Ready and Able

When we follow the plan of God in taking advantage of His means of grace, we find that He provides all we need to triumph in life. You might say He makes us ready and able.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV) — 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Paul seems to be saying that the “man of God” is not necessarily a man who is sinlessly perfect but one who is both fresh (ready to meet present needs) and fully equipped (able to meet present needs). He is ready and able.

The way to be ready is to make use of the word of God, knowing that it has come from God and is profitable for every aspect of life. In fact, the teaching of the word of God is profitable for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. Think about how the word of God connects to your life as you read, study, memorize, or meditate upon it. Of course, God brings the word in a powerful way through the preaching of the word. No wonder Paul admonished Timothy and other preachers to “preach the word.”

2 Timothy 4:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

The word of God makes you ready to face life with God’s plan and as ready as the apostle Paul was ready to preach the Gospel to the people in Rome. Consider how ready Paul was as in his “eagerness.”

Romans 1:15–17 (ESV) — 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Are you ready? Too many Christians suffer from paralysis by over analysis. In other words, they excuse their lack of participation by their need for more information. It’s as the old preacher said, “most Christians today are taught well beyond their level of service.”

The word of God is meant to make you complete and equipped or ready and able. Are you?

Too many times, we hesitate because we feel insufficient for the task at hand. Have you ever hesitated because you felt inadequate? The word of God helps us realize what we have in the power of God, the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

Ephesians 1:15–23 (ESV) — 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Please note the way the apostle was praying for the church at Ephesus, which is a prescription for being ready and able. He is praying the Spirit of wisdom to know the Lord Jesus Christ, He is praying that the hearts of the people would be enlightened, that they would have a fresh sense of the hope to which God had called them, an understanding of the riches of their inheritance, and a growing grasp of the immeasurable greatness of His power. This power has been experienced by everyone who believes for without God’s power there would be no belief. Be sure this power that enables us is the same power that raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. The power of the living Lord Jesus Christ enables and prepares us for any challenge we face in life.

Ready and able – like God is ready and able to come to our rescue.

Hebrews 13:5–6 (ESV) — 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV) — 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Romans 8:32 (ESV) — 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

If God is ready and able to help us in any situation, then we should also be ready and able to help others as God has graciously helped us.

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (ESV) — 3 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, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

How do you prepare for this challenge? The word of God will make you ready and able.

Godspeed,

Bob Brubaker, Pastor

Christ Community Presbyterian Church

Clearwater, FL