Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, October 13, 2017

"Prepare to meet your God, O Israel."¹

As a kid I was in the Boy Scouts. The one thing I remembered above everything else I learned was the Boy Scout motto which said: "Be prepared."

As an older teen I did my required two-year part-time service in the National Service with the Royal Engineers in the Australian Army. We, too, were taught to always be prepared no matter what the situation was and to always make the best out of what we had.

In life and for doing God's work opportunities come to those who are preparedâ€"and available. And as an old preacher friend used to say, "It's better to be prepared and not called than to be called and not prepared."

Do you want to achieve something worthwhile with your lifeâ€"regardless of your age? If so, be prepared. Do you want to serve God? Then the better prepared you are the more effective job God can do with your life. When preparation meets opportunityâ€"plus with commitment and hard workâ€"success is all but guaranteed.

In God's economy, whether you are called to be a "butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker" be thoroughly prepared so you can be the very best "butcher, baker, candlestick maker," or whatever you can be and do your very best all for the glory of God.

And above all, be prepared for eternity, for as God's Word says, "Prepare to meet your God," and also, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."²

If you are not sure that you are ready to meet your Maker, whatever you do, do that today for none of us has any guarantee of tomorrow. God's Word also says, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."³

God's gift of forgiveness and eternal life is available to all. His invitation is: "Whosever will may come."⁴ To help you be prepared to meet God be sure to read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christianâ€"without having to be religious" at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you have a purpose for my life. Help me to know exactly what it is and get the training and preparation necessary to be the very best I can be at whatever that might be. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Amos 4:12 (NIV).
2. Hebrews 9:27 (KJV).
3. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV).
4. See Revelation 22:17.

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