The preparation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ came with a messenger before Jesus, a messenger that would prepare the people through preaching baptism of repentance and remission of sins. He preached in the wilderness outside of Jerusalem and Judea, but all that came to him were baptized in the river Jordan. It is interesting the messenger was outside of Jerusalem preaching and not inside Jerusalem preaching. It is interesting that fact that John the Baptist was seen outside the camp. Everyone that walked out of the city of Jerusalem and areas of Judea, walked out covered in sin, they carried their sin right out, only to return baptized and cleansed of sin that they had repented of. Sin had to be taken outside the camp, it did not belong in the Holy city. Repentance always had to come in order for cleansing to take place. It had to do with spirituality of man and need for purification form God. John was not God but a messenger of God the one to be the forerunner of Christ. He lived humbly before the Lord in the wilderness eating locusts and wild honey. He came tell Israel to prepare for the coming of Jesus.

All preachers are type of fore runner to the Messiah return, but John call was a prophetic call, in regards to his position as a preacher of repentance of sin. By being baptized outside the camp so to speak, the sin was not returned to the city of Jerusalem or the area of Judea. People were ready and prepared to receive the Messiah, yet they understood not who this Messiah was or what the Messiah ought to be, but their hearts were being prepared by the act of repentance. You can not receive God's word in the heart without first repenting of sin. You can not receive what you want to follow if you are not willing to throw the old out and allow God through the Holy Spirit to bring in the new laws/word into your life. You can not receive Christ into your heart until you want change, and want to follow Jesus. Christ must replace what the habits, and life of sin is stealing from your life with God. How many before Christmas disregard some old things hoping to replace them with new things. Cleaning out the closet to receive the new clothes you hope would be under that tree, or new gadgets in the kitchen replacing anything old no longer useable, but taking up space. Sin is that stuff taking up room that needs to be remove so you can receive the new things of God. Christ is and was the word of God that became flesh and comes new to the heart of every born again believer. Old things of the mind, heart and soul removed by the replacement of God's word. We can not continue to carry the old garbage of sin. It holey, damaged and non refundable. That sin is not only garbage, but it continues to cause wounds to the heart, soul, mind and even body. It is time to get rid of any sin that is unworthy to be in the house that Jesus is moving into or lives in. He going to make a clean sweep of your heart if you allow him in. Then it is a process of learning the right things to have in that old heart of yours. To be made into a new creation worthy of housing Jesus. Let us purge our hearts and soul this New Year and begin again with the right spirit of allowing God's word to change us by allowing Christ into our hearts.

Dear Heavenly Father, purge our hearts and prepare us to receive your word in our life to be filled by your Spirit and things that honor you and life of faith in Christ. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Happy New Year! from Christina Farris

Continual Scripture Study: Psalm 119:11-16 KJV
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.