Who Warned You?!

Warriors Arise: June 21, 2023

Matthew 3:1-7 (NKJV) In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ” 4 Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

It would appear John had no happy thoughts toward the Pharisees and Sadducees. Calling them a brood of vipers wasn't a compliment. He called them a nest of snakes. Those are pretty strong words. He knew repentance was for everyone, but it is as if he didn't want the Pharisees to get the message. He didn't want them to know how they could come clean. Maybe, it is because he knew that they knew how to become clean, but they were always applying it to everyone else, instead of themselves.

When I have these thoughts and emotions toward someone it is, because they have don't something wrong to me or someone I love. I have to position myself before God and get His heart for them. I have to put out of my mind what they have done to cause pain to others. God says His mercy is new every morning, but, I am not God. Therefore, I have to stay before Him and out of the way so His mercies flow to them. When His mercy reaches them I trust Scripture. His kindness will lead them to repentance.

Repentance is a decision that results in a change of mind, which in turn leads to a change of purpose and action.

Many times we can know the right thing to do, think we are doing it and telling everyone else what to do, all the while, we ourselves are not doing the right thing. What our mind believes supersedes reality. What it has believed as truth becomes truth even when it isn't true. If we believe it long it enough, it becomes truth to us. That is master deception. The Master deception is when we believe something that is not true as truth. Only by an act of God can the lie we have believed as truth be revealed. God has to untwist the lie and reveal the lie for exactly what it is.

Even if John wanted to, he couldn't control who came to listen to the message God had given him. He had such a call to righteousness that the Pharisees' and Sadducees' unrighteousness provoked him. John didn't have any hope for the Pharisees and Sadducees to repent; however, he was obedient to God. He would not stop preaching repentance. He wasn't going to waste everyone's time and make them wait for the Pharisees and Sadducees to leave. He preached and let God lead the people to repentance.

Father, I place myself before You. I trust You to untwist the lie. I pray for the lie to be revealed as the lie and I pray for the truth to be the truth. I pray for minds to be restored to the truth. I pray for the word You give to share with others will be pure and for everyone. I pray each one will restore their relationship with You. Even if they came and watched to judge me, that their judgment will have no influence on the words You have given me to say. I pray the words You have given me to say will lead people to a deeper relationship with You, greater understanding and an abundance of love in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy Hand

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