Advent Day 5 - We’re Called to Prepare

This year's Advent devotionals are from A Celebration of Advent: A 25-Day Devotional
by New Spring Church of Anderson, SC
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“And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, ‘What then will this child be?’ For the hand of the Lord was with him.” 

Luke 1:65-66 

When a party starts and we hear all the laughing and singing, we realize that the planning, shopping, cleaning, and arranging were all worth it. John the Baptist’s role was not the most glamorous, but God gave him the special purpose of preparing the way for the Messiah. Filled with the Holy Spirit, John preached repentance and spoke boldly to prepare people’s hearts to receive the soon-coming king.

When we take time to prepare our hearts, Christmas goes from just another stressful event to the most beautiful celebration of God’s saving work. During Advent, we slow down, fix our eyes on Jesus, consider His incarnation, and look forward to His return. May this Christmas be different as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the arrival of King Jesus.

REFLECT:  Read Luke 1:57-80, Malachi 3:1-4

How can we prepare our hearts to experience the most from this Christmas season?
How are the daily practices of prayer and bible reading helping to prepare your heart for what Jesus wants to do through you?
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Prayer:

Father,
          We come with grateful hearts for You have so lovingly and faithfully prepared the way for us to receive forgiveness and be restored to right standing with You. Forgive us for living our lives as though we could just wing our way through - without studying to show ourselves approved. Without preparing our hearts to receive Your Word. Without preparing our souls to receive the Salvation You so lovingly prepared for us from the beginning. Forgive us, Father, in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Warnings

The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”

Matthew 3:3 NLT

Every Saturday at noon, the alarm sirens are tested in our town. I happened to be on the phone with my sister when they sounded today and she was a little freaked out by them. They ARE supposed to be alarming - to get our attention in case of an emergency. But often, they are ignored even though we know what they're telling us.

Today, I was reminded of the attitude of the world, regarding the end times of the world as we know it. I got to thinking about 2nd Peter 3: 3-4 where it reads, Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”  And they ignore the tell-tale signs of the times, and the warnings and the love message that they MUST be born again - because they're tired of hearing it.

They've had plenty of warning - centuries to prepare - and when our Father sends His Son to come get His bride, the only thing the news stations will be reporting will be after the event, when they're wondering where thousands of people went who just disappeared off the face of the Earth. Those of us who have prepared - who have repented of our sin and asked God to forgive us - who acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, the only Way to the Father by His Blood that was shed on Calvary, and who believe that His death, burial and resurrection were all about redeeming us from our sin - that's who will go. There won't be any alarms sounding, no immediate advance warning - other than a trumpet blast - and that will be too late to be already prepared. If it happened now, are you ready to go?

If not, I'll be happy to tell you how. 

Prayer:

Father,

       For that one who is lost, or the ones who have slipped away from their relationship with You and mistakenly think You won't take them back this many times later, release them from their fear, Father, or whatever it is that holds them back from the one True salvation. All roads don't lead to You, but I know You can find us and draw us to You from wherever we are. Please, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen 

Prepared

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

Do you believe God is good? Do you believe He created you with a purpose in mind? Do you believe that an omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) God would prepare things for you to do and NOT give you what you needed to do them? 

Even if you're not fully aware of what that purpose might yet be? He tells us in this verse - we are created in Christ Jesus for good works. God has already prepared the works and He has prepared us to be able to do them. Understand this. Within us - placed by God - is everything we need, to do what we need to do, when we need to do it. In God's timing. 

God has created you to be uniquely you made in His image. Do what He has prepared for you to do. Be who He prepared you to be. Not your best friend. Not your parent. You. He has prepared YOU for such a time as this.

Prayer:

Father,

           Your Word tells us in Psalm 139:15-16 NLT that You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. If it was laid out, we know You prepared it for us and prepared us for it. Help us to acknowledge the Truth of Your Word and to walk accordingly. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Prepared

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.
1st Peter 1:13 NLT

Did God save us on a whim? No, He definitely did not. Ephesians 1:4a TLB tells us, Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us... God had the plan and He prepared our way of salvation before we were created. A little further down in 
Ephesians 2:10 NLT, we read, For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. The NIV reads, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

All along, He had prepared the way and prepared us for it. So how do we think we can do life without preparation, just going along with the flow? Do not be deceived. We can NOT. We must prepare our hearts and minds to be ever aware of God's presence and His plan.

God HAS prepared good things in advance for us, but the question is are we prepared to receive them?

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us for living our lives on the path of least resistance thinking we are living in peace. Awaken our hearts and minds to the battle that is set before us to live preparing to be able to do all You have prepared in advance for us to do. We want to live our lives purposefully before You, Father. Help us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Getting Prepared

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.
1st Peter 1:13 NLT

People are now in full swing, trying to get ready for Christmas. Decorating the tree, shopping for gifts, last-minute home preparations for any guests who may be coming to visit. We want it to be perfect... whatever that is in our minds. And we don't know how we're going to get it all done. 

Let me help you. 

The perfect Gift has already been given, the perfect tree lifted Him high, making it possible to cleanse our hearts to be His home - to be fit for Jesus to come live in us (Ephesians 3:17). 

The MOST important thing to remember about Christmas is the advent of Christ - the time of preparation marking the celebration of Jesus' birth over 2,000 years ago, and also for the preparation of His second coming. Are you getting prepared? 

Prayer:

Father,

           We pray Ephesians 3:20-21, Now all glory to You, God, who is able, through Your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to You in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Preparing Hearts

Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel along with him.
And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
2 Chronicles 12:1, 14

We hear much today in Christiandom about reaching the next generation and how important it is now, especially in these last days. Let me say something here - it's ALWAYS been important!

Deuteronomy 11: 18-21, instructs us in the Message Bible, Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you’ll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth.

Rehoboam was David's grandson and the son of Solomon. David, the man after God's own heart and Solomon the wisest man who ever lived... The successor to the throne from the line of David. A man of great influence, so much so that when he forsook the law of the Lord, all of Israel did so with him... and why? Because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. 

What are we doing to prepare our own hearts to seek the Lord and the hearts of our children and our children's children? 

Prayer:

Father,

          Help us to be ever mindful of the task before us - to teach Your Words to our children. To talk about You and Your Word wherever we are, sitting at home or walking in the street; to talk about Your Word from the time we get up in the morning until we fall into bed at night. Open the ears of those following after us to hear and embrace Your Words, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Living Sacrifice

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2 NLT

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:3-21 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

          Let Your Word come alive in us this day! Give us hearts of courage and compassion. Help us to truly love and to reach out to and for others. Make us overcomers so that we conquer evil by doing good. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

No Fear of Bad News

They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Psalm 112:7 NIV

No fear of bad news. That's quite a promise! How are they fearless? ...their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Steadfast in the original Hebrew is the word kuwn; defined* as; 

be firm, be stable, be firmly established, be secure, enduring, to be prepared, be settled. 

Other translations render it as hearts are firm, fixed, confident.

Who are "they" whose hearts are steadfast? The ones who fear the Lord and obey His commands (vs 1). The righteous. Those who have prepared their hearts with God's Word. They are secure. Firmly established. Enduring. Confident.

No fear of bad news.

Prayer:

Father,
           Let Your Word be forever established in our hearts and minds. We want to be found faithful, our hearts steadfast in You, so that we will praise You no matter the circumstances in this life. Like David, we put our trust in You. As Isaiah declared, surely You are our salvation; we will trust and not be afraid. You are our strength and our defense. We proclaim our song of victory in You, O God, our Light. Our Strength. Our Song. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

*The Hebrew lexicon is Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon. These files are considered public domain.

Prepared to Go

The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”

Matthew 3:3 NLT

Hurricane Season is three weeks old. Since Harvey last year, everywhere I look, there are signs advertising this for hurricane preparedness and that for hurricane preparedness and the other for hurricane preparedness. Our corporate safety minutes for the month of June all have to do with hurricane preparedness. For three weeks, we've listened to the experts tell us all the tell-tale signs and what to expect to the point that I'm already tired of the hype. 

The truth is, if another hurricane should head this way (God forbid), I'll be looking for all that information. However, I'll be looking more for the way out of here. It's wisdom to be prepared, so, I'm prepared. I've got what I need: my car has a full tank of gas, new tires aired and checked, new oil change in the car - checklist of what needs to go and enough PTO that I can avoid the evacuation rush. If it happens, we're ready and we'll just go.

However, on my way home today, I was reminded of that same attitude of the world, regarding the end times of the world as we know it. I got to thinking about 2nd Peter 3: 3-4 where it reads, Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”  And they ignore the tell-tale signs of the times, and the warnings and the love message that they MUST be born again - because they're tired of hearing it.

They've had plenty of warning - centuries to prepare - and when our Father sends His Son to come get His bride, the only thing the news stations will be reporting will be after the event, when they're wondering where thousands of people went who just disappeared off the face of the Earth. Those of us who have prepared - who have repented of our sin and asked God to forgive us - who acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, the only Way to the Father by His Blood that was shed on Calvary, and who believe that His death, burial and resurrection were all about redeeming us from our sin - that's who will go. There won't be any hurricane tracking charts to let you know how much time is left before the Evacuation, no immediate advance warning - other than a trumpet blast - and that will be too late to be already prepared. If it happened now, are you ready to go?

If not, I'll be happy to tell you how. 

Prayer:

Father,

       For that one who is lost, or the ones who have slipped away from their relationship with You and mistakenly think You won't take them back this many times later, release them from their fear, Father, or whatever it is that holds them back from the one True salvation. All roads don't lead to You, but I know You can find us and draw us to You from wherever we are. Please, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen  

Prepared

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
2nd Chronicles 12:14

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, 'Be prepared'?  Most of us recognize it as the motto for the Boys and the Girl Scouts of America. No matter what it brings to mind, it's all about the same thing: doing what you know to do to be ready for what is coming. 

Our text for today refers to Israel's King Rehoboam. He had really made God angry because he and the people had abandoned God and had turned to idol worship. God was ready to kill them all, but then Rehoboam humbled himself before God and it turned away God’s wrath (vs.12). 

Preparing one’s heart is more than just saying, “Okay, God, I have time for You now.” It’s not about fitting God into our schedule. It’s about breaking up the hard ground. Crushing the clods of bitterness, selfishness. It’s about working it loose – and then holding it together by soaking it with the water of the Word. Making PREPARATION for the seeds of God’s planting. Just like preparing the soil is hard work, so is preparing one’s heart. But it’s worth it – it releases God’s grace in our lives.

Even before the dispensation of Grace in the New Testament, we find in 2nd Chronicles 30, people who had not gone through the purification process required in God's law before participating in the Feast of Unleavened Bread. However, vvs.19-20 NKJV reads, ...Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. 

We MUST prepare our hearts to have a relationship with Christ! Jesus said in Matthew 13:15, For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them. That’s not what we want Jesus to say about us.

We MUST prepare our hearts to be used by God to fulfill His purpose in our lives. 2nd Timothy 2:20-22 reads,  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. God changes our hearts, but only if we have prepared them to receive His changes.

Are you prepared?

Prayer:

Father,
         According to Your Word, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen