SCRIPTURE:
“The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” (Mark 1:1-3, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself who are the CHARACTERS mentioned directly or indirectly in these 3 verses?
1. Jesus Christ, the Son of God
2. Isaiah, the prophet
3. I
4. Messenger
5. Lord

Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what are the CLAIMS being made about Jesus Christ?
1. The beginning of the gospel which is about Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus Christ is referred to as Lord.

I found it very interesting that the Gospel of Marks starts out with ‘The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ and moves right into prophesy.

I was reminded of what expert witnesses who are called into court to testify have to do. They give their credentials of why the jury, who are ordinary citizens, should believe what they have to say. After their credentials are given, they testify to what they were called in for.

In the same way, after Mark writes ‘the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God’, he reminds the people about the Old Testament, especially regarding the prophesy given to Isaiah to set up the credentials for the Gospel of Mark for ordinary citizens.

Now the credentials that have been given in Isaiah become a reality in the New Testament.

Observations:
I asked myself what is written in Isaiah the prophet?
Isaiah, the prophet mentions God’s conversation with Jesus Christ as a prophesy message which Mark reveals. This is evidenced by:

"I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"-- "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" (Mark 1:2-3)

Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself who the pronouns in these verses refer to?
I decided to take a closer look at the above verses:
1. “I will send” refers to God speaking to Jesus Christ.
2. “my messenger” refers to God’s messenger.
3. “ahead of you” refers to Jesus Christ
4. “who will prepare” refers to messenger
5. “your way” refers to Jesus Christ
6. “a voice of one calling in the desert” refers to messenger
7. “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” refers to Jesus Christ

Point 1: “I will send” refers to God speaking to Jesus Christ.
I was very excited to know this because it tells me that Jesus Christ existed during the Old Testament. What we know is that God was speaking to Jesus Christ giving that prophesy to Isaiah.

Point 2: “my messenger” refers to God’s messenger.
Jesus is told that a messenger will come but no name is given.

Point 3: “ahead of you” refers to Jesus Christ.
Jesus is told that this messenger will precede His coming which tells me that Jesus would not come until the messenger foretold by God came first.

Point 4: “who will prepare” refers to messenger.
Jesus is told that this messenger will prepare.

Point 5: “your way” refers to Jesus Christ.
Jesus is told His way will be prepared.

Point 6: “a voice of one calling in the desert” refers to messenger.
Jesus is told this messenger will be a voice of one calling in the desert.

Point 7: “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” refers to Jesus.

Jesus is told the message would be “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”

This is so interesting because God is telling Jesus that He will be Lord. The name of the messenger is revealed too!

"And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4, NIV)

The messenger to precede Jesus would be John. He was “a voice of one calling in the desert” which is evidenced by “And so John came, baptizing in the desert region”

(To be continued)

Implications:
I saw implications for my own life by looking at these verses. The most important thing that stuck out to me was prophesy. It made me see how prophesy can validate the beginning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It also made me see how important the Old Testament is even for Christians if we want to get to know Jesus of the Bible. God spoke to Jesus in the Old Testament through a prophesy revealed to Isaiah.

I ask you now dear friend, how seriously do you testify to prophesy?
Dear friend, there are so many people who make predictions but predictions do not always come true. Prophesy in the Bible has always come true and will continue to come true. If you take prophesy seriously, let God’s Word speak to you not only through the New Testament but also through the Old Testament realizing the New Testament makes so much more sense and becomes exciting to read when we realize most of the events that took place in the New Testament were prophesized in the Old Testament.

Prophesy still matters today and the Book of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelations and other books of the Bible have prophesies that have come true in the past and that will come true in the future. The key is that none of them have been proved to be false.

Predictions can be true or false but when God gives prophesy it will always come true. If you are involved in the occult, I want you to know that the occult does not have the answers to your life. Jesus Christ however does and He loves you so much. The Gospel means Good News and Jesus Christ loves you.

