Sisters & Brothers In Jesus,
“What Did You Go Out Into The Desert To See?” – Jesus.
Matthew 11:7-10
New International Version
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
Followers of Christ, Messiah, The Anointed One,
Three times in this three verse portion of Holy Script, Jesus asks His Disciples this eternal question. Whether we choose to accept it or not, it’s up there with, “Who Do You Say That I Am?” – Jesus. How are we to respond in kind to our Lord & Savior? Of whom is He commenting on and how does this relate to us, in such a time as this?
Luke 1:16-17
Amplified Bible
16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”
Both ‘Major’ & ‘Minor’ Prophets alike add credence to our topic of this month’s newsletter:
Isaiah 40:3
Amplified Bible
3 A voice of one is calling out,
“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness [remove the obstacles];
Make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
Malachi 3:1
Amplified Bible
The Purifier
3 “Behold, I am going to send My [a]messenger, and he will prepare and clear the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the [b]Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 4:5-6 AMPC
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. [Matt. 11:14; 17:10-13.] And he shall turn and reconcile the hearts of the [estranged] fathers to the [ungodly] children, and the hearts of the [rebellious] children to [the piety of] their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance of the ungodly], lest I come and smite the land with a curse and a ban of utter destruction. [Luke 1:17.]
Look and see, pay attention, because God, Jesus has also ‘sent’ you and me! To what end? He wishes that none would perish and all would come to Salvation/Yeshua/Jesus, but how are others in the world going to come to know Him (experientially) ‘if’ you and I don’t GO & tell them The Good News, Glad Tidings of Great (Holy Spirit) Joy, The Gospel Of God? ‘IF’ is a very BIG two letter word, when it comes to obedience and whether or not we walk in the blessings of God. IF My People, TODAY, IF You Hear His Voice…
Hebrews 4:7 Amplified® Bible
Again He sets a definite day, [a new] Today, [and gives another opportunity of securing that rest] saying through David after so long a time in the words already quoted, Today, if you would hear His voice {and} when you hear it, do not harden your hearts.
Psalm 95:7-8
Amplified Bible
7 For He is our God
And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you will hear His voice,
8Do not harden your hearts and become spiritually dull as at Meribah [the place of strife],
And as at Massah [the place of testing] in the wilderness,
Hebrews 3:7-11
Amplified Bible
7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today if you hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as [your fathers did] in the rebellion [of Israel at [a]Meribah],
On the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tried Me by testing [My forbearance and tolerance],
And saw My works for forty years
[And found I stood their test].
10“Therefore I was angered with this generation,
And I said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways [nor become progressively better and more intimately acquainted with them]’;
11 So I swore [an oath] in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest [the promised land].’”
What did you go out to see, a Christian Movie or Concert? Did you go out to see a baseball game or to the amusement park for Christian Day? ‘IF’ God called a Solemn Assembly or Holy Convocation TODAY, would you attend? Would you go out to taste and see that The LORD Is Good and Listen, Hear what His Holy Spirit Is Saying To The Church, His Ecclesia/Ekklesia, The Called Out Ones, His Bride? Jesus still speaks to us today, according to Hebrews 1, but what is He saying? Are we walking in The Light, in total obedience to what He has already told us? The Precious Promises Of God Are STILL Yes & Amen In Christ Jesus! His Prophetic Word Is STILL Alive & Active (Hebrews 4)! You and I can NOW tap into God’s Living Water, that is flowing upon, in and through you, by His Holy Spirit, here in New Mexico, across America and around the world. What is God calling us to at this time and season? #1: To GO & DO Likewise, Just As Jesus DID. #2: To (intellectually and experientially) Know Him and The Power Of His Resurrection! I could go on and on with a numbered lists, but there are more than enough things you can connect with this month and into the future.
As I write this America’s Prayer Meeting is live @projectpray.org and worldwide prayer @10days.net until Pentecost Sunday. June 1 you can join the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast online, June 1-4 World Fast Pentecost 2022, June 3, 10, 12 & 24, The Gig, 7pm on the Chavez County Court House lawn in Roswell, NM, June 4, Prayer At The Heart (visit http://prayerattheheart.org ) of SC with a Rooftop Encounter happening the night before @therooftop.org and The Occupation by Emmanuel Ministries International in Rio Rancho, NM. On June 5, 12noon-4pm, I will be attending the PATH event in Bryant, Arkansas, with former NDP-NM State Coordinator, Linda Jaramillo. DON’T MISS The Rabbi Jonathan Cahn Interview, Wednesday, June 8, 10-10:30am LIVE @christianbody.net & @christianbody.tv on AppleTV, Roku, StreamingChurch.TV, Facebook, Twitter @YouTube and on other social media sites worldwide, so be sure to invite others and spread the word! Dr. Perry Stone will be at the Shiprock Pentecostal Church from June 10-12 & The Route 66 Revival comes to Santa Fe, June 22-23, ABQ, 24-25 and Gallup, NM, 27-28. I’m sure you can connect with any one or all of these things in some way or at least tell others about them that can + Continue to Pray Into the PRAYER AT THE HEART OF NEW MEXICO Event that’ll be taking place from 10am-4pm on Saturday, July 23, 2022 at the Sloan-Simpson Park in Corona, NM. We need representation and participation from all 33 counties and 23 tribal nations in our state, from every Christian living in NM, all Christian Churches and Ministries, so HELP us get The Word Out To ALL!!! See http://www.christianbody.net for more details and be sure to Register, so we know who’s coming and from where. If you or someone you know would like to hold a prayer event in or around our state, don’t hesitate to contact me!
Many Blessings,
Mark Tross
NM Prayer Connect Coordinator
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