What Are We Prepared To Do?
In the film “The Untouchables,†Sean Connery’s character Jim Malone asks Eliot Ness, “What are you prepared to do?†Ness wants to put Al Capone behind bars, but up to that point, he has been unable to accomplish the task. Malone asks Ness if he is willing to do all that it takes to achieve his goal. The Lord has asked me that question as well. He wants to know if I am willing to submit to Him in obedience and do all that He asks while I stand for my marriage. Am I prepared to allow God to search my heart and expose my own sin? Am I prepared to release my unyielding grip on the things of this world and be conformed to the image of Christ? Am I prepared to put all my weight on the promises of God? My first reaction as a committed believer is to respond, “Of course, Lord. I’m all in!†Unfortunately, my talk and my walk do not always align.
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)
Peter is pretty clear in his instructions to believers in Christ. In verse 13, He tells us to do three things. The first is to be prepared. Being a Christian couch potato just doesn’t cut it. We need to be ready for action. It really is common sense, isn’t it? The quality of our preparation determines how well we perform in the heat of the battle. Just ask anyone in our military or any successful athlete. How do we prepare our minds for action? Just ask Isaiah.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.†Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)
Our total focus needs to be on God. One silver lining in the dark cloud of being separated from my family has been that I have a lot more time to seek the Lord, pray, study my Bible and read many devotionals including “Charlyne Cares.†I have no more excuses. Although heartbreaking being alone in a little efficiency apartment away from my family, I am not mowing our lawn, fixing our toilet, painting the kitchen or even cleaning the back yard after our dog (which is a job I hated but would give anything to be at home doing today). The Lord has got my attention. The temptation for me, though, is to wallow in self-pity, remain in despair and give up. Now, more than ever, I need to pay attention and get prepared so I can be ready when He restores me to my family. My mind must be off of me and stayed on Him. Am I prepared to do that?
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
The second thing Peter says is that we need to be sober-minded. The Greek word used here for “sober†according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is “Nepho†which means to be calm and collected in spirit. Without turning my eyes upon Jesus, my mind is fearful, anxious, confused and susceptible to Satan’s lies. It’s impossible, then, for me to be attentive, on the alert and vigilant. Am I prepared to set my mind on Christ and allow Him to give me His peace and calm my spirit?
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)
Thirdly, Peter tells us that we need to set our hope fully on His grace. Hope and grace. Don’t you just love the sound of that? It is a comfort to me to just say the words “hope†and “graceâ€. When I am in despair, I believe that my past was full of failure, that my present is unbearable and my future is hopeless. That is a lie of the Devil!! Old smutty face wants us to believe that it all depends on our power and our strength, of which we have none. In his second letter, Peter reminds us that Christ’s divine power has supplied all that we need to do what He asks.
When I have cried out to God in the middle of the night with a desperate heart, believing I cannot endure one more second, the Lord has over and over, by His Spirit, reminded me of His great and precious promises. During my separation from my wife and kids, on many a dark night, He has come near to me and carried me through the deep waters of despair. By His power and through His promises, Jesus provides us with an escape route from all that holds us captive.
Oh dear Stander, I know what you are thinking. “Don’t you realize that I have barely enough strength to lift my head? How can I possibly do anything?†Take heart my friend, God has got that covered too.
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. Psalm 3:3 (ESV)
Again, it is not our strength but His. One thing I know you can do right now. It takes only a whisper or a groan if that’s all you can muster. My precious Stander, are you prepared to just cry out to the Lord and ask Him to just make you willing as a beginning? Moment by moment He will provide what you need to do the next thing. He is faithful and He promises He will do it.
Looking unto Jesus in Ohio,
Robb
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
Ministry Web Site | Bookstore | 24/7 Radio
Donations | Chapel Page
In the film “The Untouchables,†Sean Connery’s character Jim Malone asks Eliot Ness, “What are you prepared to do?†Ness wants to put Al Capone behind bars, but up to that point, he has been unable to accomplish the task. Malone asks Ness if he is willing to do all that it takes to achieve his goal. The Lord has asked me that question as well. He wants to know if I am willing to submit to Him in obedience and do all that He asks while I stand for my marriage. Am I prepared to allow God to search my heart and expose my own sin? Am I prepared to release my unyielding grip on the things of this world and be conformed to the image of Christ? Am I prepared to put all my weight on the promises of God? My first reaction as a committed believer is to respond, “Of course, Lord. I’m all in!†Unfortunately, my talk and my walk do not always align.
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)
Peter is pretty clear in his instructions to believers in Christ. In verse 13, He tells us to do three things. The first is to be prepared. Being a Christian couch potato just doesn’t cut it. We need to be ready for action. It really is common sense, isn’t it? The quality of our preparation determines how well we perform in the heat of the battle. Just ask anyone in our military or any successful athlete. How do we prepare our minds for action? Just ask Isaiah.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.†Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)
Our total focus needs to be on God. One silver lining in the dark cloud of being separated from my family has been that I have a lot more time to seek the Lord, pray, study my Bible and read many devotionals including “Charlyne Cares.†I have no more excuses. Although heartbreaking being alone in a little efficiency apartment away from my family, I am not mowing our lawn, fixing our toilet, painting the kitchen or even cleaning the back yard after our dog (which is a job I hated but would give anything to be at home doing today). The Lord has got my attention. The temptation for me, though, is to wallow in self-pity, remain in despair and give up. Now, more than ever, I need to pay attention and get prepared so I can be ready when He restores me to my family. My mind must be off of me and stayed on Him. Am I prepared to do that?
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
The second thing Peter says is that we need to be sober-minded. The Greek word used here for “sober†according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is “Nepho†which means to be calm and collected in spirit. Without turning my eyes upon Jesus, my mind is fearful, anxious, confused and susceptible to Satan’s lies. It’s impossible, then, for me to be attentive, on the alert and vigilant. Am I prepared to set my mind on Christ and allow Him to give me His peace and calm my spirit?
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)
Thirdly, Peter tells us that we need to set our hope fully on His grace. Hope and grace. Don’t you just love the sound of that? It is a comfort to me to just say the words “hope†and “graceâ€. When I am in despair, I believe that my past was full of failure, that my present is unbearable and my future is hopeless. That is a lie of the Devil!! Old smutty face wants us to believe that it all depends on our power and our strength, of which we have none. In his second letter, Peter reminds us that Christ’s divine power has supplied all that we need to do what He asks.
When I have cried out to God in the middle of the night with a desperate heart, believing I cannot endure one more second, the Lord has over and over, by His Spirit, reminded me of His great and precious promises. During my separation from my wife and kids, on many a dark night, He has come near to me and carried me through the deep waters of despair. By His power and through His promises, Jesus provides us with an escape route from all that holds us captive.
Oh dear Stander, I know what you are thinking. “Don’t you realize that I have barely enough strength to lift my head? How can I possibly do anything?†Take heart my friend, God has got that covered too.
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. Psalm 3:3 (ESV)
Again, it is not our strength but His. One thing I know you can do right now. It takes only a whisper or a groan if that’s all you can muster. My precious Stander, are you prepared to just cry out to the Lord and ask Him to just make you willing as a beginning? Moment by moment He will provide what you need to do the next thing. He is faithful and He promises He will do it.
Looking unto Jesus in Ohio,
Robb
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
Ministry Web Site | Bookstore | 24/7 Radio
Donations | Chapel Page
