December 1, 2021

“A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; the crooked will become straight, the rough ways smooth, and everyone will see the salvation of God.” – Luke 3:4-6 (Isaiah 40:3-5)

It was John the Baptist’s job to prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah. From the time he was in his mother’s womb he was already testifying that Jesus was the Son of God. So, John’s entire life was dedicated to making sure people were ready for Jesus to come. But even though we are well aware of this fact, we very often forget John’s message. John preached repentance. He told everyone that the way to be ready to see Jesus was to turn away from your sins and turn your face toward him… stop pursuing sin and start looking for Jesus!

As we prepare for the Christmas season, I want to encourage you to take time to repent. Take time to look over this last year and make a commitment to turn away from those things that have been moving you further from Christ and destroying your life. The best way to prepare for the birth of the Messiah, and the best way to honor his sacrifice on the cross, is to repent and turn toward him.

Heavenly Father, strengthen us today as we commit to turning away from our sin and turning toward You.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon