Preparing the way of the Lord

A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 40:3-5)

As I stated previously, I believe the program of preparing the way for the Lord has begun today. The Lord Jesus will not return until His way has been prepared.

The concept that the Lord will return today or tomorrow is totally unrealistic. The members of the Christian churches, for the most part, are filled with the love of the world, with the lusts and passions of the flesh, and with self-will.

By no means has the way for Jesus Christ been prepared in His churches.

The valleys must be raised up. This means the believers who are too subdued, must be made bolder. They cannot be a witness of Christ if they are a shrinking, timid soul, too shy and fearful to express God’s will among people, so beat down by the problems of life they dare not lift their head.

It is God’s will that the humble, the poor in spirit, be exalted. It is the Lord’s way to exalt the lowly and to bring down the mighty.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. (Luke 1:52)

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. (James 1:9,10)

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)

The mountains and hill must be made low. How many Christians are there who have a lust for preeminence?—w ho must always be prominent and first in every undertaking? There are such believers in most assemblings. They must be brought low if they hope to maintain their place in the Kingdom of God.

Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever? (Psalms 68:16)

The "rugged mountains" are spiritually ambitious people who are filled with envy when God chooses someone other than themselves to work through. It is satanic envy.

The chief priests and elders murdered Christ because they were envious of God’s Presence in Him. They were "rugged mountains" who wished to be exalted.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (I Peter 5:6)

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:33-35)

The crooked and uneven places must become straight and level. Its seems there is as much crookedness, scheming, political maneuvering in the Christian churches as there is in the world.

Christ will accept nothing but perfect integrity in His saints. To have integrity is to describe relationships things and circumstances as God sees them; to faithfully do what one has promised to do; to be honest, upright, fair in dealing with other people.

How many Christians do you know that are truthful, faithful, and honest? These compose a straight and level path for the Lord Jesus. The rest must be delivered from their crookedness or they will be removed from the Kingdom and cast into the fire.

To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. (Psalms 18:26)

In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. (Psalms 41:12)

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9)

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:7,8)

The rough ground must become a plain. Many believers are filled with unbelief, unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred, lust, and covetousness. These are "rough ground" as far as the Lord is concerned. He cannot find rest in them because they are driven by various lusts and passions.

They are driven by the love of the world:

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I John 2:15)

They are driven by their sinful nature:

For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. (II Corinthians 12:20,21)

They are driven by their desire to pursue their own way:

"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 1:19,20)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1,2)

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (I John 2:17)

If I am correct in maintaining that the removing of the wicked from the righteous has begun today, then you can expect to have many experiences which give you an opportunity to change from that which is not pleasing to God into that which is in the image of Christ.

When these irritating, painful circumstances arise, do not blame the tools that God uses. Go to the Lord instantly in prayer and ask Him if your peace has been disturbed because of a problem in yourself that He desires to solve. Whatever you do, do not blame the people that God uses to trouble you.

No one can take your crown or your peace from you unless you allow them to do so.

Get ready to be stretched and changed! Prepare the way for the Lord in your own personality. You must be made ready for the coming of the Lord if you hope to remain in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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