“Prepare the way of the Lord…” LK 3:4; IS 40:3

John lived his life for one purpose. Everything that he did was to fulfill one mission, and one mission alone. Prophesied by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before John was even born, scripture reveals a critical truth: God has a destiny for you and I to walk in. He prepares us for it. He prepares our parents. He prepares the time and place of our birth, and the important features which will shape us in order that we might be conformed to His will.

Although in one sense John’s mission was unique; he is the only one to baptize Jesus, and to be the voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way for His first coming. And yet, in another sense his mission is also yours, and mine. Like John, we are called to remove every hindrance that stands in the way of Christ entering into our world. Like John, we are called to be a voice crying out for people to prepare the way for the Lord to come…to our families, to our schools, our places of work, our cities, our lands. We are called to remove mountains which stand in the way, to raise up valleys, to make rough places smooth, to make crooked places straight. In a very real way, John the Baptist is not just a historical figure. He is an example for us to follow. We too should be living our lives for one purpose, and dedicate ourselves fully to walking in the destiny which God Himself has prepared for us to walk in.

Who is John?
As I studied about John’s role as a forerunner, I was shocked to discover that there has not been written about the ministry of John. How could it be that the person of whom Jesus said “among those born of women there has not risen one greater” could be so overlooked, so lightly esteemed? Perhaps it is because it is hard for us to identify with someone who ate locusts and wild honey, and who dressed in camel’s skin. Perhaps we don’t relish the idea of spending long seasons in a desert place, alone, in obscurity. Perhaps it is his message which we would find difficult. The “Repent!” message is not really that popular in 2017. Most people don’t care to be called a brood of vipers, or told that their actions have eternal implications. Perhaps we would not want to fade into the background as John did, famously stating, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Remarkably, his strange approach and sharp message did not diminish his attraction. Scripture assures us that multitudes came to him from “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan” to be baptized, confessing their sins. Among them were common folk, working professionals (tax collectors), soldiers, and the religious rulers (Pharisees and Saducees) of the Jews. He even had audience with the King (Herod). Most importantly, among the crowds was God Himself. While it is rewarding to know that people from all walks of life may be interested in what I have to say, and even want to travel long distances to hear it, there is nothing like knowing that my Lord is there when I stand up to speak.

For that is the point after all. We are preparing the way for Him. In order to usher in the One who alone brings transformation, restoring all things, comforting brokenness, healing wounds, bringing unquenchable joy, we need to clear a path in the desert, and build up a highway for the Lord our God. Isaiah identified four categories which need to be dealt with:

1. Mountains and Hills must be leveled. One translation says flattened, and of course Jesus said that mountain cannot be tolerated too, telling his disciples that if they have faith they can say to them to “be removed and cast into the sea” (Mk 11:23). Mountains obstruct our view, and point to false belief systems, lies and “arguments” which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:4). We have to identify the mountains which have been exalted in and around our lives, the lives of our friends and family, and in our societies and cultures, and them remove them. Unless we do this, there will be no highway to speed people along their way to salvation, and to their destinies.
2. Every valley must be lifted up. The Psalmist refers to the “valley of the shadow of death” (23:4) where we may actually find comfort and instruction, and to the “valley of Baca” (meaning tears, 84:6) which can be made into a spring. Every person experiences valleys in life:  through pain, loss, hardships, and tragedy. We prepare the way for the Lord to touch people in their valleys when we reach out to them compassionately and assure them that we don’t have to go through life’s valleys alone, that their seasons of tears can become a spring of life with the Lord’s help.
3. Crooked places must be made straight. I have met so many people in recent years who are tired of traveling on crooked paths. They are frustrated by wasted years, or wandering, navigating the twists and turns of a perverse generation. They are weary of dealing with deceit, conceit, manipulation, being taken advantage of, and “the swamp”. The knowledge that there even is a straight way to walk in, that there is an opportunity to choose light rather than darkness, goodness rather than corruption, is so welcome that they will come to the voice calling to them in their deserts just like they came to John so long ago.
4. Rough ways must be made smooth. Sometimes it is not life’s crises which hit us the hardest, it is the constant bumps and bruises we feel from the rough ways which affect us the most. As Christians we ride the same roads as our neighbors, but we have something that they don’t have. We have a Source of grace, and we have access to strength. Where once there was fear, we now experience an abiding peace. Our “vehicle” has the best shock absorbers known to man, and it is up to us to let the world know that they don’t have to continue to ride the roads with no padding on rusted and broken springs from days gone by.

