Please read Luke 3:2-6 "...the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordon, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins: As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
In my office at work I have a quote hanging on my bulletin board that says, "The will to succeed means nothing without the will to prepare." The quote is full of meaning for me. We all aspire to become or to accomplish things in life. But all too often, when the realities of the necessary preparation hit, we falter and give up. I see it happen over and over and at all stages of life. It is easy to have the initial will and aspiration to succeed...but it is quite another matter to have the will that continues to pay the "dues" of preparation. If, when one seeks to master a musical instrument, a certain sport or scholarship of a particular field of study, etc., and "short-cuts" are taken in the preparation process, the end result will reflect short-comings in character, ability, beauty, knowledge and understanding. In the end the "achievement" can be a hollow one or, at best, a shallow one...simply because we didn't really pay the "dues" of preparation.
In my office at work I have a quote hanging on my bulletin board that says, "The will to succeed means nothing without the will to prepare." The quote is full of meaning for me. We all aspire to become or to accomplish things in life. But all too often, when the realities of the necessary preparation hit, we falter and give up. I see it happen over and over and at all stages of life. It is easy to have the initial will and aspiration to succeed...but it is quite another matter to have the will that continues to pay the "dues" of preparation. If, when one seeks to master a musical instrument, a certain sport or scholarship of a particular field of study, etc., and "short-cuts" are taken in the preparation process, the end result will reflect short-comings in character, ability, beauty, knowledge and understanding. In the end the "achievement" can be a hollow one or, at best, a shallow one...simply because we didn't really pay the "dues" of preparation.
God sent John literally as a voice crying in the wilderness. John was not found in the temple - but without, in the wilderness. In order to hear God's message, the people had to go out to John "in the wilderness." The message John had from God was one of preparation and so John cried, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." In other words John was saying, "Prepare a way for God to work in your life! He is coming, so prepare an unhindered way for Him!"
So what are the required "dues" of John's preparation message? For those who have the will "to succeed" in making a way for God to come and work in their lives, John's message further lays out the specific "dues" of the preparation. John made it obvious. If you aspire to have God work in your life, then the preparation involves "the baptism of repentance."
But this then is where we falter and give it up. No one wants to be told to repent, to forsake their self-centered lives or their self-centered religious lives. We would rather keep an arm's length distance in our walk with God, thinking there's no need to be so "fanatical" or "excessive." We would just rather take the "short-cut" of living comfortably as a "Christian" and dwelling in temples made with hands. But the message God gave John radically goes against this and declares the true "preparation" necessary for Him to really work in our lives.
As in the days of John so are the days of our time, the message John preached can only be received by those in whose hearts the goodness of God (according to Romans 2:4) is at work - in leading His own to the precious gift of repentance (i.e., "Father, not my will, but thy will be done.") The gift of repentance is how the Lord gathers His own unto Himself.
Is the goodness of God leading you and drawing you to give of your life in a radical newness of His Life? Then yield yourself (repentance) and give yourself completely (in the baptism He is calling you to)...fall back into the water, go completely down, get completely soaking wet, lay your life down…and trust Jesus to raise you up as one of His.
So what are the required "dues" of John's preparation message? For those who have the will "to succeed" in making a way for God to come and work in their lives, John's message further lays out the specific "dues" of the preparation. John made it obvious. If you aspire to have God work in your life, then the preparation involves "the baptism of repentance."
But this then is where we falter and give it up. No one wants to be told to repent, to forsake their self-centered lives or their self-centered religious lives. We would rather keep an arm's length distance in our walk with God, thinking there's no need to be so "fanatical" or "excessive." We would just rather take the "short-cut" of living comfortably as a "Christian" and dwelling in temples made with hands. But the message God gave John radically goes against this and declares the true "preparation" necessary for Him to really work in our lives.
As in the days of John so are the days of our time, the message John preached can only be received by those in whose hearts the goodness of God (according to Romans 2:4) is at work - in leading His own to the precious gift of repentance (i.e., "Father, not my will, but thy will be done.") The gift of repentance is how the Lord gathers His own unto Himself.
Is the goodness of God leading you and drawing you to give of your life in a radical newness of His Life? Then yield yourself (repentance) and give yourself completely (in the baptism He is calling you to)...fall back into the water, go completely down, get completely soaking wet, lay your life down…and trust Jesus to raise you up as one of His.