Dressed for action

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks." (Luke 12:35-36 ESV)

I have recently been impressed with how many biblical references there are which call us as believers to action, or alertness, or watchfulness, or readiness to do good. Here are just a few (underlining added by me) ...

"Be ready..." (Matthew 24:44)

"Be dressed for action and keep your lamps burning..." (Luke 12:35)

"We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work." (John 9:4)

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ..." (2 Corinthians 10:5)

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11)

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..." (Philippians 2:12)

"...straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal..." (Philippians 3:13-14)

"For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." (Colossians 1:29)

"Fight the good fight of the faith." (1 Timothy 6:12)

"They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share..." (1 Timothy 6:18)

"...a good soldier... athlete... hard-working farmer..." (2 Timothy 2:3-6)

"The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3:21)

I have found that John Wesley's quote, given below, is a good summary of the Christian's activity while awaiting Christ's return:

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

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Howard Hendricks on OT books chronology

When I was in seminary, Howard Hendricks (aka "Prof") gave us a little card with the books of the OT chronologically arranged. The scanned copy I have was a bit blurry and I wanted to make something like this available for our church class in OT theology ("Story of Redemption"). A few minor edits and here it is...

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