When we do our part to be forerunners, as we walk in the power and spirit of Elijah who went before, and John the Baptist who came afterwards, we are preparing a people for God, and we are preparing God to visit His people. Taking this mantle up in our hands positions us to remove obstacles and build highways upon which God meets with us. Every generation has the obligation to pick up this mantle, to live our lives for this single purpose, to follow the example of John. If we do, the promise which was made so long ago will be ours as well:

“The glory of the Lord shall be revealed.
And all flesh shall see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” IS 40:5

“Are you able to drink from the cup that I soon must drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?” MK 10:38

“Are you able to drink” was not an invitation by Jesus to sit down and have a cup of tea. Even as he was about to enter into the most intense sufferings of his life, Jesus was reminding his disciples then, and in fact for all time, that there is a deep cost to following the Master. We may think we would answer “Yes!” to Jesus’ question; yet it’s sobering to be reminded that among his closest friends and chosen leaders of his future church, one would betray him, others deny, and the rest retreat to “safety” out of fear.

In truth, following Jesus has never been easy. Although we like to package our gospel appeal these days with a “softer approach” like “He will give you such wonderful peace”, or “He has a wonderful plan for you”, Jesus’ words cut his followers to the quick. “If any man would be my disciple, he must deny himself and pick up his cross…” No sloppy agape here!

When I read the question during my devotions this morning, “are you able to drink from the cup…”, I found myself wanting to answer “of course!”. And yet, as I bowed to face the question honestly, I realized that I am not that strong. I was confronted with my desire for comfort and security. I was confronted by times when I compromise, or take the easy way. I was confronted by times I make excuses, and reminded of the times when the devil has convinced me that there is not need to get so radical, or excessive. “People will understand”, he whispers. Or he will try to make us believe we are just taking a bold stand because we want people to be wowed by us.

Whenever the subject of suffering for the believer is raised, my mind quickly races back to the memory of the scores of people I have had the privilege of knowing who have suffered intensely for the sake of the gospel. People who have deep physical scars, and burn marks, and disfigurement. People who languished in squalid prisons for 5, 10, 15, yes more than 20 years, simply because they believed. Suddenly I am sobered, warned, and humbled all at the same time. Would I really be able to drink such a cup?

I don’t think any of us are ever really ready for this. While it is true that Jesus’ disciples did abandon him in his hour of need rather than drink the cup at first, they later drank deeply of the cup of His suffering, the tea of his love. All of those first and nearest disciples, with the blatant exception of Judas, drank the cup eventually, and did not dishonor their Lord. Even the weak and cowardly can be made strong by the implanted Word, by the indwelling Spirit, and by the infusion of grace and mercy to help in the time and hour of need. It is never by might nor by power that we are made to stand; never by the exercising of willpower alone that we are able to pass through the fires of such testing times.

In these shaking times, as the darkness intensifies and blankets the world, as evil and lawlessness goes from fierce to fiercer, our dear brothers in China are once again facing persecution. In fact, once “safe” America is no longer sheltered from such militant and aggressive opposition. While it is certainly cause for concern, it is also reason for celebration. On the one hand, it is a sure sign that our redemption “draweth nigh”. On the other, we realize that we are close enough to the Lord Himself that he would invite us to his “tea party”. I think I will take mine with not one lump, please, nor two. If you would not mind, Lord, may I please have three lumps of grace in this one?!

“Trust in the LORD and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.” PS 37:3

David wrote that we are to feed on His faithfulness. What brilliance! When you consider how easy it is for us to feed on anything else—painful memories, negative things, yet-answered prayers (notice I did not say unanswered…), these words are a timeless and powerful reminder that the person who acknowledges that our God never fails will be rewarded. He is building his house in the land of promise; not pitching a tent among the naysayers of doubt.

