Day Nine

'Make Way for the Lord--Part 1'

John the Baptist's entire purpose  in life was to go before the Lord, readying the people to receive Jesus as their Savior.  Before they could receive Him, however, their eyes had to be opened to their sinfulness.  Thus, he went into all the hill country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  Luke 3:4-6 goes on to quote the prophet Isaiah:  A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him, every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all mankind will see God's salvation.'

John's message was one of repentance for the sole purpose of preparation.  Hearts were being prepared, readied and softened to receive Jesus the Christ, the One that was to come.  You see, repentance (the turning from sins) had to occur to open up the heart to the Gospel message.  Obviously, we no longer are waiting on Jesus to come to complete the message, as they were in John the Baptist's day.  Jesus has come!  The Gospel message is complete!  However, the same principle still holds true:  Repentance must occur to open up the way to salvation.

Throughout history, revival has resulted among believers when God opened up their eyes and exposed their sin so vividly that they became completely broken over it.  Revival occurs when we see ourselves in light of God's holiness and have the response of Isaiah (as in Is. 6): 'Woe is me!'

Today our prayer will be two-fold.  First, we will pray for the unbelievers that will be coming to Deeper Still, for an opening of their eyes to their sinfulness--that the blind will see.  Second, we will pray for the believers that are coming, for the sanctification of their hearts through and through, revealing blind spots of sin in their lives.  And over both believers and unbelievers, alike, we will pray for brokenness.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask that you would open up the eyes of the blind women who are going to be at the conference, Lord.  Open up those eyes so that they can see!  Let June 10-11 be the days when lost sheep our rounded up and brought home, Lord!  Pry their hands loose of their sins--may they give over every last bit of  it!  For the many believers that will be attending, myself included, I pray for an awakening...an awakening of Spirit within ourselves that will give us a fresh look at ourselves when compared to You, oh Holy Father.  May you bring bokenness to each one of us, a deep eye-opening brokenness.  Holy, holy, holy, are You Lord, God Almighty!  The whole earth is full of Your glory!  May we see ourselves as Isaiah did, Lord.  May we have an accurate picture of ourselves, Father!  Open my eyes and show me my blind spots.  Sanctify me through and through.  Ready my heart and the hearts of all the women that will be attending Deeper Still and prepareth the way for the Lord!

In the precious holy name of Jesus I pray,
Amen.