| Matthew 3:2-3 Display Chapter and Footnotes 2 And saying, "Repent [think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [very near]." [Christians of today have been incorrectly taught by their blind guides that heaven is only available when they physically die. They think they have no need to repent, presuming they are excused by grace from all the Bible's stated exclusions, requirements, and qualifying conditions of salvation; and they overlook that every man will be judged on his works and words. So today's Christians, listening to the words of the scriptures, hear them like a beautiful song that is sweet to their ears, but they fail to apply the commands to themselves — always thinking the warnings and commands apply to bad people, not righteous believing people like themselves; so they do not obey the commands of repentance from sin that they hear or read, remaining slaves to sin; and then they are banned from heaven when they die. "For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: 'In repentance and rest you are saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength, and you would not do it.'" Isaiah 30:15. ] 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 for the Lord, make his paths straight.'"1 [The evil heart of all men must be prepared for the Lord to dwell within, for in the evil heart is found evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, false witness, deceit, lack of restraint, envy, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness, Mark 7:21-23, Mat 15:18-19; so men might come to do works consistent with repentance, and their mountain of sin and earthliness might be leveled, and their valley filled in them, that there might be a smooth, straight way prepared for the Lord in them. Until a man's heart has been cleansed and purified, the Lord and his Father do not come with their kingdom to dwell and guide a man through life. Jesus is "holy, innocent, undefiled, and separate from sinners." Heb 7:26. From the Word of the Lord within: "See myself — thus no sin has a place in me." See the footnote 1 below for more detail on Prepare the way of the Lord.] | Isaiah 40:3-4 Display Chapter and Footnotes 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. [The wilderness is the evil heart of all men until they have been crucified, in which evil heart is found evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, false witness, deceit, lack of restraint, envy, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness, Mark 7:21-23, Mat 15:18-19; so men might come to do works consistent with repentance, and their mountain of sin and earthliness might be leveled, and their valley filled in them, that there might be a smooth, straight way prepared for the Lord in them. Until a man's heart has been cleansed and purified, the Lord and his Father do not come with their kingdom to dwell and guide a man through life. Jesus is holy, innocent, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Heb 7:26. From the Word of the Lord within: "See myself — thus no sin has a place in me." See the footnote 1 below for more detail on Prepare the way of the Lord.] 4 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth;1 |