TUESDAY, April 20

Matthew 3:7-12. You brood of vipers!

Before we can have Christ, we must hear and heed John the Baptist. What the world needs now is a voice crying in the moral wilderness, a voice that will be heard, a voice which, like John's, will convince people that they really need a Savior.

Here lies the basic reason for the fact that after two millennia of Christian history, the world and its people have remained pretty much the same--unaffected, unchanged.

Before you want a Savior, you must be convinced that you are a sinner in need of saving. You must come to the devastating point of crying out: "Save me, Lord; I can't do it by myself!"

It is a pitiful paradox that we live in a sin-saturated society with little consciousness of sin. Psychiatrist Karl Menninger was moved to write a book called Whatever Became of Sin? Modern people do not like to use the word. We prefer to speak instead of social maladjustment, neurosis, peer pressure--but never sin.

John the Baptist, where are you now that we need you? (1980)

PRAY for the Diocese of Central Florida (Province IV, USA)

Ps 26, 28 * 36, 39; Exodus 19:1-16; Colossians 1:1-14

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Apr 20, 2010 at 1:58 am

Written by Steve Doutt,

Can improvement only be after death? Is sin-saturation the only possible state? Can we never be healed?

Following Jesus means turning away from fate and inevitibility, and turning towards liberty. There is hope. We can be healed. The world can be peaceful. We can all clean-up our acts and put away our sinful nature. Maybe we cannot be perfect; but, we don't have to be stuck on stupid either.

Merciful God, thank you. I love you.

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We can have freedom!

Apr 20, 2010 at 6:37 am

Written by LorrieRobinson,

I agree with Steve! We can have freedom, here and now if we just reach out for it...I think the greatest experience of the Holy Spirit is the growing sense of the existtence and role of the inner teacher...always there to guide and teach if we are receptive and listen...there is this sense of "assisting enlightenmment" as I have seen this inner sense adn action referred to, that doesn't seem to originate in us...but His won't be completed here in this life(just started) and we won't get likely peace in the world(though we should strive for it) because only a few are aware and interested in this inner journey of discovering who we really are and why we are here. Jesus promised he would send the Helper and thank God he did!

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extreme

Apr 20, 2010 at 7:29 am

Written by Char,

I think it's so amazing that nothing has changed since 1980, actually since before that. For what's going on in today's world we need an "extreme" Holy Spirit to guide us!!! Keep Prayer for Peace and a lessening of stupid!

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Sinners

Apr 20, 2010 at 7:44 am

Written by Mary Ellen,

Part of the problem is that people equate sin with freedom. And many of us have experienced the the unloving judgement and shunning of others who label us sinners.

Maybe it is more important to do the good work of the kingdom and touch people through love to bring them to God.

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Apr 20, 2010 at 8:24 am

Written by Ed,

John the Baptist, where are you now that we need you?

Would we listen to you now any more than when you were here?

I bet not!

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Apr 20, 2010 at 9:37 am

Written by Kevin T,

We need to stop looking out and down at other and start looking inside at ourselves. When we see our faults and strive to correct them with the help and guidance of Jesus Christ, peace and love will automatically follow in behind.

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Apr 20, 2010 at 9:45 am

Written by Mike Patterson,

I quibble with the author's assertion that the world has been pretty much "unaffected, unchanged" in 2,000 years. Yes, there is still evil and sin all around us, but the world has been affected and changed for the good by Christianity, to say nothing of the millions of lives that have been transformed.

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Apr 20, 2010 at 10:17 am

Written by B. L. S.,

I am a Jewish Christian. The Holy Spirit convinced me that Jesus is my Messiah, and I know that I am a sinner who needs Jesus Christ. But my main hurdle was accepting a belief that I was raised to reject.

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Vipers! Snaky

Apr 20, 2010 at 11:18 am

Written by Gaye Anne McWade,

Mental assent or a performance is like a new snake skin on a old snake . . . there's still a snake inside. The inner cleansing, healing, and changed nature is promised by John's call and promise that the inside and outside are being re-formed. Thanks be to God!

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