For Today...

Hebrews 4:7

He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, DO not harden your hearts.”

The Book of Hebrews says “Today if you hear His voice...” My question today is how often do you hear his voice?

I have to tell you even though I have been a believer for a great number of years, I haven't always attended church and I haven't always spent time in studying the Bible, prayer and meditation. What I can definitely tell you is when I have not done those things is when I have been the weakest in my life.

Oh, but you are too spiritual for me, I don't have the time to spend time frequently reading my Bible and in prayer. Isn't Sunday enough, the rest of the week I have work, family and the general issues of life to deal with.

I have learned and learned the hard way that I can't go a day without, spending some time reading the Bible, or doing a bit of Bible Study from a set Bible Study, and a day can't go by without prayer.

For today, now and in the next few moments I don't know what is going to happen or come my way. I need to be ready for it. I need to be prepared and ready for the day. I need to put on the whole armour of God

Ephesians 6: 10-19

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.    Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.   For our struggle is not against  flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.   Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.   Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,   and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;    in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.   And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

With all prayer and petition  pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view,  be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,   and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

We need to be ready for Battle. You may think that life isn't a battle. But may I suggest to you that if that is how you see things Satan has you where he would like to have every Christian.

Whether you are a church attender, church worker, Pastor, Evangelist or what ever your roll in life. Everyone of us, no matter our profession or career choice needs to be fully prepared for everyday. That includes time with God on a daily basis.

We need to spend time in His Word and Prayer. We need to hear His voice DAILY – TODAY! We need to keep the shield of faith ready, always wear the helmet of salvation, and have the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God sharpened and ready for use.

Going through the week without spending time with God and in His word is like running through  a week having had your batteries charged on Sunday and as the run down through the week so do you.

You leave yourself wide open to the things the world throws at you. Some one who doesn't spend time in the Word and in prayer has left themselves virtually defenceless to the slings and arrows of life.

Let me suggest one other thing to you, yes your Pastor spent some time preparing a message for Sunday. But what if Pastor had a tough week and ended up quickly preparing so his message isn't up to his usual standard. Where does that leave your batteries?

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus Himself told us that we would have troubles, but that has overcome. The way we have peace and become overcomers through Him is keeping in the Word. Keeping the lines of communication with Him open through prayer. Allowinhg the Holy Spirit to lead us.

We are to have a relationship with Our Lord, we get invited into His presence and God the Father, God The Son and God the Holy Spirit are all there.

A relationship means spending time with one another, it won't work if it is all one sided. Think about your relationships with family and friends. They take time correct? So why should God be thrown to the back of the bus?

In one of my recent messages I shared that there are people telling us that the end is near, some professing the day that the end will happen. I shared in that message the following verse.

Matthew 24:36

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”

I shared that verse in that message because the Bible tells us that only God the Father knows when that will happen.

I bring that passage into this message because none of us do know when Christ will return. Also the fact that we know that the world is filled with troubles and that our lifes can be troublesome. We need to be ready, and the only way to face the day is to be covered in the full armour of God.

We need to be filled with the Spirit, we need to be filled with the Word and we neeed to have a real relationship with Jesus. Are you ready, are you prepared?

Daily, Today and everyday – time with God!