Be Prepared

Ready:

"Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way."

-1 Peter 3:15-16a

Set:

It is so fun to win in sports. I think Coach Bob Knight says it well: "Everyone wants to win, but not everyone is willing to prepare to win." Of course we all want to win, but it is the preparation that usually makes the difference. Being prepared is what separates the good teams from the great teams.

As believers we all want to go to heaven, but are you prepared to go? Are you prepared to share your faith with someone who needs to hear it? Coach Knight's quote not only rings true regarding basketball, but also regarding our faith. And Peter said it well, too. He said that we need to be ready to explain the hope we have in Christ to others and to do it in a way that is respectful. Too many times people are turned off to the gospel because of the approach, not the message. Peter encourages us to show proper respect and gentleness when we share.

Let me ask you again. . . Are you prepared to share your faith? Are you prepared to win for Christ? Many people merely say they are ready, but their lifestyles and actions say otherwise. Don't just talk the talk, be prepared to walk the walk and let others see and hear from you that your hope in Christ is the real deal. Just like in sports, you must prepare daily to win. Our life in Christ takes the same amount of work. We cannot expect that going to church on Sunday morning will cover our preparation for the rest of the week. We need to constantly, consistently and continually be prepared to explain our faith and hope in Him. So, once again, are you prepared?

Go:

1. How have you prepared to share your faith with others?

2. What are you doing on a daily basis to prepare to meet the Lord?

3. Today, how can you have the confidence to be ready to respectfully explain your faith to others?

Workout:

Psalm 119:1-8

2 Timothy 4:2-5

James 1:22-25

Be Prepared

Bible Chapter: 1 Peter 3 [6], 2 Timothy 4 [7], James 1 [8], Peter 3 [9], Psalms 119 [10], Timothy 4 [11]

Keywords: Bob Knight [12], Peter [13], Planning [14], Preparation [15]

Ministry: Coach [16], Sport [17]

Sport: Basketball [18]