•Prep to make ready
• Pre- suffix that means before
•Preparation- make ready before something happens
A gardner or farmer must make their fields ready before seeds can grow and produce the desired crops or flowers. They must till or break up the hard ground, if necessary, to plant the seed in the earth . A caring farmer must water the plants and give the soil the nutrients needed. The environment is important.
In the same way, we are told in scripture that God determines where we shall live, and the people He places in our lives and more...
Acts 17:26-31
26 He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ 29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man. 30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”
You may say to yourself,
• "You don't know what I have been through. I had an abusive experience. "
• "I am an orphan."
• "I was kicked out of my home."
• "I lost my job."
The list could go on and on... "If God loves me, then why did ____ happen?"
No one, but God can give specific and personal reasons of the why, if He chooses to do so. Why didn't He stop it? We don't always know why. He sees the bigger picture, the lives our own life will impact.
In the Bible , God used unlikely people to accomplish His purpose, because they were willing to be obedient. In our free will, we have two choices to obey God and follow His Way which lead to life through a relationship with Jesus Christ, or choosing sin and rebellion that leads to death. Those are the only two choices, and all people have that choice to make.
In the Old Testament, God used an orphan Jewish woman named Hadassah or Esther as most commonly know her as. She was selected queen of King Xerxes of Persia after the former queen lost the title. Esther had to prepare herself in a culture and lifestyle that was not her own heritage. From history, we know the king was a violent man in war. We don't have all the recording events that this woman had to go through, but we do know God gave her courage to do what was necessary to save her people. She approached the king uninvited, an act that could bring death. The king however showed mercy. A couple of banquets prepared for the king and the enemy of the Jews, Haman. Soon, Esther revealed her identity as a Jew and saved her people. Haman was killed along with his family, and while the law couldn't be reversed, the king gave permission to the Jews to defend themselves from death. A horrible evil plot turned and diverted for the good and sake of a nation. A young orphan raised in the laws that God commanded was used by Him to save His people , all because she was obedient.
• All eight chapters of the Book of Esther covers this testimony of God's watchful eye, and purposeful plan to affect generations to come.
Think about Jesus, God's Only Son. He walked on this earth for about 33 years roughly, experiencing life on earth as both 100 percent God's Son and 100 percent human. He got tired. He dealt with the temptations that we all face, but never gave in. Jesus obeyed the Father and only said and did the things that the Father told Him to. Jesus purposefully went through Samaria in John Chapter 4 to meet the woman at the well. She needed Hope as we all do. Jesus walked in obedience and with intentional purpose as He ministered in the last three years of His Earthly Life. Jesus in the garden , right before the Cross begged in His humanity to "let there be another way." There was no other way for mankind to be redeemed, so He went through the torture, the agony on the cross. Jesus experienced death and then was raised back to life on the third day, overcoming Sin, Death, and Hell.
He went through such experiences so He could show compassion and intercede on our behalf before God the Father.
Hebrews 4:12
Having then a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let’s hold tightly to our confession. 15 For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16 Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.
"This makes no sense. I still don't know why I had to go through ____."
We may never know the deeper why on this side of eternity, for if we could figure God's Wisdom out on our own then we wouldn't need Him.
Isaiah 55:6-11
Seek Yahweh while he may be found.
Call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts.
Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him,
to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky,
and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth,
and makes it grow and bud,
and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth:
it will not return to me void,
but it will accomplish that which I please,
and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
2 Corthinans 1:3-11
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. 7 Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so you are also of the comfort.
8 For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers,‡ concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver, on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us, 11 you also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift given to us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf.
Who are we more apt to listen to? An outsider who has never walked a similar road in life, or one who has walked the similar paths of destruction and says, "This is how I found Hope."
The Lord is the one who has to go through this world like the valley of dry bones mentioned in Ezekiel 37:1-14
1 Yahweh’s hand was on me, and he brought me out in Yahweh’s Spirit, and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 He caused me to pass by them all around; and behold, there were very many in the open valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I answered, “Lord Yahweh, you know.”
4 Again he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, ‘You dry bones, hear Yahweh’s word. 5 The Lord Yahweh says to these bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you will live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.” ’ ”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, there was an earthquake. Then the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I saw, and, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ”
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are completely cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, my people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 You will know that I am Yahweh, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it and performed it,” says Yahweh.’ ”
God the Father may command one of His adopted sons or daughters who accepted Jesus as both Lord and Savior of their lives, to speak to someone who needs life brought through the hearing of the Gospel. It's our Hope. It's the seed that's planted that can spring forth into eternal life. The beginning and the end of God's work in a life seeking to obey Him while on earth, begins and ends with God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit working in harmony to finish what they started.
The preparation season is necessary. Obey the Lord in whatever season you find yourself. God doesn't waste anything. You may realize years later, and think, "This is why I went through that." What you experienced may help another one who is struggling.
If we saw bodies laying along a path we walked, would we not try our best to help? Maybe attempt life saving measures? If we could not do anything on our own to help, would we not bring them to one who could help?
Every day we talk and interact with people who need hope, who don't know the way they are living will lead to eternal death, separated from their Creator; the One who loves and wants them to choose life and eternity with Him.
Romans 8:28-30
28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.
Ephesians 2:1-11
You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience. 3 We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus; 8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, that no one would boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.
We are meant to live for the Purpose for which God created us. He prepared such intention moments before we were born, so that those who choose His Way will be prepared for the joy of living in the Presence of Our Perfect and Holy God , as Jesus rules forever on the New Earth where God and mankind shall dwell forever!
Every step in the obedience to God's is intentional . Don't despair if your choices have let you down the wrong path. Repent or turn away from your rebellion and sin. While their may be consequences for your choices that you have to face, Jesus can still use a person willing to obey , if we ask forgiveness. Strive not to live in sin and rebellion. Run to Jesus in your hour of need and wait on His command for the next step. Be thankful for the mercy and grace you have received and do not take it lightly.
This is the ultimate future of everyone who trusts Jesus as Lord and Savior and obeys Him:
I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.”
5 He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” 6 He said to me, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21:1-8
Everything we go through is not in vain. Trust that the Master Gardener, the Master Craftsman, is able to use your life to bring Him Glory, to bring others to Him, and prepare you for the glorious future He has prepared for those who love Him.
The question is what is our choice? Shall we choose Life or Death? Shall we follow God's intended Purpose or shall we follow our plans? You are not an accident or some cosmic mistake. You were made intentionally by your Creator, whose Son died to take your punishment for your sins, so you don't have to face the the eternal consequences of your actions. But the choice of whether you accept what Jesus did, or reject it , and face the consequences of an eternal and literal Hell is up to you.
Will we choose Lifewith following God's Intentions and Purpose?
*All scripture is from the World English Bible
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