A Voice is Calling

[Christsfreeservant]

“A voice is calling,​

‘Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;​

Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.​

Let every valley be lifted up,​

And every mountain and hill be made low;​

And let the rough ground become a plain,​

And the rugged terrain a broad valley;​

Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,​

And all flesh will see it together;​

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’” (Isaiah 40:3-5 NASB’95)​

If you were to be a voice calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness” today, what do you believe that should look like? What is a wilderness symbolic of? It is something neglected and abandoned and wasted. In the context of the gospel message today, that could have to do with the idolatrous and adulterous church, or with those who give lip service to the Lord only but whose hearts are far from him. It could be about those who know the truth, but who do not put the truth into practice.

So, if you are calling out to clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness, what should you be saying to the people? Well, you should be sharing with them the full truth of the gospel as Jesus and as his New Testament apostles taught it, in the correct context (not out of context). And so you would be calling all who are wandering from the faith, and who give lip service only to the Lord, to repent of (die to, turn away from) their sinful practices, and you would be calling them to walks of obedience to the Lord’s commandments.

For faith in Jesus Christ, which comes from God, is of God, is persuaded of God, and is gifted to us by God, will lead us to deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to the Lord, in the power of God. For that is what the Scriptures teach, and it is for that purpose that Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross, to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery (addiction) to sin so that we will now serve the Lord with our lives in following him wherever he leads us, and in doing his commands.

And not only should you be sharing the truth of the gospel of our salvation with the people, as Jesus and as his New Testament apostles taught it, in the proper context, but you should also be refuting the lies of the enemy which are coming against the truth of the gospel. For many are teaching that we can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all our sins are forgiven, and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, but regardless of how we live. Many are teaching no need to repent or to obey our Lord.

But Paul taught that faith in Jesus, which comes from God, and which is persuaded of God, results in us dying with Christ to sin and us being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as slaves to righteousness. So, we are not to let sin reign anymore in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in righteousness, and in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God.

And Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him that he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if we deny self, put sin to death, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to our Lord, and to his commands, we have eternal life with God. For not everyone claiming Jesus as “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who are DOING (obeying) God the Father who is in heaven.

So, if we are going to be those voices in the wilderness clearing the way for the Lord, so that the glory of the Lord will be revealed, then we need to be teaching what Jesus taught and what his New Testament apostles taught, but in the appropriate context. For far too many lies are being spread by people who are deliberately teaching the Scriptures out of context to make them say what they do not say when taught in context. And most are not teaching that we must die to sin and walk in obedience to our Lord.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

For Our Nation

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

A Voice is Calling
An Original Work / March 31, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love