Prep Time

Today’s Verse:

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. ~Romans 1:15

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Prep time is time that we take to prepare ourselves for an examination, speech, or presentation. Prep time might involve intensive hours of study, memorization, and further background study. We all know that prep time is vitally important if we want to do well or have a compelling presentation. Paul said, “As much as in me is.” He spoke of being prepped and ready. Let us consider how Paul was thoroughly prepped.

Paul was filled with God.

The starting point in being ready to preach, serve, or minister to others is being filled with God. "As much as in me is"! He got himself filled up and overflowing with everything about God. He was filled up with God’s Word, God’s promises, God’s warnings, God’s love, and God’s attributes. It is one thing to have knowledge of God. It is a whole different thing to be filled up with God. A little boy was drawing a picture on a piece of paper. His mother came up to him and asked him what he was drawing. The little boy responded, "I am drawing a picture of God." The mother informed him that no one knows what God looks like. The little boy replied, "They will when I get through drawing this picture." Paul had more than a mental picture of God. Paul was filled and overflowing with God. "As much as in me is."

Paul was filled with the gospel.

Paul was once a hater of the gospel. After he got saved, he became its best student. Through discipleship, practical training, and preaching, Paul became the most well-versed man with the doctrine of the gospel in the first century. He defined the gospel. He declared the gospel. He defended the gospel. He was its chief spokesman. He lived and breathed the gospel message. In Romans 1:16, he said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” He knew its power to save any sinner. He knew its possibilities. He knew that the gospel could change an entire city and turn the world upside down. He was filled with the gospel message. He was filled with the gospel mandate. No wonder he could say, “I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.” "As much as in me is"!

Paul was filled with a goal.

His goal was to take the gospel throughout the world one city and area at a time. He said, “I am ready.” Being well-prepped includes having a goal. His goal was to see the gospel preached in every synagogue, in every city, and to every sinner. His goals were so well-thought-out that no obstacle or setback would stop him. Rome may not have been ready for Paul, but Paul was ready for Rome. Later, he would say that he was ready to preach the gospel where no man had been before. His goal was that during his lifetime, the entire world could be covered with the gospel. "As much as in me is"!

Paul was ready because he spent time prepping to preach the gospel. As we start this New Year, we would do well to give ourselves to much prep time: prep time that involves being filled with God, filled with the gospel, and filled with goals. We should be ready in season and out of season to preach the gospel to anyone and everyone. Let’s say like Paul, “As much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel.”

Have a gospel-prepped God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Genesis 35-37

#Romans #Filling #Gospel #Readiness