- Discipine to prepare- Live Ready- stay awake, and live prepared
- in the Army drill sergeant Mendoza during training: ‘Let no soul cry out: if I had only trained!’
- A constant reminder that the battlefield is no place to regret what you didn’t prepare for.
- Church, life is the same way. The day of calamity is not the time to say, ‘If only I had been ready… If only I had prepared my family… If only I had watched where I was going.’
- READ EZEK 32:2-6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’
- I prepare you for the dangers of sin and disobedience, I want to prepare you for real world too.
- I’m not being prophetic this morning saying that destruction is imminent and the sword is here
- But history has shown us that calamity happens. Civic unrest. Natural disasters HAPPEN
- God calls us not to paranoia, but to preparation. Not to fear, but to faith-filled readiness.
- today we’re going to talk about what it looks like to Live Ready and practically in a dangerous world. Not to fuel paranoia but practical ways to decrease fear.
- The parable of the wise and foolish virgins shows that half were prepared and half weren’t and suffered because of their lack of preparation. The Bible shows lack of prudence destroys!
- It’s a spiritual parable with a physical application- if you don’t prepare when you have the opportunity, when the unexpected comes, you’ll be looking to others to get what you need
- Some prepared some didn’t: Matt 25:3-4 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
- And the unexpected happened! The bridegroom showed up when they didn’t think he would
- Mat 25:8 the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
- They had the information, the means, the time to prepare but they chose to do nothing
- Jesus repeats this imagery again in Luke 12:35–36: ‘Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding.’
- The point? Whether it’s the bridegroom at midnight or the master returning from a wedding, the call is the same: be ready, stay awake, live prepared.
- I’m on the wall! I’m challenging you and encouraging you to PREPARE for the UNEXPECTED
- Proverbs 14:15 The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps.
- I’m going to talk to you with a Father’s heart this morning. In the same way I’ve sat with my son and trained him in righteousness, I’ve trained him in readiness. I do not want there to be a day when I look you in the eye and you say, ‘why didn’t you tell me to prepare’. So today’s the day
- Matt 24:43–44 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready… readiness and preparedness is a Christian virtue that we should preach
- Sure, you’re saying, tell us when and we’ll prepare! I don’t know. The answer is be prepared!
- Whether its natural disasters, civic unrest, crime, market problems, supply chain etc, you need to be ready for you and your family and to be able to help others. Youll have less worry
- Live Ready with Personal Awareness
- We are Christians and we have Faith in God’s protection, guidance and peace, but that doesn’t negate the reality to be aware of our personal surroundings, plans and routines for safety
- Prov 22:3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
- In the military we called it OPSEC-Operational Security. Situational awareness, it’s paying attention to what and who is going on around you at all times. (Monday guy at locks)
- John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
- People say“God will protect me” use it as an excuse to not be vigilant. He will! But be READY
- In Samuel, there’s a story about David being pursued by Saul. Saul was David’s father in Law and he repeatedly tried to have him killed. Why? Jealousy. Mental problems. Anger
- It was a real tangible threat to David’s life. David prayed, but he also avoided Saul and hid!
- 1 Sa 19:10 Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away from Saul’s presence, and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.
- David didn’t spiritualize it, he realized it. I’m in danger, I need to remove myself.
- Sure, he was younger agile and had backup, but there was no upside to the conflict
- He could have entangled himself in something that might have hurt his legacy. He was ready
- You can still be the soon to be king and run from calamity. Doesn’t make you weak. You don’t need to engage in every battle. Curb the ego, walk away and live another day. Don’t be there
- Its not ungodly to notice evil and remove yourself from the area for your safety.
- Don’t live foolishly. evil is real in the world, but God has given us discernment to avoid it.
- If my daughter wants to go somewhere I deem unsafe (concert) I’ll drive and pick up.
- Transitional spaces- don’t be there. Watch what is going on around you. Don’t film. Flee!
- Don’t sit in a parked car. Be in stupid places at stupid times with stupid people.
- Be aware of your surroundings and teach your children awareness. No drive 2 lane after 12
- I’m a big guy and can defend myself, but I still pay a premium to separate myself from danger
- Avoid known hotspots, leave if your spirit senses danger, I tell my kids- STAY OFF YOUR PHONE. Head on swivel! Take off your headphones! Stay in groups. Don’t look like bait to predators.
- Live Ready with Family Preparedness
- If you have a family, it is up to you to prepare and protect your family. It is not the job of the government, the Church or others. They can help, but you need to invest in your family. READY
- Preparedness is not paranoia; it is biblical wisdom. Wisdom: if stores shut down, what then?
- When famine loomed, Joseph obeyed God’s warning and stored grain so that Egypt and the surrounding nations could survive the crisis (Genesis 41:28–36).
- 35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.
- Do you remember the panic during the covid? Toilet paper, water, food, etc. we were good
- Back in like 2006 we weren’t. Power went out. We had no heat and ran out of matches.
- Do you know how horrible it feels to not be able to feed your family and keep them warm?
- When enemies threatened Jerusalem, Nehemiah prayed to God and then set a watch day and night to guard the people (Nehemiah 4:9).
- Nehemiah didn’t overly spiritualize the situation to the point of not applying practicality.
