Preparation of the way of the Lord II

ByPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ! Welcome to „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”!

Yesterday we started talking about God’s desire to demonstrate His glory and fullness in our lives; for this to happen we have to prepare our hearts and to prepare the way of the Lord. We have to cleanse our hearts from the things that God hates and cannot look upon.

The following verses from the Scripture reveal the principle of preparation the way of the Lord.

«In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.’”» (Mathew, 3:1-3).

«There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe» (John, 1:6-7).

These verses talk about the ministry of John the Baptist who announced the coming of the Messiah. Before the Son of God appeared in flesh, God had sent John the Baptist to prepare the way before Him. Jesus did not come until John had fulfilled his ministry. Many things and events that God would want to carry out on earth have been put on hold because His people have not prepared the way of God through their ministry yet. John had to prepare the people to recognize and accept Jesus. John the Baptist had to point to the coming of the Messiah, instructing the people about the things Jesus was going to do on earth.

The Gospel of Mathew describes how John carried out his ministry.

«Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming in his baptism, he said to them, „Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come! Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire» (Mathew, 3: 4-10).

John the Baptist preached to the people about repentance; he called them to bear fruit worthy of repentance. John talked about the coming of Jesus Who would not baptize them with water, but with Spirit. «I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier that I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire» (Mathew, 3:11-12).

John was winning disciples for Jesus. «And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, „Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. (..) One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother» (John, 1: 34-37, 40).

Andrew, Peter’s brother was one of the first disciples of Jesus – thanks to the testimony of John the Baptist. Since John came to prepare the way of the Lord, Jesus could come and carry out God’s plan for salvation for the human race. In the same way we prepare the way of the Lord by ministering to Him and fulfilling His calling in our lives.

In Mathew (24:14) we read the last words of Jesus spoken to His disciples: «And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come». Jesus very clearly revealed how we can prepare the way for His second coming: we have to use all possible means to preach the Gospel of Kingdom in the entire world. And afterwards Jesus will come.

Let’s prepare the way of the Lord! God comes when we prepare the way for Him! God bless you!

We will continue tomorrow!

Pastor Rufus Ajiboye

Similar Posts

  • What is calling? How to reveal personal calling and how to enter it?

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    Recognising of your calling and your task in this life is a process that consists of many small details. Quite often, people try to reveal their calling, while neglecting those small details that make the whole process. Nowadays, many people are unhappy because they either lack revelation for their life or oppose to such revelation, or simply lack understanding of how to fulfil the revelation. Let´s figure it all out.First thing to know is the fact that you were born to carry out a certain task. Bible says our life on this Earth has a goal and value determined. You are not a result of an accident! You were born on this Earth not just for the matter of occupying some space and breathing. You´ve got a mission to fulfil, a way to measure. You are created to take care for others and saved to minister. There many places in the Bible talking about this. We are going to elaborate the verse from Paul´s letter to Ephesians 2:10

  • Allow you trouble to enlarge you instead of breaking you

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    Trouble can either break you or make you. It all depends on your reaction. We will examine the example of David and allow him to teach us today how to react in difficult situation.“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

  • God’s discipline

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 4 minutes
    In order to determine whether we are being disciplined by God or we are dealing with the attack of the enemy, first we must ask ourselves some questions:§ What circumstances do I find myself in? (see Colossians, 3:17)o Am I where God wants to see me?

  • We are the new creation in Christ Jesus, made for good deeds the Lord has determined for us

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    «For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works …» (Ephesians 2:10).God has created you with a purpose. We are created and made for ministry on this Earth. Life without purpose is similar to a movement without a direction. Once we clarify who we are in God and what He has done for us – we immediately realise why we are here in this world. So we are made for good works.

  • How God chastises and disciplines His children

    AutorsPastor Rufus Ajiboye Reading Time: 3 minutes
    1. God uses His Word, the Bible to discipline us.Do you have some separate time to read and personally study God’s Word? Do you study the Word together with other believers? Do you listen regularly to the preaching of the Word? All these issues are very important, since it is the Holy Scripture that God uses to speak to us. Through the Word God corrects us and gives us important instruction concerning the way we should live. God sees and know how we live. God knows all of our hidden desires and thoughts, and He wants to correct us through His Word.