Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord: Part 2

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

January 20, 20?? 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

In our previous message we introduced the topic of Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord. We emphasized the importance of that exhortation. Now, let us try to provide some answers to several important questions concerning our preparation.

Why do we, you and I, and every professing Christian need to prepare the way of the Lord? for several very good reasons. First of all, that is a commandment, as we stated in our last message. There can be little doubt that the Lord will return to earth very soon. Now some may say, well brother, believers have been saying that for 2000 years. True, but who can doubt that the world is rapidly going from darkness to gross darkness? (Isaiah 60:2). But from Isaiah 59:19, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." What of who is that standard? the manifestation of the sons of God ... the very elect, the remnant, the overcomers.

The enemy has been coming in like a flood for many years and it will get worse. Coming in to where? to the Church, the body of Christ. There are many reasons why the Church has allowed the enemy to come in like a flood. One reason is because pastors have usurped the place of apostles and prophets. In the New Testament, the only place that a pastor says anything is in Acts 15, when James, the pastor of the Church at Jerusalem, settled a dispute as to what, if anything, of Judaism should be part of Christianity. May I add that going through a seminary or Bible College does not make anyone a pastor. Only the Lord makes someone a pastor.

Another reason the enemy has come in like a flood is because so many in leadership positions use the NIV, NAS, NKJV, and/or other "modern" translations of the Bible, all of which come from "Nestle's Greek" rather than the "Textus Receptus," which is the Greek basis for the Authorized KJ version. If you have any doubts about that, let me send to you (free) a scholarly book written by Ken Bennett, a solid man of God that I personally knew very well for many long years. In Ken's book, "Why Would God Write Two Bibles?" After much research and from a startling experience he had while ministering deliverance to a young woman many years ago, a demon revealed that they (demons) had written "Nestle's Greek" (through human pawns of course). No one could buy any of Ken's three books (he gave them away free) but I still have a few copies of all three. Of course, Ken makes it very clear that God did NOT write two Bibles.

The Church at Ephesus was perhaps the most spiritually mature church in Paul's day. Paul warned the elders of the Church at Ephesus in Acts 20:29-31, 

"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." 

In 3 years, night and day, Paul must have preached and taught 2000 times. So Paul warned the church at Ephesus 2000 times about what would happen after his departure. How many times have you heard warnings from ministers?

Jesus said, in Luke 20:18, 

"Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." 

"That stone" of course is Jesus Himself. That Verse does not contrast the Christian with the non-Christian. The contrast is between those who have been born from above and those who have been broken and walk in the Kingdom of God. Unless we are broken of all traces of self, we cannot walk in the kingdom of God. But unless we are walking in the Kingdom of God, we will suffer the consequences of great tribulation. If we are walking in the kingdom of God we will still go through the great tribulation but it will not affect us. In like manner, I believe that when the Jewish Sanhedrin stoned Stephen to death, he never felt anything ... he just fell asleep, as the Scripture says. 

6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts. Haggai 2:6-9 

25 See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:25-29

What should we do to be ready for this shaking that we are in and the even harder times that are sure to come? At the most basic level we must prepare the way of the Lord. I do not speak of being born again and baptized with the Holy Ghost; that is just step 1.

If we read those verses in Haggai and Hebrews carefully, we note that Haggai 2:6-7 and Hebrews 12:25-27 speak of the great shaking that the Lord is bringing about. Most evangelicals and some charismatics believe that the church will not have to endure this difficult time because of something men call the "rapture." But too many scriptures indicate that we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom; that will not only make us stronger but we will be purified through the trial to become the Bride of Christ. The so-called "rapture" doctrine has contributed beyond all measure to the apathy, complacency, and lukewarm attitude of the Church. That complacency should give us considerable concern. Our resources, our wealth, our military might, our claim to democratic ideals and practices have become our boast. Like Israel of old, we assume that God is on our side and that He is bound to protect us and prosper our cause. God bless America so we can continue to do our own thing. The so-called "rapture" out from the great tribulation is a product of the carnal mind. It runs totally counter to the spirit of the Bible. To me, the rapture doctrine is first cousin of the similar scenario recorded in 

Matthew 16: 21-23, "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

The future we face need not and must not be one filled with doom and gloom, so disastrous that a silent "rapture" must spirit us away in order to escape what is coming. The church is about to have its "finest hour" - a time when some believers, called overcomers, will shine brightly with the glory of the Lord. The Scripture promises a bright future which every faithful saint can take hold of and look forward to ... PROVIDED that we prepare the way of the Lord.