I have had the privilege of traveling to many nations around the world. I have experienced many cultures, and have had the joy at sitting at their tables. While not every people among whom I have stayed place the same value on food, it is also true that they like their food, and are proud when they are able to offer guests some of their best-liked dishes. In some places I have been, the most important things which are to be discussed are only and ever discussed around a meal. In others, food was so paramount to people’s daily lives that it would not be wrong to say that they had become downright idolatrous towards this quintessential feature of their identity.

If I describe in detail your favorite meal, taking in the aromas as the smoke arises into your nostrils, and the very sight of that thick, juicy steak, or ocean-fresh lobster, does it make you want to eat? Your stomach may be talking to you even now. I believe it universally and immutably true: everyone likes good food!

If we are careful and passionate about what we eat, then are we as careful and passionate about what our mind and our spirits are chewing upon?

David said to “Trust in the Lord…and feed on His faithfulness.” I remember singing the old hymn “Trust and Obey” from the time I was young at my grandparents house. Grammy would play the piano; and my Grandpa was an “old-time fiddler”. My imagination takes me back to the place when my eyes were level with my grandma’s fingers “ticklin’ the keys” as we sang, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” How true! “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus”! But how do we get there? Singing these old songs sure didn’t hurt. They were full of the promises of God. But let’s take this a step deeper, and really consider what David is saying.

The person who learns how to meditate on God’s wonderful acts; who has memorized scriptures which chronicle His deliverances, His healings, His practical instructions; yes, the testimonies of how God has always and forever, only to eternity, been true to His word and capable of meeting every demand for which He had committed Himself for every person who has ever belonged to Him. Oo, that was a mouthful. Yes, when I fully consider this, and then choose to pass the tales of His interventions and times of sweet guidance on with my lips, my pen, and my instruments, I am beginning to build a house in which I can “dwell in the land”. You know…live there. Where? God’s land, the one which flows with provision, comfort, and protection. Your Canaan. My Canaan.

I wish it was so easy. I may eat healthy for my body, and yet be a junk-food junkie in my mind. I may watch my diet so as to not to gain weight, and then stuff my brain with my past failures and defeats, or offenses and wounds I have received. Every day, throughout the day, I can choose to reflect upon His promises; or I can get stuck in those ruts of guilt and resentment because I forgot to begin my day with the song “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning…”

God help me, no matter where I am, whether a summer eve or a winter storm season in my life, to set my table in gratitude, to make my shopping list from Psalms, and place all those healthy yummies in the carts of the grace and forgiveness. I am determined to eat right. I am going to feed on the faithfulness of God.

“The Levite family leaders who were the musicians also lived at the temple. They had no other responsibilities, because they were on duty day and night.” 1 Chr 9:33

David made worship a central part of his kingdom. More time is spent in the book of 1 Chronicles describing the details of establishing the ministry of the priests and those who were appointed to worship than any other aspect of David’s Kingdom. This is how it should be.

Often times worship is an after thought. But can you imagine being a King whose nation was surrounded by enemies, during a period of rapid growth and expansion, and yet writing songs which are still used as devotional material for more than ¼ of the world’s population 3000 years later. His son Solomon, according to 1 Kings 4:32, wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs! This family understood the priority of worship!

According to David’s design, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the Levites were the ones who served the people in worship. This verse tells us three things about their lives which are a key to understanding how worship was and should be prioritized. They are:

1. They lived in the temple

Their address was the house of God. Of all the places on earth, God had chosen to manifest Himself uniquely in this place, and it is here that the Levites called home. They woke up in the Presence, they worked in the Presence, they rested in the Presence, and then they would sleep in the Presence. Wow! What a contrast with those who just casually come and go to church. What a privilege.

2. They had no other responsibilities

Now I am jealous. I find that I have so many items on my agenda each day. I have so many things that are crying for my attention. And just when I think I am beginning to catch up, something new and weighty is dropped on my lap. To think that the Levites had nothing in a day which could distract them from their one responsibility of worship! What a contrast.

