April 8, 2024 - Dressed and Ready

Deuteronomy 32:28-52

Luke 12:35-59

Psalm 78:56-64

Proverbs 12:24

One Year Bible Audio & Daily Reading (oneyearbibleonline.com)

Luke 12:35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,

He WILL return. We don't know when but we need to be ready. We should be dressed and ready for service so that implies to me that our dress is important for our service. Keep our lamps burning. We need to be equipped with what we need and we must make sure our equipment is working.

What is our dress? Well first we need to be dressed in His righteousness. When we give our lives to Jesus we are saved by that faith and we are dressed in His righteousness alone.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

There is nothing that we can do to be saved but we are justified by our faith in Him. That is the first thing that we need to put on in order to be able to respond to the call of the master when He returns. We are also told be dressed in the Armor of God.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

The Armor of God will defend us in times of attack so that we can remain strong and courageous as we wait for His return.

Our lamps need to be kept burning. We need to be equipped and make sure the equipment is functioning. We should be equipped with the fruit of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This is how we are to serve. This is the equipment but to keep it working we need to make sure we are fueled. The fruit of the Spirit will not burn bright without the power of the Holy Spirt.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit is given to every believer but to be filled and functioning in the power of the Spirit requires surrender of ourselves. We need to be able to open our hearts and minds to the power and influence of the Spirit. To do that we need to empty ourselves and make room for Him. Trying to use the fruits of the spirit when we are full of ourselves instead of the Spirit is like trying to burn a lamp that is filled with water instead of oil.

So let's get ready and stay ready for His return! Come Lord Jesus!!