herlucidlife

We are living in a different kind of wilderness. The second coming of Jesus is near. I’m not here to speak of specific dates or times, as the bible states that He will come like a thief in the night. That no hour will ever be predicted. I’m speaking of preparation. God’s voice has never once come back void. Everything Jesus has stated has come true down to the detail. 

“Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight” Matthew 3:3. Isaiah 40:3 states to make the path of the Lord straight in the desert. It got me thinking of the literal sense of making way for Jesus. Then I began to think of the soul and spirit being a desert. Dry, barren, producing no fruit apart from the Lord. Making a straight path for Jesus to come into our hearts through confession of sins, repentance, by grace through faith. We allow the Holy Spirit a straight path in our lives. 

A change of heart. God has been helping me see that religious legalism can choke out love. It can make one far from God and it can lead to a bashing of others. To confess my sins there needs to be humility, not arrogance rooted in legalism. Jesus has come to save the imperfect, the one that cries out to Him with confession of sins, a repented heart and a willingness to change will be set free. 

Matthew 3:7 speaks of the Pharisees and Sadducees. These were legalistic church people that knew the bible and taught the bible but did not love Jesus. They produced no godly fruit and were far away from Jesus in the fact they repeatedly tried to destroy Jesus. They tried to destroy the very One who created what they lived by. Actions do not always match motives and intentions. They were quick to bash people over the head with the bible but never showed love, empathy, nor compassion. 

“Produce fruit consistent with repentance” Matthew 3:8. God has been working on me to soften my heart towards all people. He’s been helping me see that living correctly does not mean I’m void of internal sin. I always thought if my actions are good then I’m good. Yet I noticed remorse for my thoughts and attitudes. I’ve seen how my actions may have been correct but the internal is very messy. I’m understanding I was living in a legalistic view of people. Accepting some sins while condemning others. I need to be sick with every sin that I carry, seeking to only correct myself.

Yet John 3:17 states that Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save it. Condemnation is brought on by the person that actively lives in sin with no remorse or repentance toward Jesus. I’m still learning that I need not condemn anyone when Jesus himself did not. Judging others is above my level. God only commanded that I love Him with all my heart, soul and mind, then to love others. I’m still learning how to love without accepting the sin. It’s hard but it’s a lesson worth learning.