When the Lord returns, the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25 will be fulfilled. All ten of them represent true born-from-above Christians. Five were wise and five were foolish. The five wise virgins were prepared with an ample supply of oil in their lamps, but the five foolish virgins had no oil for their lamps. The five wise virgins speak of the bride of Christ; the five foolish virgins speak of the rest of the church, those who neglect to prepare the way of the Lord.

It is true that God is love. It is also true that God is a God of judgment. The first 39 chapters of the Book of Isaiah are primarily about the judgment of God for those who do not obey Him. The first half of the Book of Joel is about the judgment of God. When is the last time you heard the judgment of God preached from any pulpit?

It is time for us, the church, to wake up, man up, stand up, speak up, or shut up and fold up. It is time to get our thumb out of our mouth. It is time to get off our pablum diet and start chewing some meat. It is time to be potty-trained, time to get rid of our diapers. It is time to put away our childish ways ... time to understand and walk in His ways. It is time to cease all debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, and tumults: (2 Corinthians 12:20). A house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25).

Joel 1:5, "Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth." 

"Drunkards" and "wine" does not speak of the natural realm. New wine cannot be put into old wineskins. Old wineskins are not flexible and resist change. New wine speaks of fresh revelation from the Lord.

Ezekiel 47:3-5 says, "And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over."

Today, far too many of us professing Christians haven't even got our feet wet. A few more are wading in the kiddie pool. We tend to believe that the vast majority of professing Christians put ourselves on a slightly more mature spiritual level than our brothers "over there." After all, we are born again, baptized with the Holy Ghost, go to church regularly, give money to the church, lead a morally good life, etc. But Paul said, in 2 Corinthians 10:12, 

"For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 

We must compare ourselves with Jesus. Who among us is perfect?

In Revelation 1:7 we read, "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen."

The "clouds" in that verse do not speak of those white puffy things we see in the sky. It speaks of a cloud of witnesses ... those saints who have gone before. "Every eye shall see Him" speaks of the natural realm. The following two verses speak of those who see Him in the realm of the Spirit before every eye shall see Him in the natural realm.

After the resurrection of Jesus and before His final ascension, Jesus appeared to a few more than 500 brethren (1 Corinthians 15:6). During that time period, He appeared and He disappeared (Luke 24:31). He did not appear to all of His disciples at that time. That sequence of appearing and disappearing will be repeated until every eye shall see Him.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9:28

And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him. Isaiah 8:17

The "house of Jacob" speaks of the natural man or the carnal Christian ... those who are not looking for Him. So a very important question for you and me and every professing Christian is, "Are you looking for Him?"

There is at least one more huge reason why we all should prepare the way of the Lord ... that is if we have any desire to rule and reign with the Lord Jesus on earth for 1000 years, usually called the Millennium. 

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:1-6

Verses 4 and 5 clearly indicate that not all born-from-above Christians will participate in the Millennium. Why not? because of the decisions and choices that each of us must make during our time on earth. Verses 4 and 6 refer to the Bride of Christ; Verse 5 refers to the rest of the Church. 

Revelation 19:7, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready." 

In our next chapter we will see the Scriptural pattern which defines how we make ourselves ready to be part of the Bride of Christ.

We have tried to emphasize the necessity to "prepare ye the way of the Lord." Now we want to think about the scriptural answer to the question, "How do we prepare the way of the Lord?" first of all by preparing our hearts. Without any doubt the main responsibility that we have is to prepare our heart (but by the power of the Holy Spirit). Our heart does not speak of our natural heart. Our heart speaks of the essence of our being; it corresponds to our spirit. We must be prepared and I'm afraid that many of us are not prepared, spiritually or physically.

