God of Preparation I

Friday 21 July
READ: Psa. 23: 5
MORE LESSON: Matt. 25: 1 – 12

Preparation is everything. A prepared man cannot be easily defeated. When a student that is prepared walks into an examination hall, you can see confidence ooze from him. Also, an unprepared student is not difficult to identify; you can see him physically fidgeting, panicking and looking around. If you don't want to see shame in life, you must learn to prepare. Preparation makes for orderliness and beauty. When good preparation is made, you see everything well set in its place and beautiful in its season. Preparation is the reason we spend time to dress up: we prepare to look good when we go out. Some people spend time to prepare to look good for the day but do not spend time to prepare for destiny.
I have noticed that a lot of believers don't prepare. They don't prepare for the Lord's coming; they don't prepare for examination; they don't prepare for marriage; they don't prepare for their financial future. They always want to cover everything with spiritual gymnastics. Note a man who was not saving and investing money but wasting all his resources on unnecessary things. When economic challenges and needs pile up, he starts fasting and praying. He could have avoided trouble by good preparation. Similarly, a student who didn't read and attend lectures, may wait to bring his pen to be anointed when it is exam time. No matter how anointed a pen is, if the head of the student is not anointed or is empty, there is nothing for that pen to write.
In the parable of the ten virgins, what actually differentiated the wise from the foolish was simply preparation. The five wise virgins were prepared but the five foolish virgins were unprepared (Matt. 25: 1 – 12). Eventually the five foolish virgins were trying to use prayer and emotion to do what they should have used adequate preparation to do. It is only when you prepare that you will not see shame.
Even God prepares. The Bible says about God that, Thou preparest a table before me...: Psa. 23:5. This shows that God prepares ahead of needs; God never allows Himself to be caught unprepared. Before an incident occurs, He prepares. In 1 Kings 17: 3 - 4, during the time of famine, God said to Elijah, I have prepared the brook Cherith and I have prepared ravens to bring food to you. When the brook was about to dry, God prepared a widow in Zarephath to feed Elijah. (1 Kings 17: 7 – 9). God prepared the earth and all the food that man would need before He created man. Our God is a God of preparation, and as His children, we must also learn to prepare for things ahead of time.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, prepare me as a vessel for Your glory, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask for the presence of the Lord in all that you prepare to do even today.
* Pray that you will not miss out of God's preparation for your life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today I receive new ideas, grace, and renewal of strength to advance in destiny from glory to glory, in the name of Jesus.