Prepare Yourself For God

March 25, 2006 Prepare Yourself for God

Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

We are all very familiar with the word "repent" but what exactly does that word mean? How do these scriptures in Matthew 3 apply to me and you? When you consider the Word of God says the Lord changes not, he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. I must believe it and understand how it applies to my life. On Judgment Day He won't be calling witnesses forward to testify of any good or bad deeds I have done. This word is what I will face. He will look at me and by his grace and through the faith he has given me, and by the power of his Holy Spirit, I intend for him to see HIMSELF in me. Then he can't say I don't know you, depart. If I spend time with him now, seeking his face, and learning his voice, he'll never be able to deny me.

What does repentance mean? There are three Greek words (two as verbs) used in the New Testament in regard to repentance. Remember a verb is something you do, and a noun is a person, place or thing. First, "metamelomai" (Mat_27:3). It means to change your mind, with regret and remorse for sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. You've done wrong, and you see it, and regret it. One example of this type of repentance is Judas Iscariot. Then there is the second, "metanoeo" meaning to change one's mind and purpose as the result of repentance after knowledge of sin. And third, "Metanoia" (noun) meaning true repentance. The parable of the Prodigal Son is a good example of this kind of repentance. (Luk_15:11-32) He goes the wrong way, loses everything good his father gave him, gets used and abused by the world. He hits rock bottom and realizes his error, remembers his father's love and provision, and goes home, terribly sorry, ready to assume the position of servant, knowing he has sinned grievously against his father and God. Knowing he is unworthy of being the son anymore. But his father is such a picture of the heart of God when he saves someone. He doesn't condemn or criticize, he welcomes with open arms and restores his son.

In Verse 2, John is saying repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He goes on to say prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight! What does all that mean? Look at the word "prepare". It means to adapt or qualify for a particular purpose, service or use. To make ready, provide something for someone's use, to establish, or appoint something or someone for a particular service, or reason. To make all things ready, taking the necessary measures to be ready for service when called upon. The army is trained and prepared for war. They didn't get that way sitting on their hands. When you plant a garden, you prepare the ground to receive the seed. You take a tiller and turn and break up the ground, you get the rocks out, the weeds out, you rake it and smooth it and fertilize it. This is what we have to do to our hearts to prepare them for God's word and will. We have to recognize if there's any area of resistance in our hearts to obedience to his word, whether it's a habit we don't want to stop, or a change we don't want to make, or are having trouble making. He can give us all the help we need. But we must cooperate with him and let him have his way. Frequently and regularly and prayerfully expose our hearts to his word, because he said whoever falls on his word will be broken. (Luk_20:18)

Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

His word, when you yield to it, and pray for understanding of it, has an amazing effect on the heart. We are prepared for the service God wants us to do by knowledge and understanding of him and his word. His word is still crying in the wilderness of sin this world is to us, prepare the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight. He won't send his presence, and his holy word to a bunch of self absorbed, selfish people who aren't willing to receive and yield to it. He sends the call out for mercy. He gives everyone a chance. Grace is here and now, but not forever. That's why he says "Today if you can hear his voice, harden not your heart." That's why he warned his disciples not to cast their pearls before swine. The word of God is precious. His presence is so needed among his people. Pigs are selfish animals who are also happy wallowing in filth. That sounds like the sinner I used to be. Content with sin. Thank God for mercy and for not leaving me in the dark.

There is a nightclub behind my house. My back yard runs up against the wall of this club. On the weekends, when I come in from and church and come back here in my room, my little sanctuary, to get on the computer and study my Father's word and pray, I can hear the thump thump of the music. I have been praying for him to shut that place down. There are fights in the parking lot, and in the building. People get out in the parking lot cursing and talking ugly and my children playing in the back yard can hear in the warm weather when they are outside. Last weekend, someone fired a gun in the parking lot. When I go by there on my way home, it grieves my heart to see the parking lot nearly always full on the weekends. Packed like sardines. And then I go to the house of the Lord and see so many empty seats. So many vacant parking spots. It literally pains my heart. We need God's fiery presence in our churches, in our vessels. In our homes. In our lives. In our hearts. We need to prepare ourselves, sanctify ourselves, wake up and realize the Lord is coming soon, and there is still so much to be done. We need to be fasting and praying and calling on God, drawing his attention to us, saying, Lord, I'll be willing, send me. I'll do what I can to prepare myself, I'll shut the TV off, I'll quit surfing the internet, I'll open your word and get on my knees and pray. I'll be willing to share the grief in your heart over the sins of the people, I will repent of not caring enough for the lost around me, pour your compassion for them in my heart. It's not naturally in me to care. Help me see. I'll be willing to suffer my flesh to hunger. I'll turn off the music and get alone and pray. God, help us as his people to look around and get disgusted with the complacency and the empty seats. I get jealous for the House of God when I see the malls are full, the clubs are full, and God's house is neglected and so many seats need souls to be in them.

