It’s a rarity that the state of West Virginia receives accolades for something well done. But during this pandemic we have twice been acknowledged as the best prepared state in the nation for dealing with the Coronavirus. As the wife of a first responder that brings great joy to my heart, because I know the efforts that go into being an emergency service worker on many fields, David’s done just about all of them. But this morning my mind is on the spiritual battle field, and my preparedness as a minister of the gospel. Am I prepared as much as I’d like to be? Of course not. But I want to be. I want to be there in the moment when someone has a scriptural question. Not that I’ll know the answer off the top of my head, but that I’ll be tuned into the Spirit to have the words that need spoken. Ezra the priest was an example of such a minister to the people.
Verse 10 of Chapter 7 summed this thought up for me this morning and I hope it will encourage you to prepare your own heart for the mission fields for which we live.
Ezra 7:10 KJV
[10] For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
Ezra was just like a Nike shoe, he was ready to “just do it!” And so am I. I’m ready to be back in the trenches ministering to people in person. Well, kind of ready. I don’t feel that I’m ready to an Ezra level. And I certainly wouldn’t be number one in my field. But I can take Ezra’s example and hopefully make application to my life helping myself and perhaps you too!
A Prepared Heart
There’s a willingness that’s necessary when starting any venture. If your hearts not in it, you’ll find it difficult to be successful. And by that I mean fully committed. The problem with myself and many others is that we have a desire but we’re not fully committed to the point that there’s no other way than through. I can say I’m going to be an extraordinary soul winner, but unless I’m willing to put myself out there on the mission field with a boldness to proclaim the gospel in unwelcome territory, or resistant territory, I likely won’t be successful. I needed this pep talk for Era today to keep me going forward.
A Prepared Mind
While a willingness will take you far, once you’re on the road your mind has got to be fully engaged. Like Ezra, fulling engaging in the word of God was not stopping until every drop of goodness is squeezed out of every word, because every single word is important when seeking the scriptures. It’s why I love listening to preaching by a variety of people. God speaks to every one in a different way. While the word of God never changes, the way it’s applied to a person’s life can be vastly different.
A Prepared Body
Ezra was not just a mouth piece for God and neither are most ministers of the gospel who are worth a grain of salt. If you’re not willing to put the words you share into practice, who’s going to take you serious? Telling people to “be like Jesus” won’t take you very far if you’re not a shining example of that yourself.
The word said that after Ezra sought the word of God he “just did it.” Glorraaay!!!! On that one. He was a man of action. So am I, but not so wise as Ezra to always be prepared in mind. Oh, I have the heart and I have the willingness but there is an order to doing things for God and it’s why He left us the book. He didn’t leave it to look pretty on a coffee table or to lay in the seat of the car until next Sunday. Hmmm, I’ll bet that one would hit a few people square between the eyes. Now I realize that many people have multiple bibles, so do I, but you should have one that looks fairly worn from use. Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson says that a bible usually last him about four years before it falls apart and he has to invest in a new one. He then gives the worn out bible to family or friends so they can enjoy his many many notes through out.
But the point of it all is is how we put God’s word into practice in our daily walk with Christ. We’ve got to prepare, we’ve got to study and then we just need to get r’ done as Jeff Foxworthy says. So today, I’ll work on a little of this and a little of that and in between it all a few loads of laundry and some house work too. It all fits in to living out the word of God. Even the laundry.
I hope your day is blessed and I pray you’re safe and well! God bless!!!
From Shari,
The Jesus Chick!