Psychics, tarot cards, crystal balls etc maybe fascinating to you but they do not have the answers to life. Many times people hear someone predict something about themselves and it plays in their head. Without realizing they themselves many times make that happen and think wow, he/she told me that it would happen and it did. Now they get more sucked into the occult.

Jesus knows the plans for you friend and they are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Yes, He does! We need not know what the future holds for us if we take the present as a gift and allow Him to guide us daily. The future is not a mystery with the Lord. Claim the promises God has for you that you can claim for your future.

Jesus testifies to His love for you based on being born on Christmas Day so one day He could rescue you and deliver you, not just you but all humanity who takes refuge in Him!

Won’t you come to Jesus this fall of 2007 if you do not know Him personally?

Won’t you testify to the love of Jesus in your life for He desires to give you a new identity!

You can live your life over. Though the years have gone by and you feel your life looks like its going nowhere, you can still have a new identity and a new start. Maybe you have messed up badly and feel like your life will never change, maybe you have been hurt so badly and feel like it cannot get any worse, maybe you have been stepped on all your life and feel like you cannot get up anymore. Though your future seems futile, I want you to know there is hope. Not the kind of hope that's wishful thinking but a real inspiring hope.

How many wonderful opportunities you have missed, it's not too late for you to change your life around. If you are discouraged and think, there is no way I can have my life changed around, I want you to know that with Christ all things are possible. Jesus loves you so much more than anyone can love you. We have limits on love based on what others do for us but Christ's love for you is unconditional. For unto us a child was born and that child was baby Jesus who later died for our sins and came back to life to save us. If we do so much for those we love and our love is limited, think about how much Jesus will do for you whose love is unlimited.

Whether or not you have a job, a boy or girl friend, family, fame, fun, or fortune, etc that's not what Christ sees in you. He sees you as being so precious and wants to take care of you. No matter where you have been or what you have done, you can come to the Savior. Your age does not matter as the Lord can make an impact in your life. He reaches out to you with Helping Hands.

You have a golden opportunity to start this fall of September 2007 over with the Lord on your side no matter what happened before. Let me assure you, the transformation you will see in your own life. When Christ touches the hearts of those who come to Him, there life will never be the same again, never be the same again. You will have a totally new perspective on life as you spend daily time with Him praying and reading the Bible. Even as you face the storms of life, the winds cannot shake you for you will have a firm foundation on the Rock, Jesus Christ.

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray the prayer below, meaning it in your heart.

"Today, Excitingly Savior's Truth Identify Forever Year-round!”/"How seriously do you testify to prophecy?”
nd leading you!

Prayer:
God I am a sinner. I am invaded by this deadliest virus. Many times I feel so guilty and yucky inside. I need forgiveness. I am so sorry for my sins. I have not obeyed you with my whole heart! I have gone my own way and done my own things. I still struggle with sin. I need you Jesus in my life so I can receive forgiveness and a new beginning. In the process, I can forgive others as you help me to. Thank you so much Jesus. I accept the antidote you have sent me. I believe Jesus you died for me and your cleansing blood will cleanse me from all my sins. You came back to life to save me. Thank you God I am set free, free from the bondage of sin. Hear my cry Oh Lord. I accept you Jesus into my heart. I make you my Lord and Personal Savior of my life. Thank you Father God for giving me Salvation. Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you for being my Lord and personal Savior! I can live a life of peace with you on my side. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me! In your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! Thank you Lord for answering my prayer. Amen!!!

Friend, if you have prayed this prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave you nor forsake you! Amen!

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God!" (John 1:12, NIV)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from allsin." (1 John 1:7, NIV)

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, NIV)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV)

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NIV)

Spend time in His word and let the Lord speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I will been going through. Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in Bible Live Eternally!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-720-4579! You can also text message me!

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

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"Today, Excitingly Savior's Truth Identify Forever Year-round"

By Ramesh C.ReddyPittsburgh Standard September 05, 2007

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

September 05, 2007