Something I wonder about is this: we say we as God's people want his presence among us, we want his anointing on our lives. I've never seen a lot I have read in the Word of God in action. I've not seen the signs following the believer-this one included, that the word says there are to be. I WANT TO. I'm tired of it, I'm not content to sit still and do nothing about it. I want to see the glory of God fill his house like I've heard it has. I want this vessel of mine which is his temple to be filled with the glory of God. (The glory of God is his Son Jesus Christ, manifested and reigning unchallenged in my body)

Heb 1:1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

He holds me up by the word of his power. He can guide me and change me by the word of his power. If I pray and seek his face and sanctify myself as much as I can, he will do what I can't. I can't baptize me with the Holy Ghost. He can. He promised. If I'll prepare the way. If I'll make his path straight and get down to business with him and cleanse myself from all that I can and bring the rest to him and say Lord, help me. Here it is. Take it. I repent. God, you're coming soon, there's so many lost and hurting souls. Help me care more. I want the single eye, focused on the kingdom of God. The desires of God's heart.

Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;

Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

Joh 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

How much whiter are the fields now? Has there ever been a time when his presence and glory in the House are more needed? Wouldn't it be awesome to walk in his house when it was time for church and see people praying at the altar pleading with God to send the fire, and send in lost souls, rather than standing around talking and chit chatting until the service starts? Where are we as God's people focusing our time and energy and assets? What are we doing with what God has given us? Isn't it time to look in his word and see he says "these signs will follow him who believes" and look behind us and say "Oh Lord, where is the problem? They're not there." Help me fix the problem. Change me, Oh Lord. Start with me. I want people to honor and revere God first and foremost in his house, I want his presence so real no sinner can sit in his house unmoved. I want to see the carnality smashed to smithereens. I want to see his people presenting their vessels, their time, their lives to his altar for his use, however he sees fit. I want to hear our Pastors and preachers broken and anointed more than ever by what they have heard and learned of our Magnificent Lord for he will give the sower seed to sow. But why should he give good seed to the sower if the field is not prepared to receive? If it's only going to be neglected and wasted? Oh, God, forgive me for I have been guilty of these things....but you are opening my eyes, and it's for a reason. What a gift.

Saints, there is a grief in my heart, and I know it is from God's heart. It's time for a change. I'm sick of where I've been, tired of where I am, and excited about where he's taking me. It's time to stop dragging my feet and being afraid. God give me more of Jesus. Form Him in Me, for he is my wisdom, my compassion, my light, my love, my backbone. Boldness. Power. Grace. Kindness. Gentleness. Holiness............Righteousness. Lord, how great thou art-be great in me. You said greater things than these shall ye do because I go to my Father. Here I am Lord. Teach me how to minister to your heart. To wait in your presence, to hunger ever more for your presence and instruction are my life. That's where he's taking me. That's where I want to go.

If the house is filled with his presence, and led by His Spirit, and the people are obedient, souls will be saved. He can trust us enough to draw them in. Just like he drew the animals to the ark so Noah could care for them with the provision he had gathered to sustain them all during the flood, if we fill up on his word, seek his face, and fast and pray, and are prepared for his service, he will send them in who have need of him. Our husbands, our sons, our daughters, neighbors. Co-workers. We don't have to leave them here. We can be used of God to make a difference! I know I am not the only one he is dealing with about these things! But I'm so glad he's dealing....it's an answered prayer. Let us teach our children. Let us present ourselves daily to the Lord as we are instructed in Rom_12:1-2. I am striving to do just that. I thank him for the ever increasing hunger for his word. He is such a good God. Let us as his people prepare ourselves for his visitation. Let us hunger after him and seek after him, and be ready so he can send his glory and souls will be added to his kingdom. If we have the life of Christ flowing unhindered through us, the natural result of his life will be new sons and daughters born unto the King! But we have to be prepared, and ready for his use. Sanctified. Set apart for his service. Bright shining lights with plenty of oil in our lamps and our vessels.

Eze 38:7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

Amo 4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

Amo 4:13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

When he looks at me, I him to see his own reflection..........................inside and out....