{
 "id": "basics-canon-availability",
 "question": "What does the Bible teach about availability in the Christian life?",
 "answer": "Availability is the voluntary decision to be used by God, as the issue in the Christian life is never our ability but our availability. We cannot prepare or sanctify ourselves; we can only choose to be available to God and humble ourselves through the simple confession of our sins. To be sanctified, useful, and prepared for God, we need only to be available. This availability involves presenting our physical bodies as a living sacrifice or offering (Romans 6:13), making them an instrument that God can use to accomplish His plan. As believers, we have the right to utilize the provisions of God's grace or to squander them, and what He asks is simply that we present ourselves and make ourselves available to Him. Biblical examples of availability include Moses, who accepted self-denial and hardship (Num. 12:3; Heb. 11:25–26), Elijah, who obeyed instructions without argument (1 Kings 17:2–3, 8–9), David, who stepped forward to fight Goliath (1 Sam. 16:13; 17:37, 45–47), and others like Isaiah, Esther, Mary, and Paul, who all demonstrated a willingness to be used by God. The goal is for every believer to be in full-time, 24-hour-a-day, Christian service, presenting their bodies as a living sacrifice unto the Lord.",
 "url": "/faq/availability-christian-life/",
 "unit": 5,
 "lesson": "5-canon",
 "lesson_title": null,
 "question_type": "canonical",
 "tier": 1,
 "faq_class": "doctrine-canonical",
 "aeo_questions": [
  "What does the Bible say about being available to God and how do believers show availability in their lives?",
  "How can Christians demonstrate their willingness to be used by God and what does it mean to present themselves as a living sacrifice?",
  "What is the difference between ability and availability in the Christian life and how do believers become sanctified and useful to God?"
 ],
 "topic_anchor": "Availability",
 "derivation": "derived-canonical",
 "source_authority": "authoritative",
 "author": "Gene Cunningham",
 "book": "The Basics",
 "source": {
  "doc_id": "btbm-01-TheBasics-8-10-24",
  "ref": "The Basics — Availability (canonical doctrine)",
  "book_page": [
   100,
   164
  ],
  "segment_id": "the-basics__canon__availability"
 },
 "scripture": [
  {
   "display": "1 Samuel 16:13",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Kings 17:2-3",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Thessalonians 2:8",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "2 Timothy 4:6-8",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "2 Timothy 4:16",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Numbers 12:3",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Esther 4:16",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Isaiah 6:8",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Luke 1:38",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 6:19",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    176
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Hebrews 10:5-10",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    176
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Hebrews 11:25-26",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    112
   ]
  }
 ],
 "topics": [
  "Availability",
  "Confession",
  "David",
  "Elijah",
  "Esther",
  "Isaiah",
  "Mary",
  "Moses",
  "Paul",
  "Service"
 ],
 "topics_context": [
  "Race of life",
  "Christian, way of life",
  "Plan of God, goal",
  "Power and Holy Spirit",
  "God, knowing",
  "Prayer and essence of God"
 ],
 "printed_pages": [
  100,
  101,
  102,
  103,
  104,
  105,
  106,
  107,
  108,
  109,
  110,
  111,
  112,
  113,
  114,
  115,
  116,
  117,
  118,
  119,
  120,
  121,
  122,
  123,
  124,
  125,
  126,
  127,
  128,
  129,
  130,
  131,
  132,
  133,
  134,
  135,
  136,
  137,
  138,
  139,
  140,
  141,
  142,
  143,
  144,
  145,
  146,
  147,
  148,
  149,
  150,
  151,
  152,
  153,
  154,
  155,
  156,
  157,
  158,
  159,
  160,
  161,
  162,
  163,
  164
 ],
 "related": {
  "ranked": [
   {
    "id": "basics-def-availability",
    "topic_idf_score": 39.741,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Service",
     "David"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Availability",
     "Confession",
     "David",
     "Elijah",
     "Esther",
     "Gospel",
     "Isaiah",
     "Mary",
     "Moses",
     "Paul",
     "Service"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 1,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-5-q09",
    "topic_idf_score": 12.631,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "David",
     "Mary",
     "Moses"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "David",
     "Mary",
     "Matthew",
     "Moses",
     "Small things"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-the-virgin-birth",
    "topic_idf_score": 8.257,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Isaiah",
     "Mary"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Abraham",
     "Cross",
     "Discipline",
     "Isaiah",
     "Mary",
     "Matthew",
     "Redemption"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-age-of-israel",
    "topic_idf_score": 7.193,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Service",
     "Moses"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Abraham",
     "Age of Israel",
     "Church Age",
     "Day of the Lord",
     "Dispensations",
     "Growth",
     "Israel",
     "Judgment",
     "Moses",
     "Plan of God",
     "Promises",
     "Revelation",
     "Service",
     "revelation of God"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u3-l3-2-q05",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.554,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "David",
     "Confession"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Ahithophel",
     "Confession",
     "David",
     "Death",
     "Discipline",
     "Legalism",
     "Sin nature"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-israel",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.111,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Paul",
     "David"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Age of Israel",
     "Church Age",
     "Daniel",
     "David",
     "Day of the Lord",
     "Dispensations",
     "Israel",
     "Judgment",
     "Kingdom of God",
     "Paul",
     "Plan of God",
     "Promises",
     "Rapture",
     "Tribulation"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u5-l5-5-q10",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.111,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Paul",
     "David"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Age of Israel",
     "Church Age",
     "Daniel",
     "David",
     "Day of the Lord",
     "Dispensations",
     "Israel",
     "Judgment",
     "Kingdom of God",
     "Paul",
     "Plan of God",
     "Promises",
     "Rapture",
     "Tribulation"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-discovery-of-truth",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.038,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Isaiah"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Empiricism",
     "Isaiah",
     "Learning",
     "Paul",
     "Rationalism",
     "discovery of Truth"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   }
  ],
  "same_lesson": [
   "basics-canon-inspiration",
   "basics-canon-conformity-to-jesus-christ",
   "basics-canon-training-in-righteousness",
   "basics-canon-righteousness-of-god",
   "basics-canon-hermeneutics",
   "basics-canon-illumination"
  ],
  "shares_scripture": [
   "basics-def-availability",
   "basics-canon-service",
   "basics-def-age-of-israel",
   "basics-impl-reversion-and-recovery",
   "basics-canon-regeneration",
   "basics-def-regeneration",
   "basics-canon-undiminished-deity-and-true-humanity",
   "basics-canon-free-will"
  ],
  "shares_topic": [
   {
    "id": "basics-def-availability",
    "score": 39.741,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Service",
     "David",
     "Confession",
     "Isaiah",
     "Mary",
     "Availability",
     "Moses",
     "Elijah",
     "Esther"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-5-q09",
    "score": 12.631,
    "topics": [
     "David",
     "Mary",
     "Moses"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-the-virgin-birth",
    "score": 8.257,
    "topics": [
     "Isaiah",
     "Mary"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-age-of-israel",
    "score": 7.193,
    "topics": [
     "Service",
     "Moses"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u3-l3-2-q05",
    "score": 6.554,
    "topics": [
     "David",
     "Confession"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-israel",
    "score": 6.111,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "David"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u5-l5-5-q10",
    "score": 6.111,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "David"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-discovery-of-truth",
    "score": 6.038,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Isaiah"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-empiricism",
    "score": 6.038,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Isaiah"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u3-l3-5-q10",
    "score": 6.038,
    "topics": [
     "Paul",
     "Isaiah"
    ]
   }
  ],
  "prev": null,
  "next": null,
  "prev_kind": null,
  "next_kind": null
 }
}