Pastor's Corner: Are you ready to give an answer?

Do you remember as a little “youngster” when the teacher would call on you to answer the question you were supposed to know? All of a sudden you broke into a cold sweat and your skin felt clammy, your mouth got really dry like the hot summer wind and your stomach didn’t feel so well and it started to toss and turn and you felt light headed. You wanted to be anywhere but sitting in that classroom.

Of course, if we knew the material that the question pertained to, no problems, right? We are to study to show we can answer the question.

As we grow older we have questions that we have to answer and some days we feel just like that day in class. As I think about this little scenario, I am reminded about what it says in the Bible in II Timothy 2:15, “Study and be eager to do your upmost to present yourself to God approved, tested by trail, a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing, rightly handling and skillfully teaching the Word of God.”

I believe that each one of us God sees as precious and valuable, the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, victorious, champions for Him and sons and daughter. But, if we do not study, set ourselves apart, examine ourselves before God, how can we be a true workman for the Kingdom of God.

There will come a day where we will give an account for what we have done and what we did not do. Will we feel like that little boy or girl sitting in the classroom and will have all those senses coming flooding over us again?

This time, it will not be a teacher we will have to respond to but the “Maker of Heaven and Earth.”

There is a great scripture in I Peter 3:15 that says, “But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy and acknowledge Him as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.”

The only way we can do this is to know who we are in Christ Jesus. We all have to be prayed up, studied up and in right fellowship with our Heavenly Father, then we can do as I Peter 3:15 says. Be ready, be diligent, be on guard against the devil who wants to fill our lives with artificial junk to keep us busy and out of true fellowship with God.

The Bible says that “we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, to do wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections in Him who called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light.” (I Peter 2:9)

God has given us the tools to be ready in season to give the answers according to II Timothy and by His Spirit to have the confidence and knowledge to answer any man.

I truly believe we must serve our Heavenly Father and have a relationship with Him, not just once a week or every other day, but be continually led by the Holy Spirit. We need to be sensitive to His voice, His leading us in decisions we make and choices we make.

When the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus … from that point on, everything changed. Jesus knew the importance of the Holy Spirit in His life. He went to His Father and prayed for strength, prayed where to be led to which city or town, listened to what God’s Holy Spirit was to lead where and when. Jesus knew He needed the guiding and direction of the Holy Spirit.

We cannot do it alone in our own strength. Jesus knew He needed time to pray so He could clearly hear the voice of his Father for the vision for the week.

What about you and me, how important is the Holy Spirit in our lives? How much time do we take to listen and pray for getting a vision or an understanding of where and when we need to do the task at hand that God has for us?

Jesus knew the importance and He was the Son of God but still waited on the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. God’s spirit is there with us also to help and assist us when we need to give an answer to someone or make lasting decisions that can affect our lives and those of others, but to make this happen we need to include Him in our daily lives.

Let us run the race that God has set before us to be the workman and servants He has called us to be to further the Kingdom of God and set the captives free. That little “youngster” doesn’t have to walk in fear but walk in victory and we can and will see ourselves the same way as God sees us — more than conquers!

Rev. Brian King pastors at First Baptist Church of Fairbury

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Rev. Brian King's Pastor's Corner Are you ready to give an answer?