3. They were on duty day and night

I don’t think many of us could adapt very well to being accepted for a new job and getting the contract only to learn that there are no vacation days, and that I am expected to be on duty day and night! They Levites served continuously. There was never any time when they were considered off duty, and not available. But if you have the most amazing job in the world, and work for the most amazing Boss there ever could be, and fulfill a role which literally sets people free and gives people hope and healing every single moment of every day, then maybe it is not as bad as we are imagining it to be. In fact, the whole time you are toiling, you are doing it under the anointing and favor of the Most High God. This is not “work”, it is fun! Did not the Psalmist write “In His presence is fullness of joy”?

We worship too little, too quietly, too coolly, and without consistency and commitment. In the end times, according to Acts 15:16, the Tabernacle of David will be rebuilt and restored. Worship will again become the central part of our kingdoms, the thing for which our hearts will long once again. If I could choose to be a member of a tribe, I would say, “Lord, let me be a Levite”. Can you imagine having God’s house as your address?

“I swear that only the Lord rescues me when I’m in trouble!” 2 Sam 4:9 (CEV)

My son and I were asked to come to the stage to participate in a game to find out how well we knew each other. Among the questions that was posed to Jeremy was, “who is your father’s favorite Bible character?” He told them it was David.

David truly was an exceptional man. Although he had his blatant faults and grievous sins, this was a man whose heart was after God. Even God said so (Acts 13:22)! While there are many aspects of his passion for God which I could highlight, I am going to mention only one here: David refused to go anywhere else for help.

This is not a simple matter, and it certainly is not a minor detail in God’s eyes. He says if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. The problem is, we make God to either be one of our many options, or some mixture. In other words, it is not only the “God or” question which should be our concern, but the “God and” question. This one is much more difficult to discern, and it is so acceptable in the Christian world that we scarcely notice it when it becomes our normal practice. As Christians, of course we include God in our plans. We pray about things that are important to us. And then when we face our challenges and needs, we come with God’s help as our confession, but also bring along a list of “what ifs” and “just in cases” in the event that He does not really come through for us.

It’s the Hagar principle all over again. We know that God may have promised Abraham and Sarah a child, but, practically speaking, Sarah was really, really old. It was disastrously decided that God needed a bit of help on this one, so Hagar became a seemingly viable plan B. By the response, and the consequences of this decision, it is quite apparent that God is not interested in or pleased with our “better ideas”!

But then there is David. He had been anointed to be the King over Israel. He was the most popular person in the land. He was their hero, who continually won the battles in which he fought, including the legendary victory over Goliath. “You come to me,” he said to Goliath, “with a sword, with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.” Not God or something, and not God and something either. David faced his troubles and his enemies with a singularity of focus. This was not out of pride; the proper word for it is faith. He believed He was All-Powerful, and then he acted like it.

David was on the run for his life for eight years while King Saul sought to kill him. He had opportunities to capture King Saul, and to knock him off. He refused. He had the power and influence over the masses of the people to assert himself into leadership. He refused. He could have assembled an army to challenge King Saul. He refused. When he had Saul within his grasp the day Saul had slipped into the cave to relieve himself where David and his men were in hiding, if David had not made a clear decision and undying commitment to living according to that decision, all those years of running with his ragtag band, of not having a proper home in which to have an raise a family, of living from hand to mouth and upon the kindnesses of people such as Abigail (who later became his wife), would certainly have tempted him greatly to take matters into his own hands. But, for David, God was not a part of his plan; he was a part of God’s plan. There is a world of difference. He knew that God’s plan would lead to certain justice, and so he waited for it. And he knew that His plan was definitely not to be tampered with.

God wants to be my Help. And although it may sound simplistic and intuitive, He does not need me to find someone or something to help Him to help me! David said “I swear that only the Lord rescues me,” not the Lord and all my good ideas, or my friends, or some professional, or more money. So when I am tempted, practically speaking, to look somewhere else other than God alone for my deliverances, may David’s example in life give me the courage to reject adding or mixing anything to and with God Himself. The man after God’s own heart, by definition, is the one who makes God alone his Rescuer from all his troubles.

