LORD HELP US TO BE PREPARED
I guess wherever in the world the Boys Scouts Association is involved the majority of the population if asked could tell you the Scouts motto BE PREPARED.
Sadly, when it comes to spiritual matters, we tend to be like that well known saying:
FOOLS RUSH IN WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD.
I felt the Lord speak to me this week about the importance of good preparation when it comes to our spiritual life and ministry. There were two areas especially I felt the need to give some fresh thought too.
THE FIRST IS OUR DAILY QUIET TIME
I saw some years ago, that many Christians do not have STRUCTURE in their prayer life and consequently important ingredients can be missed, and this lessens the effectiveness of our prayer life. Starting right is also as far as I am concerned essential. You may ask why????
Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me NKJV
If I had been cosy with evil, the Lord would never have listened MESSAGE
So before we begin our prayer time we need to ask the Lord to search our hearts, King David prayed:
SEARCH ME THOROUGHLY, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART, ! TRY ME AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS! AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY WICKED OR HURTFUL WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING. AMP. Psalm 139:23-24
We sin in so many different ways
Our Thoughts
Our Words
Our Actions
Our Reactions
That which is not of Faith
Our Omissions
The Mixture in our motives and attitudes
The wilful sins
Literally if we have violated:
GOD’S WILL
GOD’S WAY
GOD’S WORD
We need to confess and repent, and lay hold of the Lord’s promise in 1 John 1:9
IF WE FREELY ADMIT THAT WE HAVE SINNED AND CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND TRUE TO HIS OWN NATURE AND PROMISES AND WILL FORGIVE OUR SINS, DISMISS OUR LAWLESSNESS AND CONTINUALLY CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, EVERYTHNIG THAT IS NOT IN CONFORMITY TO HIS WILL IN PURPOSE, THOUGHT AND ACTION AMP
When we have done that, we have an OPEN HEAVEN and prepared our hearts for an awesome encounter with the living God.
THE SECOND AREA IS IN THE AREA OF INTERCESSION
Perhaps this was a word specifically for me, as the Lord is leading me into this Ministry, and if I am to get the very best out of this time, I needed to wisely prepare myself with my time and my mind to effectively zero in on each person and on the Lord who wanted to answer the prayer and give my very best in prayer for them.
So, may I encourage you today, and BE PREPARED in all that you desire to do for the Lord.
Have an awesome weekend.
