Preparing for Christ

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 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 40:1-5)

After being rescued from slavery and given a new land of plenty, the people of Israel repeatedly turned away from the true God to worship the false gods of their neighbors. So God withdrew His protection and their land was destroyed, with many of those not killed taken into exile in far-away Babylon. Yet God never forgot His promises to His people, even when they had forgotten Him. He had vowed to restore their nation, forgive their sin, and send the Messiah to reveal His glory and reconcile all humanity. So John appeared, calling out in the desert, going before Jesus and prepare a highway for God in the wasteland of human hearts and enabling many to recognize the coming of God’s Savior. 

“Heavenly Father, prepare a level path in our hearts this season that Jesus may come to us and live with us. Open our eyes to the ways You are working in even events that seem insignificant, through Jesus, amen.”
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O-PUN MOUTH…

This guy goes to his dentist because something is wrong with his mouth. 

After a brief examination, the dentist exclaims, “Holy Smokes! 

That plate I installed in your mouth six months ago is completely corroded! 

What on earth have you been eating?”

The guy responds, “Well... the only thing I can think of is this.

My wife made me some asparagus about four months ago with this stuff on it.

Hollandaise sauce she called it...and doctor, I'm talking DELICIOUS! 

I'd never tasted anything like it, and ever since I've been putting it on everything!

Meat, fish, toast, vegetables... you name it—I’ve been eating a ton of the stuff!” 

“That's probably it,” replies the dentist, “Hollandaise sauce is made with lemon juice.

It’s acidic and highly corrosive. It seems as though I'll have to install a new plate.

This time, though, I’ll make it out of chrome.”  

The guy asks, “Why chrome?” 

“Well, everyone knows that there's no plate like chrome for the Hollandaise!”

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The Lord fill you with joy as you prepare for the holidays!

In Jesus, Pastor Kirk