Scripture references: I Peter 3:15

     But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
     and be ready always to give an answer to
     every man that asketh you a reason of the
      hope that is in you with meekness and fear
     [reverence].

I have observed over the years, that when I am on fire
for God, moving forward and growing in the Lord, I
am more ready to speak the truth in love to any one
who asks about it. Sometimes, for lack of practice, I
stammer and stutter or Scripture recall is rusty but that
eventually subsides as I get accustomed to regularly
speaking to people again.

I have also noticed that when I return to old habits that
I am not proud of (nor like to discuss) and stay in the
broken fellowship stage for a long time, I am not prepared
to witness to any body. I am not ready to answer them
about Jesus Christ and His accomplishments. It is probably
because I know that my life is not reflecting what I would
aim to teach. It is because my mind is not thinking godly
thoughts. I am not putting on the mind of Christ, not
reading the Word nor dwelling on it. During those extended
"down times," I know that I haven't got an answer for
myself, let alone any one else! Therefore, I am not
ready to share.

That is why God's Word in this verse exhorts us to sanctify
the Lord God in our hearts. We need to sanctify the Lord
God in our hearts in order to be ready to answer.

In this record, sanctify means "to make holy, i.e.
(ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate."

God is not going to get any more holy or pure than He is
already. What we do is mentally venerate, regard or
to treat Him with reverence in our hearts. (We know from
previous GWD studies in the Fear God Series, that fearing
God equals keeping His commandments.)

So we fear God, keep His commandments, and by so doing,
we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts . We are ready to
give an answer to every man who asks about the hope. We
answer not with superiority or a callous attitude, puffed up
and arrogant. We answer with meekness, humility and reverence.

Let us be ready to give an answer. Sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts. Amen.

-Carol Kenreigh

Pray for our President.

Please mail comments to kenreigh@bww.com

c.Carol Kenreigh, 2001. All rights reserved.
GWD Logo, above, contributed by Charlie Darnell