Are You Ready

1 Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands.2 Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes. 3 Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.

Proverbs 7:1-3 (NLT)

Are we prepared? When we look at the world today preparedness is a catch phrase. We train people to be prepared for every kind of emergency. We teach CPR and first aid to everyone who is willing to learn it. We have all sat through some sort of fire, tornado or earthquake drill in our lives but until you experience one for the first time do you know if you are really prepared. In the military we trained so much and so often; certain tasks that it became second nature to us. When we found ourselves in a situation we would naturally respond in the correct order and accomplish the task. Are we prepared as Christians to respond in that manner? Do we allow God’s word into our heart to the point that it is the first thing that comes to our mind when someone inquires of us what they should do in a certain situation or is our response that of the world. When an individual comes to you and says their wife or child is sick? Do you respond, “Well that’s sad” or do you responded in prayer. You see our first response shows what we believe in and in whom we trust. Jesus told His disciples in Luke that a day was coming when they would be persecuted in His name:

12 “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers.13 But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 14 So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, 15 for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!

Luke 21:12-15 (NLT)

Jesus has left us with two helpers to prepare us for those days His Word and the Holy Spirit we must be in His Word applying it to our hearts so that in times of need the Holy Spirit is able to bring it to our remembrance to assist us in our trials of life. If you fail to feed a fire with some kind of fuel it will eventually burn out. The Holy Spirit is described as a tongue of fire at Pentecost; it seems to me that if we are to maintain that fire we need to provide it fuel in the form of God’s Word.  My favorite Scripture in the Bible talks about preparedness:

 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

I challenge you today to be prepared. Each day comes with trials how we respond to them makes the difference in the world. I am praying that you are prepared as you walk in the light of God’s Word.