Have you ever been camping? Many people love to do this each year and fill up the parks and places around them. Some places where you go may be close to stores to get what you need. Others are in areas where there is not anything.
As you prepare to go camping, you take the time to prepare the items you will need. A certain amount of food is a necessity. Water is also a must. If you have activities that you intend to do, like fishing, hiking, etc., you will need to make sure you have the right things. One of the things that you will need to pack is a first-aid kit. You must be prepared for the unexpected as things do happen that you cannot control. Preparation is a key to a successful camping experience.
Another time that it is important is the preparation we must make in our spiritual lives. In doing this, it is important to make sure we are following the teachings of the Bible to become a Christian. In the book of Acts, we see what people did in the first century. Here is a thought: if we do what these people did, we will know that we are following what God desires. The church began on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. Read Acts 2 to see what happened on that day. After being convinced that they had put Jesus, the Messiah they were looking for, to death, they asked the question, “What shall we do?” Acts 2:37. In verse 38, Peter answered them by saying, “...Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” I know if I do these things I will be saved as the people on Pentecost were. About 3,000 of them believed the apostles teaching and were baptized that day. They were added to their number (church KJV) that very day, and the church began.
Jesus is coming back again one day. On this day, He will take the church home to be with the Father through all eternity. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) Only those who have made preparation will go to be with Him. All others will be lost, condemned forever. What a sad thought.
Jesus told a parable about the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. They had gone to meet the bridegroom who had delayed his coming. Five were wise and brought oil for their lamps, and the other five had none. They wanted the wise to give to them, but they refused. They left to get some, and when they did the bridegroom came. Those ready went in, and the foolish virgins were locked outside. They had not made the right preparation. Jesus would say in Matthew 25:13, “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” Have you made preparation? If not, do so today. Be prepared!