Recently, I was watching one of my favorite John Wayne movies entitled “Big Jake.”  The Duke as he was known was my favorite movie star during my formative years.  He was always the good guy.  The one who stood for what was right. . .regardless of the consequence.

My three favorite John Wayne quotes are:

# 1    “Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid.”

# 2    “Courage is being scared to death…but saddling up anyway.”

# 3    “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.”

John Wayne won his only Oscar in 1969 for the movie “True Grit.”  There’s a point in the movie where 14-year-old Mattie Ross says to Marshal Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) “They tell me you are a man with true grit.”

Dictionary.com defines true grit as:

“firmness of character; indomitable spirit”

Psychologist Angela Duckworth after studying people in various challenging situations, including National Spelling Bee participants, rookie teachers in tough neighborhoods, and West Point cadets, said she found:

“One characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn't social intelligence. It wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't IQ. It was grit.”

The best definition I’ve ever heard of grit is:

As you looked at the title of this teaching...you might assume that I'm going to teach on the 2nd coming of Jesus.  Not true.

Many of you know I don’t spend a lot of time reading, wondering or worrying about the end-times.

I’m more concerned about growing up in Jesus than going up to meet Him.  If I live the kind of life I should. . .then I will never have to worry about going up.

In my lifetime there have been ten anti-Christs identified by well-meaning believers who are, or no doubt will be, in heaven.

Before getting to what this teaching is all about let me share some basic facts for those who love prophecy and the end-times teachings.

A well-known Christian wrote, "The last days are upon us. Weigh carefully the times. Look for Him who is above all time, eternal and invisible."

That was not written by a modern prophecy expert. It was written by a man named Ignatius about 110 A.D., just a couple of decades after the apostle John wrote Revelation.

Another Christian wrote:

Join us at 6 PM EST. . .be blessed by this outline.

President Abraham Lincoln once said:

 “I will prepare and some day my chance will come.”

Whitney Young Jr., civil rights leader once said:

“It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”

# 1     Be prepared for battle

Ephesians 6:13 MSG

“Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”

Preparation is a mental decision because it becomes a practical reality.

Joshua 7:13 NLT

“Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.”

How do you purify yourself for battle?

1.       Enter into His presence

2.       Read our instruction manual/battle plan daily

3.       Repent immediately when we realize we’ve done something wrong

4.       Eliminate any doubt about the outcome of our mission  Romans 8:31

5.       Receive your forgiveness

6.       Determine who will be in the foxhole with you.

7.       Get out in front of your battle by praising God.

Joshua 3:5

“For tomorrow, Jehovah will do wonders among you.”

The price for success is always paid in advance of your victory. . .never after the fact.

2.       Be prepared for a live of righteousness.

1 Peter 2:24

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Proverbs 4:18 AMP

“But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared].”

2 Timothy 4:2 NLT

“Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.”

3.       Be prepared to move outside your comfort zone.

Romans 1:13

“Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.”

Psalm 119:66 NLT

“I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.”

Proverbs 4:7

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

Do you read your Bible on a daily basis?

Do you take notes on what you’ve read?

Does the Holy Spirit bring things to your remembrance as you read and/or take notes?

Are you reading any book any than the Bible at this very moment?

Is the book motivational, inspirational and/or practical?

Are you taking notes as you read this book?

Is the Holy Spirit stirring things in you as you read the book?

4.       Be prepared by following His instructions.

Deuteronomy 8:11-16 MSG

“Make sure you don’t forget God, your God, by not keeping his commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today. Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up—make sure you don’t become so full of yourself and your things that you forget God, your God, the God who delivered you from Egyptian slavery; the God who led you through that huge and fearsome wilderness, those desolate, arid badlands crawling with fiery snakes and scorpions; the God who gave you water gushing from hard rock; the God who gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you.”

2 Timothy 3:17 ERT

“Using the Scriptures, those who serve God will be prepared and will have everything they need to do every good work.”

Matthew 22:29 TLB

“But Jesus said, “Your error is caused by your ignorance of the Scriptures and of God’s power!”

5.       Be prepared to exercise His gifts.

John 14:26 AMP

“But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.”

Romans 12:6-8 AMP

“Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith;  7[He whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving; he who teaches, to his teaching; 8He who exhorts (encourages), to his exhortation; he who contributes, let him do it in simplicity and liberality; he who gives aid and superintends, with zeal and singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy, with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness.”

1 Corinthians 14:26 MSG

“So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three’s the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you’re saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you choose to speak, you’re also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right way, God doesn’t stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches—no exceptions.”

Luke 12:47 NLT

“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished.”

6.       Be prepared to assume a leadership role.

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Ezekiel 38:7 GWT

“‘Be prepared! Be prepared, you and all the soldiers assembled around you. You will be their leader.”

# 7     The Soil Must Be Prepared For The Seed

Matthew 25:13 in The Living Bible says:

“So stay awake and be prepared, for you do not know the date or moment of my return.”

10.  You are becoming what you imagine yourself to be.

  9.  If you refuse to allow fear or doubt to enter your thought life. . .you’re ready for a miracle. Meditate on 2 Timothy 1:7

  8.  Confess this "I can do more than I think I can because I have the mind of Christ which is functioning fully and freely within me"

  7.  If you don’t give up. . .failure is nothing more than the opportunity to learn a new way to do something.

  6.  You have the God-given ability to perform at a level you never previously thought possible.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

  5.  When you mess up. . .if you don't step up. . .you'll never move up. . .instead you'll go down in failure and disappointment.

  4.  Your current economic conditions have nothing to do with your potential for fulfilling your divine destiny...but God does.

  3.  God is more interested in where you're going. . .than where you've been. Your focus should be front and centered.  Phil 3:13.

  2.  Praying today for you to think like you've never thought. Do what you've never done...be what you've never been all for His glory.

 # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

  1.  You can’t control what other people say, think or do. . .but you are in complete control of your own mind, mouth and destiny.

Every Thanksgiving we see pictures of pilgrims feasting but the truth of the matter is. . .for the Pilgrims. . .Thanksgiving was more about prayer and fasting.

The first official Thanksgiving was established in 1789 by President George Washington to acknowledge the blessings of God on a young nation.

For the next seventy-five years, Thanksgiving was celebrated occasionally but in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln established it as a national holiday on the last Thursday of very November.

Fast forward till 2022. . .many families will gather and indulge or, should I say, generally “overindulge” on the Thanksgiving meal.

We gather around the table. . .and thank God for the food and each other.

I have a revelation for you that my Momma taught me years ago.  Thanksgiving is NOT just one day; EVERY DAY is THANKSGIVING.

She’s right … but it’s not just because she’s my Momma. . .bless her sweet 94 year old heart.  Momma is right because that’s what the Bible teaches us.

Al Green, the gospel singer said: