WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23
Scripture: Matthew 3:1-3

Matthew 3:1-3 says, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ 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.’” John the Baptist had an assignment and that assignment was to prepare people to receive the Kingdom of God that Jesus was coming to preach. The way he did that was by teaching them to walk with God and embrace repentance in order to qualify to be members of His family. These truths are available to us. Repentance is the key to qualifying and it will save our life. It will save our family, it will save our city, it will save our nation. Jonah had one message to Nineveh, “Yet 40 days and Nineveh will be destroyed.” The message was judgment. The people of Nineveh were familiar with sackcloth and ashes, and they choose the path of repentance. The people responded and God heard their pleas. That is the way of the Lord and it always has been. When we are a part of God’s family, He doesn’t want to destroy us. He wants us to repent so we can be saved. Wise men understand this, embrace it and walk in it.