2019 Preparations
Iremember seeing a cartoon with a HUGE stack of firewood, all stacked neatly along the entire length of the house, and a man splitting yet more wood. Two people were watching him, and one said: “Will someone please tell him he is ready?”
Do you feel ready for 2019? Do you feel ready to tackle even the key issues you know about, let alone what might be coming?
Of course, we are never adequate to handle issues on our own. In fact, if we think we are adequate, we’ve proven we’re not. But if we know we’re weak in ourselves, then we can be strong in the Lord. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant.(2 Corinthians 3:5–6)
God’s Preparations
Be encouraged; God has been working on us. We are more ready now than we were a year ago. (Philippians 1:6 and 2:13)
God prepared work for us to do in 2019.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.(Ephesians 2:10)
Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.(2 Corinthians 5:4–5)
Our Preparation
Prepare our minds for action
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.(1 Peter 1:13)
Walk with the Lord
Confess what needs confessing. Repent as required.
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.(2 Timothy 2:21)
Study the Word of God
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.(2 Timothy 3:16–17)
Watch for the opportunities God gives you.
Pray
Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.(Hebrews 13:20–21)
Rejoice!
See also You are Adequate
