Skip to main content

Camel's Hair, Wild Honey, and Warning

John the Baptist

December is full of cozy things—twinkling lights, Christmas trees, cookies, and carols. 

But then John the Baptist shouting, “You brood of vipers! Repent! The kingdom of heaven is near!” 

Repent! God's kingdom is coming!

“Something huge is happening!!! Repent and be baptized!!!”

Crowds see John emerging from the wilderness, hear his yelling and repent and are baptized by him preparing for the coming kingdom of heaven. 

Baptism in the Jordan River is a reminder of Israel’s entering the promised land.

John’s presence and wake-up call message from the wilderness’s silence is an urgent, thundering cry “repent and be baptized!! “

Get Baptized! God's kingdom is coming!

Prepare yourself with genuine self-examination and transformation for a new beginning! 

You will need a true inner change shown through actions, not just words.

John tells-off religious leaders, those brood of vipers who misuse power, reminding everyone claiming heritage or labels is inadequate—true repentance is lived out practically. 

The day of the Lord includes judgment!

Because of Jesus, Feed the hungry do more than bake cookies.

John the Baptist’s urgent call disrupts December’s cozy preparations, inviting deep, meaningful change instead of mere custom.

The still wilderness is broken for the healing of societies rejected as they are joined into the community.

 This critical moment requires real change of actions: God’s kingdom is coming.

John the Baptist emphasizes accountability: living out your faith means honest speech, listening to God, and letting Jesus guide your life.

Prepare to endure!

Produce "fruit” that reflects God’s will 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Grantchester's Warning

"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, the owner would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (from Luke 12:32-40 ) I regularly watch Grantchester; a murder mystery set in 1950s England. The main characters are a local detective and an Anglican priest who, as a team, solve mysteries set in the town. Two aspects of Grantchester impress me. First, the simplicity of the 1950’s police communications done by a landline phone and not cell phone. Second, the simplicity of daily life with little television and fewer possessions allowing the characters to focus on their vocation of detective and priest. This simplicity is more than a nostalgic return to the “good old days”. Instead, it’s a Shaker type of simplicity where austerity allows freedom from distractions to focus on worship and community. Today’s distraction-filled world has seemingly countless activ...

Walking with God

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (from Ps.103:1-8 ) Thomas Merton, American Trappist monk, writer and theologian, once asked himself a question he immediately answered:   How does an apple ripen? The apple, by simply being in the sun, fulfills its purpose of ripening, The apple doesn't try to ripen faster, it simply allows the sun to do its work.   There is nothing it can do to ripen itself. It can’t do workouts, tighten its muscles and then suddenly be a red, ripened, juicy apple in the morning. The apple just hangs on the branch in the sun, naturally ripening, where it receives its daily nourishment. This is the basic plan for how Christians ripen in their relationship to God. The difference is that Christians don’t naturally ripen in their relationship to God, we have to place themselves where we can be nourished. The beginning place of nourishment I find most helpful is the Guide to Prayer For All Who Walk With God. The daily walk in the...

Jesus, Deliverance, and Demons

"Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind." (from Luke 8:26-39 ) Astrid is a streaming program I often watch. The plot is a basic cops and robbers action until the criminal is caught. The uniqueness of the program is Astrid, who is on the Autism spectrum, is brilliant at solving puzzles including connecting clues to solve the crime. Watching this program has given me a more profound insight to people living with this condition and their acceptance in society. My first-hand experience with children on the Spectrum was driving a Special Needs school bus for 6 years. With this experience, I can imagine the life the possessed man was experiencing, especially living among the tombs, bound with chains and shackles, having to live in the wilds. It was no wonder he cried for mercy. Jesus, with his power and mercy, cast the demons out and even...