like a steward and ask, “What have I been given?”(such as time, gifts, relationships, and ideas). Manage them with excellence. Choose excellence daily and do your work heartily as for the Lord, because excellence attracts opportunity. Prioritize wisdom by reading, learning, and surrounding yourself with people who sharpen you. Guard your words; there’s power in the words you speak, so take time to intentionally speak truth. Speak words that are in line with God’s promise rather than with fear. In Luke 16:10, we’re reminded to take faith steps, because small obedient steps multiply, and the servant that is faithful with little can be trusted with much. Break the Success Killers Break the success killers by refusing comparison, which steals both joy and peace. Instead, stay focused on running your own race and celebrating progress over perfection. Avoid hurrying, because quick fixes create fragile results, while patience and process create durable success. Replace excuses like “I can’t” with the empowering mindset of “How can I, with God’s help?” Finally, reject isolation, because lone wolf living limits growth, while community, mentors, and partners in purpose accelerate you. When you consistently choose these healthier patterns, you build the resilience and clarity needed to sustain long-term success. A Weekly Success Rhythm Seek (Daily): 10–15 minutes in the Word and prayer to align your heart and hear strategy. Plan (Weekly): Review your goals and priorities to ensure alignment. Decide your top three Kingdom outcomes for the week. Sow (Consistently): Give, serve, and invest in your skills. Measure (Weekly): What moved forward? What needs adjusting? Celebrate progress, then iterate. Rest (Sabbath): Rest is not wasted time; it’s faith in action . When Progress Feels Slow Psalm 1 paints a picture: a person planted by streams, bearing fruit in season . Not every day looks like a harvest day. Some days are root days. Stay planted. Keep sowing. Harvests have a schedule, and God is never late. A Simple Prayer Father, thank You for calling me to succeed Your way. Align my heart with Your presence, clarify my purpose, and teach me to practice Your principles with diligence and joy. I commit my plans to You. Give me wisdom, clarity, and strength to steward what You’ve placed in my hands. Use my success to bless others and advance Your Kingdom. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen. Carry This with You Success in the Kingdom isn’t a finish line; it’s a faithful life . Start where you are. Work with what you have. Obey what God says. Expect His favor. As you align with His presence, purpose, and principles, you’ll see results that last, results that outlive you, and point people to Him.

Rooted in Faith for Everyday Moments

September 5, 2025
Reading Time 2 mins 56 secs – Take a moment and think about this: faith isn’t just for the mountaintop moments. It’s for Mondays. It’s for traffic jams, unexpected bills, and the times when you’re just trying to get through the week. God never designed faith to be complicated or out of reach. He designed it to be your everyday operating system. Faith Is for Today Sometimes, we picture faith as something we have to “muster up” for significant challenges, like praying for healing, believing for a miracle, or asking for a breakthrough in a crisis. And while faith absolutely applies to those moments, it’s also for the little ones. Faith is choosing to trust God with your attitude in a tough conversation. Faith is deciding to believe He’ll provide, even when your budget looks thin. Faith is remembering you’re never alone, even when you feel overlooked. Second Corinthians 5:7 (NIV) says, “ For we live by faith, not by sight. ” Notice it doesn’t say “visit by faith” or “use faith once in a while.” It says live. Faith was always meant to be your way of life. Small Steps, Strong Roots Faith doesn’t usually grow in leaps; it grows in steps. Little, steady decisions that put your trust in God day after day. Opening your Bible instead of scrolling on your phone first thing in the morning Speaking truth over yourself when your feelings want to run the show Praying before making a decision instead of relying only on logic These may not seem dramatic, but they lay a strong foundation. And just like a tree with deep roots, your faith will keep you standing strong when storms come. God Is Faithful, Even When Life Isn’t Here’s the best part: your faith doesn’t rest on your ability to figure everything out. It rests on God’s ability to be faithful. And He is. Always. When you feel shaky, remember this: God is steady. When you feel uncertain, remember this: His promises are sure. When you feel small, remember this: faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. You don’t need giant faith for God to move. You just need real faith in a giant God. Faith That Shows Up in Action Faith isn’t just belief in your heart; it’s trust that shows up in your choices. James 2:17 says, faith without works is dead, which means faith comes alive when you act on it. That could look like forgiving when it’s hard, giving when it feels impossible, or stepping into an opportunity that scares you, but you know God is calling you to. Every time you take action in faith, you’re making a declaration: “God, I trust You more than my feelings, more than my circumstances, and more than what I see.” That kind of faith not only changes your life, but it also inspires others to believe. A Simple Prayer to Start With “Lord, thank You that faith isn’t complicated. Teach me to live by faith in the small things and the big things. I trust You with my today, my tomorrow, and every detail of my life. Strengthen my heart and remind me that You are faithful. In Jesus’s name, amen.” Take This with You Faith isn’t a moment. It’s a mindset. It’s not about pretending life is easy. It’s about trusting God, no matter what life looks like. Friend, you don’t need to wait for a crisis to practice faith. You can start today, right where you are, with whatever you’re carrying. Take a step. Speak His Word. Trust His heart. Because faith isn’t just for the extraordinary, it’s for the everyday. And your everyday is exactly where God loves to show up.

Everyday Healing: God Cares About the Little Things

By Gary Keesee • August 15, 2025
Reading Time 2 mins 49 secs – Okay, let’s take a breath. Not everything has to be heavy, and healing doesn’t have to feel impossible or mysterious. Sometimes, we just need to be reminded that God actually wants us to feel better. Yes, you included. God Cares About How You Feel We can get so used to pushing through that we forget God never designed us to live burned out, worn out, or always dealing with pain. Third John (NIV) 1:2b says, “ I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well .” God’s heart is not just that we survive life. His heart is that we thrive—spirit, soul, and body. That includes your sleep. That includes your energy. That includes your mind and your moods. Healing Isn’t Just for Emergencies Most of us wait to think about healing until something significant goes wrong. A diagnosis. A surgery. A crisis. However, healing is an integral part of your daily life as a believer. You don’t have to wait for something to fall apart to lean into God’s promises. It’s kind of like drinking water; your body needs it regularly, not just when you're dehydrated. The Word is the same. It brings strength, clarity, and peace to your health before the storm hits. You’re allowed to believe in a life where you’re not constantly recovering—you’re well. Small Shifts, Big Results Maybe you’ve been dealing with something for a while—nothing catastrophic, just something that lingers. A chronic ache. Fatigue. Brain fog. A stress habit that’s hard to shake. Can I encourage you? You don’t have to settle for “just getting by.” Start speaking life over your body. Make simple changes in faith; walk a little more, drink more water, eat a bit better, get quiet with God. Healing isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes, it happens gently. Daily. Gradually. The power of God isn’t always loud, but it’s always effective. The Best Kind of Doctor He doesn’t rush your appointment. He’s never stumped by your symptoms. And He doesn’t hand you a bill at the end. He simply says, “Come to Me.” Come tired. Come unsure. Come with your questions. And He’ll give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Yes, He heals in big, miraculous ways—but He also heals in little moments of laughter, sunlight, worship, and truth. Let’s Make This Simple Healing isn’t about performance. It’s about proximity—staying close to the Healer. So, take the pressure off today. You’re not failing if you’re still waiting. You’re not disqualified if you’ve had some doubts. You’re growing. You’re learning. And most of all, you’re loved. Let healing be a conversation you have with God, not a crisis you fear. Let it be part of your everyday life with Him, not just a 911 prayer when things feel scary. A Simple Prayer to Start With “Lord, thank You that You care about every part of me. You know when I’m tired, hurting, anxious, or overwhelmed. Thank You for being my Healer, not just in emergencies but in the everyday. I receive Your peace and Your promises. I speak life over my body and my mind today, in Jesus’s name. Amen.” Take This with You Healing doesn’t have to feel far away or hard to reach. It’s not reserved for the super spiritual or the desperate. It’s available, it’s real, and it’s for right now. You don’t have to make it complicated. Just take one step. Open the Word, talk to God, speak life over yourself, and trust that He’s working behind the scenes. You don’t have to live in survival mode. You were made for wholeness. And friend? You’re allowed to feel better.