Question 1

How do I prepare for life’s challenges?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 14:14-16When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan. . . . Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.Genesis 41:14Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh.How can you be wise at a moment’s notice? The key is to prepare yourself by developing wisdom over time. You can’t always anticipate what might happen in a given day, but when you are prepared spiritually—when you have developed wisdom—you know the right things to do in God’s eyes. This gives you the courage to act swiftly and decisively when necessary because you have a wellspring of wisdom to draw upon.Numbers 27:15-20Then Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him.”Nehemiah 1:10-11“The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.Nehemiah 2:1-8Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified, but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.” The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request. I also said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah. And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.Anticipating what may be ahead will often reveal what needs to be done before the moment arrives. Nehemiah prayerfully developed a plan dependent on the king’s approval and funding. He gave God plenty of room to make his sovereignty clear in the circumstances.Proverbs 4:23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.James 1:12-15God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.The best time to prepare for temptation is before it presses in on you. Train yourself in the quieter times so that you will have the spiritual wisdom, strength, and commitment to honor God in the face of intense desires and temptation.Genesis 39:6-23So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. . . .Joshua 3:5Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”2 Timothy 2:21If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.Purity—a desire to keep your heart as clean as possible from sin—prepares your heart to be filled with God’s wisdom and guidance so that you can serve him and be involved in the work he is doing around you. In cases like the one Joseph faced, trouble is waiting no matter what choice you make, but making the choice that honors God will eventually lead to a good result.Ephesians 6:10-11Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.James 4:7So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Prepare for spiritual conflict by “putting on” the defenses that God has given you—truth, righteousness, knowledge of the Scriptures, faith, assurance of salvation, and prayer. These are not just resources and weapons; they are reminders of God’s very energizing presence and power.1 Chronicles 9:22-33In all, there were 212 gatekeepers in those days, and they were listed according to the genealogies in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed their ancestors because they were reliable men. These gatekeepers and their descendants, by their divisions, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the house of the Lord when that house was a tent. The gatekeepers were stationed on all four sides—east, west, north, and south. . . .They would spend the night around the house of God, since it was their duty to guard it and to open the gates every morning. . . .But it was the priests who blended the spices. . . . Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread used in the offerings. And some members of the clan of Kohath were in charge of preparing the bread to be set on the table each Sabbath day. The musicians, all prominent Levites, lived at the Temple. They were exempt from other responsibilities since they were on duty at all hours.Mark 11:25“When you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”1 Corinthians 11:27-28So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.2 Corinthians 13:5-7Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority. We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority.We must prepare for worship by getting our hearts right with God. We must do all we can to remove distractions, missing components, and obstacles to our worship.Colossians 4:2-5Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.1 Peter 3:15You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.Always be prepared to explain what you believe about your faith in Jesus and why it is important to you. Depend on the Lord each time you speak. Then your witness will have the greatest impact.Luke 21:12-15“You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!”Prepare to defend your faith. When attacks against your faith come, rely on the Holy Spirit to help you speak with authority and courage. If the Holy Spirit spoke to you today, would you hear him and recognize his voice? Take the time each day to stay in touch with the Spirit so you will be familiar with his voice and ready to respond to what he tells you.

Question 2

What are the benefits of being prepared?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 41:47-49As predicted, for seven years the land produced bumper crops. During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities. He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records because there was too much to measure.Joseph listened to and followed God and, as a result, God showed Joseph how to prepare to save Egypt. God showed Joseph how to prepare for the famine during times of plenty. When you seek God’s wisdom, you prepare your heart for future trials by gleaning from your current blessings. Whether that means putting a little extra into the savings account today or spending a little extra time studying God’s Word, your preparation will carry you through life’s more difficult times.Philippians 4:11-13Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.1 Timothy 4:8-10“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.Preparation involves both learning and practicing. Both Paul and Timothy discovered they were in a lifelong training program for godliness. This meant progress rather than perfection. Life will involve a wide variety of experiences and challenges. All of them can be handled through Christ, who is willing and able to give us the strength we need.

Question 3

How does God prepare me to fulfill his call for me?

Accepted Answer

Numbers 6:22-27Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing: ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’ Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.Hebrews 13:20-21Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will.It is frustrating to be given an assignment without the resources to accomplish it. But when God calls you to a task, he equips you for it. He blesses you with his presence. If you have tuned yourself to hear his call, you can be sure that he will give you the resources needed to fulfill it. He has given you his Word for counsel and direction, special abilities and gifts to use as you pursue your assignment, and his Holy Spirit to give you strength and guidance along the way. But to be fully prepared, you must tap into all he has given you.Joshua 1:8“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”Judges 13:2-14In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” The woman ran and told her husband, “A man of God appeared to me! He looked like one of God’s angels, terrifying to see. I didn’t ask where he was from, and he didn’t tell me his name. But he told me, ‘You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. For your son will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from the moment of his birth until the day of his death.’” Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, saying, “Lord, please let the man of God come back to us again and give us more instructions about this son who is to be born.” God answered Manoah’s prayer, and the angel of God appeared once again to his wife as she was sitting in the field. But her husband, Manoah, was not with her. So she quickly ran and told her husband, “The man who appeared to me the other day is here again!” Manoah ran back with his wife and asked, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife the other day?” “Yes,” he replied, “I am.” So Manoah asked him, “When your words come true, what kind of rules should govern the boy’s life and work?” The angel of the Lord replied, “Be sure your wife follows the instructions I gave her. She must not eat grapes or raisins, drink wine or any other alcoholic drink, or eat any forbidden food.”Ephesians 6:10-11A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.Even before Samson was born, God’s Spirit began to work to get his attention. God wanted to prepare Samson for a unique job and Samson was supposed to do his part in return—listen for God’s voice, obey his clear instructions, and act upon the opportunities God would give him. Sadly, Samson didn’t follow the instructions passed on to him and never reached his full potential. What is the Spirit of the Lord preparing you for? The key to your success is to first obey God’s clear instructions for living found in the Bible. If you obey God in what you do know, your life will go in the right direction to pass through the doors of opportunity God has planned for you.

Question 4

How should I prepare for the coming of Christ?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 3:2“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”1 Peter 1:13-15So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.Revelation 3:8-12“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love. Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.”Prepare for Christ’s coming by committing your life to obeying God’s commands and by growing closer in your relationship with God. Believers live with a dual expectation: anticipating that Jesus could return any day, while also anticipating their face-to-face encounter with him at the moment their life ends. As you practice this dual expectation, you will grow in holiness and be ready when he returns for you.Matthew 24:32-33“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.”Learn the signs of Christ’s return as revealed in Scripture and watch for them.Matthew 24:42-44“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”Because you can’t know when Christ will come again, you must be prepared at all times.Matthew 24:14“The Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”Matthew 28:18-20Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”When you take part in proclaiming the good news of salvation, you help prepare others for the coming of Christ.