“For nothing shall be impossible with God.” LK 1:37

Our God is the God of the impossible. Did you ever notice how sometimes He will take you to a complete end of yourself, and then answer your prayer? Have you noticed that He loves to work through weakness, and difficulties, or against the odds? As we enter the Christmas season, these words to soon-to-be mother Mary are a powerful reminder to us that He who overshadowed her to do the impossible then is also ready and waiting to overshadow you and me to do the miraculous today.

We have to admit that it is easier to believe that God can do the miraculous for someone else than it is for Him to do it for me. We can even sound quite spiritual in our unbelief.

•  “Well, the reason God works in such a powerful way in Africa is because the people there are so poor.”
• “Of course he is seeing these awesome displays of God’s power, he is a last days Apostle!”
• “That was then, this is now. God is moving in a new and different way these days.”
• “The Holy Spirit was doing some mighty works in China during those years because they did not have any Bibles! Now they have the word and don’t need the miraculous any more.”
• “Those people are being persecuted; that’s why God is showing them His power in these supernatural ways.”

POSTURE

Do you suppose Mary might have been able to come up with some really good reasons why God could not do the impossible for her? Wasn’t that the period known as the “silent years” when no prophet had been sent to Israel for hundreds of years? She was, afterall, a woman, no, a girl, in a world dominated by men as spiritual leaders. She wasn’t from a famous family; she did not have a special pedigree. Say nothing of the content of the message that was being shared with her! A virgin…having a baby…without any relations with a man…but by and through God Himself?!
Instead, she answered exactly the way anyone who wishes to see the supernatural should: “Let it be to me according to your word” (LK 1:38). If we want to witness God do the impossible, it is best to get out of the way as much as possible! Our hearts should be ready to say “Let it be…” just like Mary did. This is the kind of heart through whom God moves in supernatural ways. We must be fully yielded.

PURSUIT

Notice too that God raised up a witness of the supernatural to make it easier for Mary to believe:

“Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month” (v. 1:36).

This clearly was not a coincidence. Of all the people that could have been the mother of John the Baptist, God saw to it that it was Mary’s close relative. When Mary was a little girl, she certainly would have know that Elizabeth was barren. Was she cursed? Why would God have cast Elizabeth aside? Did she and Uncle Zechariah have some hidden sin? This Elizabeth, pregnant?! She’s older than my mother! This is nothing short of a miracle!!!

That is exactly the point. In order to give Mary confidence that God would do as Gabriel had said, He first raised up a clear, undeniable, supernatural example in Elizabeth. He was making it easier for her to believe. Now isn’t that cool?! That God would care so much about my unbelief that He would make it easier for me to believe?! At this point Mary made a very wise decision. She thought: “If Elizabeth has experienced such a miracle, I am going to get around Elizabeth!” If there was anyone who was going to appreciate the cost of being shamed, Elizabeth with her scarlet letter of barrenness could. “So, Aunt Liz, what has it been like for you to have the God of the universe do the impossible on your otherwise ‘dead’ body?”

She did not have to wait long for the answers she was looking for. Mary had only just walked into the door of Elizabeth’s home and amazing things began to happen. The baby suddenly leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to prophesy over Mary about the baby that was in her womb. What? Elizabeth even called the babe “my Lord”.

CONCLUSION

I believe God wants to release the miraculous in our day like never before. As it was in the days before Jesus came the first time, so shall it be and more so in the days before He returns.

“And it shall come to pass, in the last days says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men will dream dreams” Acts 2:17.

Let’s learn from the mother of our Lord to know how we can see the God of the impossible do far exceedingly more than we could ask or think. Simply, there are two things which we can learn from her. Let’s adjust our hearts to just receive without question, and without trying to figure it all out. I call this POSTURE. And then let’s go and find the Elizabeths that God has raised up as our forerunners. People are experiencing the God of power. If I need to get warm, I get close to the fire. Mary “hurried to a town in the mountains” (LK 1:39) to find her once barren relative who had experienced the God of impossible for herself. I call this PURSUIT.