“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
“A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished” (Proverbs 27:12).
“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31).
“He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame” (Proverbs 10:5).
Why do Christians walk blindly forward without a thought of any kind of preparation when it comes to the coming of the Lord? Almost everyone I’ve talked to tells me, “Just stay ready” or “I’m ready.” Well, that’s certainly how we want to be, but what does that mean? How do we know if we’re ready? What if Noah had that attitude and never prepared the ark? What is God demanding of you for preparation?
If Noah hadn’t been obedient, he’d have lost his life, his family’s lives, and the rest of humankind would not have had the chance to repent. “By which he condemned the world,” means what? It means that the obedience of his faith was a witness to them. Noah’s preparation, and preaching (2 Peter 2:5), was light in a doomed world. They may not have agreed with Noah, but their unbelief wasn’t Noah’s problem.
The Believer’s I know will point out the signs of the time and stop there. They’re ready to say the Lord will take care of me. How did the Lord take care of Noah? Through instruction. Through the obedience of Noah’s faith. What if Noah wasn’t listening? Oops. That would be cause for a tough time. What happened to the world would have been his inheritance also.
We are to prepare the horse for battle, but our faith isn’t in the horse or our abilities. Our faith is in God’s faithfulness and love. Obedience to God’s instructions opens the door for God’s power.
Jesus said, “Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3). And they missed the Son of God. They missed God’s plan. They weren’t prepared. Christians all over the world are facing increasing persecution. Many are martyred each year, especially in Muslim nations. The so called civilized Western nations are making laws designed to oppress God’s people in ever increasing degrees. Still, so many Christians continue to vote in and side with the oppressors. These folks are not ready for the Lord’s return. At the very least, they will have to give an account on judgment day for persecuting fellow Christians. At worst, they may apostate.
If you see the times are evil, it’s your responsibility to prepare. Find out what you should do. Somethings are obvious things you can do in the natural. Joseph prepared for the great famine. Noah built an ark. We must be prepared in spirit, soul, body, and with material resources. Our ancestors knew the importance of gathering in the harvest when they had the chance. I’m sure they would have been ecstatic if they had the ability to freeze dry, can, and dehydrate. Famine would have been less of an issue. In our times, if one has over a week’s supply, they’re labeled with derogatory terms. I know Christians who think they’re trusting God by not preparing. That didn’t work well for five of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).
We don’t plan to fail. We fail to plan and implement the plan. Is there something you feel you should be doing to prepare for the signs of the our times? Start with what you have and can do, and God will be there for you with instruction and help!
Stay strong and prepared!
A Journal of Edification and Exhortation 