Are You Prepared?

After hearing Jesus speak about the destruction of the temple buildings, His disciples asked Him what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). He shared with them the signs of the end times and what it would be like before His arrival.
           
​An undeniable unsettledness grips the hearts of entire populations concerning these days. One must hardly look to see that all is not well on Earth. But rather than mope or cast blame, why not cope within a different frame—the frame of preparation? Zach Clinton, author of Even If, asked thousands of men attending the Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend at Thomas Road Baptist Church two questions. “Can you sleep through the storm because you have prepared?  Are you training for the trial you are not in?” 

Meditation
Ephesians 6:13--This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.
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Have you prepared everything to take your stand in these evil days? When they come to arrest you because you unashamedly proclaim Christ and obey His teachings, are you ready to sing in prison?  When they take your life, are you unafraid because they cannot take your life?
           
Oswald Chambers wrote in Disciples Indeed, “The work we do in preparation is meant to get our minds into such order that they are at the service of God for His inspiration.” Preparation is not accomplished by talking.  It is not advanced by theory or wishful thinking.  It is the sweat equity gained by faithfully studying God’s Word daily to feed the soul with heavenly wisdom.  It is knee time or walking; whatever you do best to talk to God and listen for His Spirit’s flawless guidance. It is building fellowship with like-hearted believers so that you are sharpened iron (Proverbs 27:17). It is addressing fear and burdens and giving them over to Jesus, who promises to give you rest (Mat. 11:28). It is denying flesh-enflamed passions to strap on a gnarly cross and follow Christ (Luke 9:23). It is hard, sacrificial work. Often painful. Completely necessary.

No military wins in combat without adequately preparing. Special Forces do not play video games to get in shape, Rangers don’t have pie-eating contests before patrolling, and Seals do not skip rehearsals to save operational expenses. 

Beware of thinking that preparation is unnecessary because believers will be raptured.  Ask believers in North Korea, Nigeria, China, India, Afghanistan, Iran, etc., what they think of such teaching.  To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail. This is why the Apostle Paul wrote, “You must take up the full armor of God!”   Are you prepared?
           
Inspiration
"It is an ill time to caulk the ship when at sea, tumbling up and down in a storm; this should have been looked to when on her seat in the harbour."—William Gurnall in The Christian in Complete Armour
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©2024 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.     
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)