In this daily Bible reading Jesus speaks to his disciples about John the Baptist saying, “This is one of whom it is written, behold I send My messenger before You, who will prepare Your way before You.” Jesus was saying that John the Baptist was God’s instrument to prepare Israel for Jesus’ first arrival here on the Earth.
Jesus , the Son of God, had been born a human and lived about 30 years before beginning His ministry. Just prior to Jesus beginning His ministry, John preached to the people telling them to repent of their sins. Repentance for sin was a necessary first step to receiving and believing in Jesus. Repentance for sin is still the necessary first step in believing in Jesus. One cannot believe in or trust Jesus to guide them unless one sincerely desires to turn away from a sinful life.
True repentance is accompanied by tears of sorrow for one’s sins. I know it was that way for me. I was watching a Billy Graham program on TV. As I listen to his words describing my life of sin, I was suddenly convicted by those words. Tears began to stream down my face. I dropped to my knees begging God’s forgiveness and sincerely asking for Jesus to come into my life and change me. This change has been gradual, and I am still a ‘work In progress.’ However, Jesus truly is my Lord and Savior today.
