Are you Ready?

Proverbs 16:3 "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established"

Are you waiting on God to do something in your life? Do you think you're at the optimal place and time in your life for God to make His move and release a blessing? If you answered yes to any of those questions then I must ask, Are you ready for what God has for you?  Have you prepared yourself in HIM to receive His blessing? Let those questions marinate as you continue reading this post.

"Wait on God" is a saying that is arguably misused and/or overused in the church body. I say that because often times as believers we sometimes want God to do ALL the work. Our answer to every issue/situation is "Wait on God"; which don't get me wrong, we should be doing. HOWEVER, there are things we are to do while waiting that will prepare us for when He shows up. Don't just prop your feet up and recline in your favorite chair watching reality tv and expect to see God when He shows up and be ready to move. In case you didn't know, clearly hearing God's voice is difficult; it is described in 1 Kings 19 as "a small still voice". Newsflash: You can't hear what you don't know. You have to spend time preparing for the His arrival; fellowship with Him, talk with Him, love on Him, and etc. Or else how would you be able to recognize His small still voice? The more time you spend with God the more you get to know him. The word says in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me". You first have to belong to Him to hear His voice (hence the possessive pronoun "my"), then He must KNOW you (ex: if you purchase a puppy it may belong to you but it takes time for it to get to KNOW you), and they follow me (once you know His voice you'll follow same as with the example prior).

So, here's a thought...perhaps God is actually waiting on YOU to get your stuff together! God is very careful as to where/when He blesses you. You have to be in position to be blessed. You have to be ready to be blessed. You have to be able to handle God's blessings and not necessarily just for yourself either. When God blesses you it changes EVERYTHING and people around you may not like it so you have to be prepared to deal with that. Bishop T.D. Jakes has a book called "Can You Stand to be Blessed? " I suggest reading that if you haven't. Opposition doesn't stop when you receive your blessing; ask Joseph, David, Jesus, or Paul. Bigger blessings come with bigger responsibilities, spiritually. God has to know that when He blesses you you won't stray or lose your way and that you are able to sustain what He has blessed you with. The only way He knows if you're ready is if you prepare yourself in Him (Show thyself approved). You have to be planted and deeply rooted in him so much so that even the stongest wind wouldn't cause you to be uprooted.   

Let's recall the Bridgegroom parable in Matthew 25; where, there were 10 virgins (5 wise, 5 foolish) waiting on the arrival of the bridegroom. Neither of them knew the hour he would arrive, but they were to be prepared and ready to go whenever he showed up. The foolish ones went without preparing themselves with the oil they would need in the night. The wise, however, went prepared with a sufficient amount of oil for the night. When the bridegroom showed up the foolish looked to the wise for their oil only to find out there was not enough oil to share. I want to PAUSE right there because many people think they can be saved through someone else's salvation but the word says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for YOU"; not you and your foolish friends, not you and your sister/brother, not you and your boyfriend/girlfriend, but YOU and only YOU! Don't expect someone else's commited work to yield a blessing for you. You have to commit to the Lord on your own to receive what He has for you. Back to the parable, the 5 wise women told the 5 foolish ones to go back to buy some oil for themselves. While they were out trying to get prepared at the last minute the Bridgegroom took with him those who had prepared themselves for his coming. Shutting the door on those who were not ready. The foolish 5 returned knocking and begging only to receive the response "Verily I say unto you, I know you not".

I"ll conclude by asking, Are you Ready? Are you in position to receive your blessing? Have you prepared yourself? Are you prepared to deal with being blessed? If your answer to any of those questions is no; in the voice of T.D. Jakes "GET READY, GET READY, GET READY"!

#FearlessFAITH