Robin J Johnson

Not so long ago I received a text message from a friend asking me to pray for him as he had been asked to speak in the Sunday morning service at his church. He made the comment that it had been a very busy week of ministry, he felt a little unprepared, but wanted to do well.

My friend leads a dynamic and growing work. He is certainly busy leading this vibrant ministry, along with being a dedicated husband and father of three. I do not doubt that my friend was prepared. Nevertheless, knowing him, I guess he just wanted to be sure, since that he may not have had as much time to prepare as he would have liked after such a busy week.

The apostle Paul writing to Timothy says…. 

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB)

In my friend’s case I know that this is true; diligent in his reading and studying the scriptures. Like him we all need to develop a life of preparation, daily storing within our hearts the Word of God. Then we are prepared at all times, to share,  distribute and to be the good seed of the Kingdom, as Jesus said.

And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom;  Matthew 13:37-38 (NASB)

Made Me Think

His request started me thinking. How many times are we unprepared to speak and preach? Life is busy and it seems, at times, it conspires against us to make things even more hectic and challenging. If we are unprepared and the opportunity to speak approaches and with nothing in reserve, panic may set in and then we might be tempted to find just any old thing to share.

There is a saying, which I’ve repeated many times over the years and even my wife has adopted it on occasions. I believe the quote originated with Smith Wigglesworth and goes something like this, “If you have to get ready when opportunity comes your way, you’re too late.” Yes, we need to live ready.

Let’s Get Ready

The first step to live ready is to know the Word of God thoroughly. We will only know the scriptures well by reading and studying them. The Bible itself does not actually tell us how often or for how long or when we should read. However, it does tell us to meditate on the Word, which suggests that we need to be reading the scriptures regularly in order to meditate on them.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

There is no doubt that we can be underprepared, but is there such a thing as too much preparation? I don’t think so. The Passion Translation (v17) says it clearly and precisely “perfectly prepared.”

Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you.

Some years back I remember hearing about a survey conducted among a group of ministers. The survey revealed that a majority of pastors only read the Bible when they had to prepare a sermon. With no judgement intended; there is something wrong with this picture.

We do need to feed ourselves on the word of God daily to be effective and efficient preachers of the Good News of Jesus Christ. To deliver that which edifies, encourages and builds the people of God, we need to have stored within us the truth that transforms lives. The Bible must be more than simply a resource for the next sermon. We must have a hunger for God’s Word; to know the Bible inside out. This will only come about by our regular reading, studying and meditating on His Word. 

I’m lovesick with yearnings for more of your salvation, for my heart is entwined with your word. Psalms 119:81 (TPT)

Before we find ourselves in any ministry position or function, first and foremost we are men and women of God. The Bible is an absolutely necessity and indispensable resource for life. It teaches us:

  • How to live a godly life in our community; 
  • How to be a good husband or wife, loving and cherishing our partners; 
  • How to care for, protect and love our children; to lead and guide them well. 
Whatever it is in life that we are involved with, reading and studying the word is paramount for our success.

The opening of Psalms lays the foundation for a blessed and fruitful life; instructing us to delight in and mediate on the Word (law) of God day and night Psalm 1:1-3). It is Joshua who is the first to hear the instructions for meditating on the Word of God.

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua 1:8

Passion Ignited 

My exhortation is this — maintain a hunger for the Word of God. If the hunger for His Word has wained, then it is time to have that hunger, the appetite for God’s Word, renewed. I believe that the Holy Spirit can and will ignite again a passion for the Word.

Beginning High School I received a little red New Testament, a Gideon‘s Bible, which in those days was distributed to students in their first year of High School. Yet, though I never read it or particularly wanted to, I could not bring myself to throw it away. 

The night I surrendered my life to Jesus, I went home searched and found that New Testament and began reading the Gospel of John. A desire to read the Bible had me each night, hungrily reading the scriptures before going to sleep. Sometimes during my lunch breaks I would read the Word. Soon, scripture memorisation also became a part of my routine. After a little while I was given a new Bible. My insatiable hunger for the word of God stayed with me for many years. I do not say this to boast, but to provide context for the following story. 

In 1990, some 20 years after my conversion, I realised that reading the Word did not hold the same excitement as at the beginning. I was still reading daily, doing what I was supposed to do, but to be honest the passion had wained. I began to wonder if something was wrong.

Life was going on, working, raising a family and serving the Lord in various ways. Nevertheless, the passion for the Word seemed lost. Though it was still truth, my guide to daily living, that vibrance of the Word, which once excited me, was gone. I thought, “This can’t be. It cannot be like this now and in the days ahead.” So I did one thing. I took the only option that would bring change; I began to pray. It went something like this. 

“Lord I have lost the passion for your Word. Please, can you give me back that feeling I had at the start. I want that hunger back, I want to hear your voice, I need to feel the excitement of reading your Word reignited in me. Make your Word speak to me powerfully. Let me again experience the same excitement when reading the Word and hearing from you. Help me Holy Spirit. Make your Word come alive again in me, just like it was at the beginning.”

The next day, picking up my Bible to read it, I suddenly realised that something had changed. It is hard to explain the feeling, but it was just like at the start; the Scriptures were alive, they were vibrant again, just like at the beginning.

Now, 25 years later (55 years since my conversion) the Holy Spirit has never let me down, the Word is alive. I have never had to pray that actual prayer again. Though it goes without saying, looking to and waiting to hear the Holy Spirit speak through the Word of God is at the forefront of my expectation. 

O how I love and treasure the revelation of your word; throughout the day I fill my heart with its light! Psalms 119:97 (TPT)

We definitely do need to live ready. I believe that we can continually prepare ourselves as feed daily on the Word of God; looking and listening for the Holy Spirit to impart revelation knowledge, unfolding the truth and opening our eyes to see the living Word of God, Jesus (John 1:1), in all His glory.

As in the case of my friend and many others I know, we live ready. When that unexpected opportunity comes along, whether a last minute invite to speak at very short notice or more importantly that surprise encounter to speak with someone about Christ, we are ready.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8