The parable of the ten virgins, 5 were wise and 5 were foolish
5 had prepared and were not caught without, 5 did not prepare
(Matthew 25:1-13)
How do we prepare and what exactly are we to do to be ready to meet Jesus?
This is a substantive list of suggestions. Please seek the Lord about how you are to be ready. I cannot possibly have all the answers.
Read His word
Fill your heart mind and soul with truth and the righteousness of His word
Man cannot live by bread alone
His word satisfies because He is the word and knowing it reminds us that we are only here for a short time in the span of eternity
Pray
Get used to relying on Him to work in your life
The more you pray for yourself and others, your country, any situation you see, the more you will see answered prayer and realize that God not only hears you and listens to you but that
He performs miracles on your behalf as you pray according to His will
Fast
This is an unpopular subject.
People prefer to ignore it, especially in America
People don’t like to suffer
they will avoid doing things that produce suffering
Jesus honors fasts that are done unto Him, that are done in secret,
to honor Him and to fast as an act of worship
Fasting also breaks spiritual bonds that cannot be seen
or realized by the natural eye
Get to know Jesus
Spend time with Him
I can’t tell you exactly how to do that
I know this is not taught or explained much by many preachers
getting to know God is huge in your preparation
Listening to Him ourselves is what we all should be doing
as well as learning from others who know the bible well
Be careful under whose teaching you sit
All people are fallible and no human knows everything
if you don’t understand Jesus and His character, His words,
the way He works with people, the intensity of His love and forgiveness,
you’ll be at a great disadvantage
As you read His word, notice His character, how He treats people,
what He teaches them
His relationships were different with all of the prophets, all of the kings,
some of them were close to Him, some despised Him
God has a way of letting people know He is around
Speaking to them, He said, My sheep hear My voice.
if you are seeking Him, He is there
When you spend time with Him, listen. He is always trying to teach us things about Himself, revealing to us who He is
It is not easy to explain. He is able to help you to get to know Him,
ask Him to show you
There is really no formula to knowing God
Each of us are different and we all have our own relationship with God
He created you, He wants to spend time with you
Keep Your sins open before Him
Be in constant communication with Him
about how to keep your heart clean
Remember the commands He has given you: Love the lord your God with all of your heart mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself
Forgive freely as He has forgiven you,
Give to those in need as lending to the lord
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the Love of the Father is not in him
Do not hide your sins from God, thinking you’ll take care of them yourself
Stay ever close to Him and watch for Him
for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come.
Scriptural References:
Read His Word
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Pray
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:8-13
Fast
(Isaiah 58 Whole Chapter)
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:16-18
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Matthew 4:1-11
And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Mark 9:29
Get to Know Jesus
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death Philippians 3:10
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1 John 5:20
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me John 10:27
Keep Your sins open before Him
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Matthew 22:37-40
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. Proverbs 19:17
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13
For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. Jeremiah 16:17
Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
Isaiah 29:15
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 24:42