Be
prepared – In His Word
Lately
there is a lot of talk about being prepared; prepared for college, prepared for
earthquakes and other emergency situations, and prepared to get a job. What
about this do you think you need most? I say we need to be prepared to follow
God, to put our trust in Him and to do His will in our lives.
Sometimes
it seems we put too much stock in our selves. We think we can save ourselves
from so many situations, and though that may be true, the ultimate salvation
can only come through Jesus Christ. It can be pretty difficult to figure out
but if we get in the Word of God, we can prepare our minds to understand what His
will is for us.
So, prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control.
Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus
Christ is revealed to the world. So, you must live as God’s obedient children.
Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You
didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do,
just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be
holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-15
We
want to be like Jesus, so we need to spend time learning and listening to His
still small voice. God’s Word, our Bible is full of life stories of wise people
that we can learn from. We need to find like-minded people to hang around with
as well. It is truth that who you hang around will both glean from you and you
will become like them, even if just a little bit.
Anyone
who walks with wise people grows wise. But a companion of foolish people suffers
harm. Proverbs 13:20
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have
placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and
gave him great glory. 1 Peter 1:21
When we put our faith, trust and hope in Christ we will be
able to step out and do whatever He puts before us without fear. We can walk
holy as Christ is holy, by reading the Word, by hanging with wise Christians,
and by spending time thinking on these things and more as we pray, and just
talk with God.
So, does that guarantee us a peaceful life and no problems? Sorry,
but nope! The rain falls on the just and
the unjust, according to Matthew 5:45.
For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing
good than for doing evil.1 Peter 3:17
The thing that is great though is even if we have to suffer
while walking with Christ in our lives we will be better off in the long run.
We have eternity with peace, hope, faith, joy and Jesus!
I have said it before and I will say it again; I would rather
live my life with Christ and go through troubles than to not trust that God
will bring me through, and find out in the end I was wrong either way.
For with God I have peace even in the fire! I hope in Christ
even in the flames! If we are prepared in our hearts and minds then we can
stand up to anything and know that we are not alone.
So how can we do that? Read the Bible, pray and listen for
His still small voice. Apply what we learn to our lives and we can be prepared.
I can pray peace be still, and feel the waves of emotion calm
in my soul. In Jesus’ name.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for being with us through it
all, sorrow and joy, peace and disasters; for You will never leave us nor
forsake us and we know you will bring us through whatever you have put before
us and whatever we walk through we can trust in You and not be afraid! In Jesus’
name, amen.
Suggested reading 1Peter 1:1-25,1 Peter 3:1-22, Matthew
5:1-45, and 1 Peter 2:1-25