PREPARATION!

Preparation is no fun!
It can be hard to wait! Perhaps it is more difficult than anything else. But if we allow God to build a rich supply of theology and doctrine in our hearts, we will be prepared to be used by Him when the day comes!

If our theology remains shallow, we will always be in short supply of genuine wisdom! We may be well intentioned but we will not be full of God and properly prepared!


Fullness of God
In the Book of Acts, an issue came up in the early church.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 
Acts 6:1

Jesus Twelve Disciples addressed the issue by calling for the appointment of seven men, commonly referred to as the first deacons of the church:

2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Acts 6:2-4

Notice that, although this was relatively non-spiritual work, they required that the men be of good reputation and that they be full! Full of what? Full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom!

These men were to be FULL! God wants us to be FULL!

Though they were not specifically called to be pastors, prophets or teachers, they were to be FULL!

When we are confronted by trials or by opportunities to minster, we will fare much better if we are full than if we are empty, half full, 75% full, etc.

In short, the more full we are, the greater the flow of God's Holy SpirIt will be in us and out through us to the world which desperately needs Him.

If anything is full, something must be placed or poured into it. What do we pour into ourselves that will fill us?

The Twelve Disciples suggested two things:

1) The Holy Spirit
     - The Holy Spirit comes to live in us when we invite Jesus Christ into our hearts!
     - We can also be further filled and refilled with the Holy Spirit and in fact are     
       commanded to do so in the New Testament!
2) Wisdom
     - To be full of wisdom, we must be full of God's Word!


16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for    

     correction, for instruction in righteousness, 

17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

     - The Word of God fills us through personal Bible reading, study and meditation.

     - The Word of God fills us through through others.

We must consistently take time to look into the Bible and hear to hear the Word of God for ourselves - not what others may say about it or what it means. 

We must also listen to others! These two means of "pouring" the Word of God into our hearts work together and dovetail together!

We need each individually and mixed together. We cannot exclude one to pursue the other. Some focus on personal study and by doing so, have only a partial understanding of God. Others neglect personal study and follow the words of others blindly. If the "others" they are listening to are mistaken or misguided, or worse, evil, their followers will be led in the same direction - like sheep to the slaughter!

We are to listen attentively to others. Then we are to search the Word of God to verify the accuracy of what is being said! We are to follow the example of the Bereans in the Book of Acts.

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Acts 17:11

I cannot count the number of times the voice of a pastor, teacher or fellow believer that I have heard in the past returned to my mind, often years later, to impart a current need for wisdom!

I am not to blindly follow any man in the same way, or to the same degree, that I follow God. None of us is perfect or infallible. At the same time, I will miss many great truths and be unprepared if I separate myself from the input of others whom God has sent to speak into my life!

To be prepared, be filled and stay full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom so that as a man or woman of God, you may be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work!