- Lets pray, but lets also set up a watch system to see when the enemy comes. Be ready
- Both men trusted the Lord, yet both acted with foresight and discipline. Pray + Prepare
- Their stories remind us that faith and preparation are not opposites they are partners.
- God calls us to pray, to trust, and also to plan, so that when trouble comes, we are ready to protect our families, serve our communities, and honor Him. We use our brains. We are READY
- This series. ‘how we live’ is all about discipline. Personal responsibility. I deeply care about people, and I always wonder when calamity comes, how is it that they didn’t prepare?
- The beginning of this for me was 2005 w Hurricane Katrina. 1800 deaths. Some of you may remember the images from the superdome where 30k people went who couldn’t leave
- People blamed Bush. Local govt etc. I blamed the people. What was your plan?? Then made one
- The most likely calamities to befall this region would be Earthquake or Mt Rainier.
- What’s your families plan? Evacuation? Fall back location? During day/night? Protection?
- Do you have food and water reserves? Fire extinguishers, CPR/First Aid, knowledge, PLAN
- Defending your house doesn’t have to equal weapons, it means responsibility it means READY
- Trust God, yes, but steward the wisdom He gives. Nehemiah prayed and set a watch. Joseph believed God and stored grain. I’m the watchman today- Spend an hour and few $$ an be ready
- For a few hundred dollars you can store 30 year shelf stable food under your bed and forget it
- Live Ready with Responsible Stewardship
- What I’m trying to do this morning is break the ethos that its someone elses responsibility to take care of me and my family. That’s not a Biblical perspective. That’s socialism. Its on you.
- 1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
- We all need help at some point from someone but a lifestyle of dependency on others is wrong
- Frivolous spending, unwillingness to budget, squandering increase, lacking discipline etc.
- We touched on this in the Discipline of Money. Importance of budget, savings etc
- Pro 21:20 There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it.
- Part of Providing for your family includes discipline, protection, insurance, and planning ahead.
- Do you remember this guy from the OT called Noah? God told him to get prepared
- Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
- ‘divinely warned of things not seen’. You can’t always see what you need to prepare for!
- And other people will mock you. Why do you have this stuff? So I don’t need to be worried!
- Pr31:21She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet.
- Shows foresight-her family is secure because she already prepared for hardship.
- You need to have a term life insurance policy for your family to protect from unknowns
- Carry enough Auto insurance to cover if you get in a wreck. Also- budget for car problems
- Get a level of health insurance you need. Get in shape to need less. Body for retirement.
- Go fund me isn’t a financial plan. You have time to GET READY NOW. Be DISCIPLINED
- ‘as far as it depends on you’ do what you can financially insulate your family.
- I have term life until 60. Its not for me. Its for Crystal. I’ve seen the relief of a wife after death
- My kids didn’t need toys. They needed stability and a full belly. You want to retire? PLAN ON IT
- Pro 6:6–8 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
- God literally points us to creation as a model of foresight. He says even the ant is prepared
- 4. Live Ready in Community
- When crisis comes, isolation is weakness. No one is able to weather it all by themselves.
- Pastor Kevin teed this up on Wednesday night- “its not good for man to be alone”
- Eccl 4:9-12 9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
- People who live in isolation and separation from family, friends and church people will lose
- Not just in a calamity, but life in general. The greatest preparation is to stay in community
- I get these requests often- Can the church come and help me with (insert in the blank)
- And here’s a reality that no one talks about- If you find yourself isolated when trouble hits, ask honestly: have I invested in relationships the way I should? Did I do my part? Why am I alone?
- Sure, sometimes you’re born into a bad family, but there’s a point in adulthood where you have to read the room and realize you need others. You care about others, build a network of people
- Psalm 68:5–6 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
- A person who is rebellious against God and his people shouldn’t have an expectation of covering
- A family unit is the first line of defense. Then your church family. If your earthly family rejects you, then your church family fills in the gaps, but you must be embedded and surrendered.
- Its not reasonable to expect people to jump to help you and look past those in their circle.
- If you’re building relationships you’re winning. Every handshake and hug is a deposit in your relationship 401k and if you ever have to make a withdraw it will be there.
- Keep the fire of love and relationships alive in your life. See it as a blessing not a burden.
- Acts 2:44–45. They had everything in common because they were committed to each other.
- Here’s the application: Build deep visceral relationship with your family, your church family, your neighbors and everyone. Realize that strong bonds create strong barriers to destruction.
- The deeper the relationship, the deeper the defense. Don’t look for help when its too late.
- And here’s the deal: don’t wait for people to build relationships with you, pursue others.
- Everyone isn’t going to like you. There’s a guy I tried to become friends w, rejected every turn
- It didn’t shut me down. I just keep looking. Its ok. Everyone doesn’t like Matt.
- Learn to entertain: Have people over. Make a meal. Play a game (if you have to) watch a movie
- Let every activity be a group activity. If you’re paying for food, people will show up every time.
- this isn’t about fear it’s about faith in action. It’s praying and preparing.
- John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
- Don’t be the fool who shrugs it off. Don’t be the one who waits for someone else to carry you.
- Don’t live isolated, undisciplined, and unprepared because the day will come when it’s too late to train, too late to prepare, and too late to call for help.
- DS Mendoza was right: ‘Let no soul cry out, if only I had trained!’ Church, let no soul here cry out, ‘If only I had prepared.’ Live ready spiritually, mentally, practically or you will regret it.
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