"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a
defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in
you, yet with gentleness and reverence." 1 Peter 3:15

This is the verse in Scripture that is ever on my mind when I share the 
Word
or a message with anyone. I have used this as an opening verse in the past,
but today I would like for us to look into the word 'ready'.

In 1 Peter 3:15, the Greek word for ready is:
HETOIMOS meaning prepared and it is akin to HETOIMASIA which
denotes: . .preparation, as found in "Vine's Expository Dictionary".

Scripture speaks of readiness for various things such as the future,
spiritual service, spiritual preparation, etc. I would like to share some
verses with you that I found in The Thompson Chain Reference listed under
Readiness with the heading "Preparation Precedes Blessings." My first
thought upon reading the heading was TRUST and OBEY. Yours as well?

Preparation Precedes Blessings:
NO WATER for the army until the ditches were dug:
2 Kings 3:16-17, "...Thus says the Lord, 'Make this valley full of
trenches.'  For thus says the Lord, 'You shall not see wind nor shall you
see rain; yet that valley shall be fill with water, so that you shall 
drink,
both you and our cattle and your beasts.'" (Read verse 20 to see the
blessing.)

NO OIL until the vessels were gathered:
2Kings 4:3-4, "Then He said, 'Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from
all our neighbors, even empty vessels; do no get a few. And you shall go in
and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these
vessels; and you shall set aside what is full.'" (Read verses 5-6 to see 
the
blessing.)

NO HEALING until the leper had dipped seven times:
2 Kings 5:10, "And Elisha send a messenger to him, saying, 'Go and wash
in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you and you
shall be clean." (Read verses 11-14 to see stubbornness, then obedience,
then the blessing.)

NO MESSIAH until the way had been prepared:
Isaiah 40:3, "A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the Lord in the
wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God."
(We know the blessing, but read it in John l:23-29.)

NO RECONCILIATION without repentance:
Joel 2:12-13, "'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'Return to Me with all
your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; And rend your heart 
and
not your garments.' Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and
compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness and relenting of
evil.'" (Read Ephesians 2:4-10, the blessing you all know.)

NO VISION without obedience:
John 9:7, "And [Jesus] said to him, 'Go wash in the pool of Siloam' (which
is translated, Sent). And so he went away and washed, and came back
seeing."  [For clarification.]

NO RESURRECTION until the stone is removed:
John 11:39, "Jesus said, 'Remove the stone.' Martha, the sister of the
deceased, said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he
has been dead four days.'" (Read verses 41-44 Hallelujah!)

NO ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN without cleansing:
Revelation 7:13-14, "And one of the elders answered, saying to me, 'These
who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they
come?'" And I said to him, 'My lord, you know.' And he said to me, 'These
are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'" (Thank You,
Jesus.)

I repeat, TRUST AND OBEY! And see the heavens open up and blessing
upon blessing pour forth to each by the grace and mercies of our ever 
loving
Lord God Almighty; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen