Always Be Ready

Psalms 119:41-42 Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord — Your salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word.

Today's verses remind us of the verses in 1 Peter 3:15-16, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every many that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 having a good conscience; that whereas they speak evil of you, as evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good behavior in Christ." What answer do we give when our faith is questioned? What response do we give when we are challenged for doing what is right before God, but deemed as "wrong" by the world? The worse this world gets, the more we will have the opportunity to be labeled as evildoers for doing what is good, in Christ Jesus, and in accordance with His Word. Are we able to speak the truth in love when we are amongst God's people when they are being led astray? Well, the only way we can do that is if we know the truth. Where do we find truth? We find it in God's Word. In other words, if we are to give an answer to those who reproach us, if we are to speak truth to brethren who are being misled by false teachings, then we must be diligent students, and doers, of God's Word. The Scriptures themselves plainly tell us why it is so important for us, as born again believers, to be students of the Bible. We are not only to commit it to memory, but we are to store it in our hearts like the most precious treasure we possess. How are we doing with our daily reading and studying of God's Word? Albert Barnes wrote, "A man of little learning, except that which he has derived from the Bible, may often thus silence the cavils and reproaches of the learned sceptic; a man of simplehearted, pure piety, with no weapon but the Word of God, may often thus be better armed than if he had all the arguments of the schools at his command." In any battle of words, fought against this world and its evil ways, there is no greater weapon that can be carried onto the battlefield by a soldier of Jesus than the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The bottom line is that we must always be ready.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).