Week 14: The Year of Commitment

Joshua 24:15

Last Week's Key Point: Don't miss out on making it to the promise land because you lack the patience to walk in God's perfect will!

Key Thought: "Despair is most often the offspring of ill-preparedness." --Don Williams, Jr.

Key Scripture: Matthew 24:44-46 (NIV)

⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
   ⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

Additional Scriptures:

• Matthew 24:38-39 (NIV)

³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

• 2 Kings 3:16-17(NIV)

¹⁶ and he said, “This is what the LORD says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. ¹⁷ For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.

• 2 Kings 4:3-4 (NIV)

³ Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. ⁴ Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” 

Key Thought: "Preparation always precedes God's BLESSINGS." --Josh Sparks

• If you do not prepare, do not expect blessings to flow from that. If you do not study for a test, and you receive a C instead of an A, you should not get mad; there was not any preparation. If you do not know how to outline and take the right kind of notes, then your time studying is in vain. If you are going forth and preparing for God, your time in preparation will be in prayer (asking Him how you should prepare), and staying in His word to apply visions that He gives you.
• God is always preparing us... even through our trials; our trials are modes of preparation. Whether or not our actions are right or wrong, things will always work in the favor of the Lord. We have to realize who we are; if we are real with ourselves, we can realize what we need to work on in order to be closer to God. 

Additional Key Thought: Have a sense of urgency that promotes DOING!

• We must believe that He is making a return; it is mandatory that we prepare for His return.
• For example, you knew your mother was coming home to give you a whoopin' when you did something wrong... you knew for a fact she would be there, although you did not know when. The same concept applies for His return; we need to know He's coming back, although we have no idea when He makes His return.

Remarks: Generally people know and understand what needs to be done, but do not work an strive to accomplish those needs. Just because we can do what is right mentally, does not mean that you should not commit to it physically.When you obey to God's will, you will have clarity of what God needs and wants from you. It is not enough to think about what needs to be done, yet not do it. It is pleasing to God when you take action with a sense of urgency of His return; it is also pleasing when you take the steps to prepare and work for God.