Let us read a few of the many verses in the Bible that speak of our heart and how we prepare our heart.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Psalm 84:1

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee. Psalm 119:11 

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 

And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 

12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil. Joel 2:12-13 

7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear His voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Hebrews 3:7-8

Our hearts are overly concerned with materialism, entertainment, traditions of men, putting an "X" in all the right boxes, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, and a hundred other things. Therefore it seems only reasonable that we should understand what constitutes a right heart. More importantly, a right heart must become a living reality and not simply a mental understanding.

At the most basic level, a right heart is a heart that is attuned to the heart of the Lord. Every believer is called to identify (in reality, experientially) with the Lord Jesus in His suffering, His death, His burial, His resurrection, His weeping over Jerusalem, His will, His heart, His intercession for us, His love and zeal for the Church, and His jealousy over Zion, to name a few. It is a heart that wants the Lord to be pleased and satisfied with us even if we never receive anything from the Lord. It is a heart that wants the will of the Lord to be done more than life itself. It is a heart that is jealous for the Lord of hosts, which is what Elijah said in 1 Kings 19 ... jealous that He might have His way within every believer. Stephen, Paul, and Moses (and others) had that same jealousy for the Lord to be satisfied and glorified. 

Moses said, "Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin-; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written" (Exodus 32:32). 

Paul said, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:" (Romans 9:3). 

Stephen said, to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem,


51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Acts 7:51-52

Some might say that Stephen did not exercise wisdom when he spoke those words to the Sanhedrin. Logical reasoning and natural thinking would say, "Stephen, you should be very careful with your words to the Sanhedrin. Just think of all of the good you could do for the body of Christ. You are a man full of faith and wisdom. The Lord needs you to help other believers here on earth." We are quite sure that Stephen was aware of the consequences of his discourse. However, Stephen was motivated only by speaking the word which the Holy Ghost put into his being. Did Stephen fully satisfy the heart of the Lord? We believe that Scripture gives a resounding answer of "yes" to that question (Acts 7:56). His ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

The first step in preparing the way of the Lord is to have that same heart attitude that Moses, Paul, Stephen (and others, like David) had. That heart attitude can never be generated by our own effort or by our own faith. Some may say, "Well I am not in that place in my life yet." Then you are not alone. But God is no respecter of persons. If He did that amazing work in Moses, Paul, Stephen, and others, He will also do that work within you and me, PROVIDED that we see the need and cry out to the Lord. What the Lord is looking for is that each of us believers cry out to the Lord and say, "Help me, Lord."

Now some may say, "But brother, I am not a Moses; I am not a Paul; I am not a Stephen." Very true. I am none of those three either. But we all have many things in common. One of those things that every believer should have in common is the attitude of our heart. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."

Our first priority is always to glorify God, first of all in our heart, and then outwardly as the Holy Spirit gives us unction.

In 1973 the Lord told us to start a "neighborhood Bible study." He said to invite our neighbors, which we did. We also invited a few folks who lived a few blocks away. About six or seven came regularly, once a week to our home. We had no idea if any of them were Christians. For the first month or two, we talked about "Who is Jesus Christ?" Then we started going through the Gospel according to John. It was like we sat back and watched the Lord work in their lives.

I found out almost 52 years ago that the Lord can save someone all by Himself, He can heal someone all by Himself, He can deliver someone all by Himself. One night in our living room, the Lord lengthened arms and legs of most of those people, making the arms and legs equal in length. Then one evening a woman, whose husband never came with her, said to us all, "Before we start tonight, I need to share something with everyone. As soon as she said that, the Lord quickened to me John, Chapter 8, about the woman caught in adultery. Sure enough, she said that she had committed adultery with a next-door neighbor. She said that even though she had committed the unpardonable sin and never would go to heaven, she was still going to serve the Lord as long as she lived. That is what I call dedication and commitment! Of course I quickly assured the woman that she had not committed the unpardonable sin and that the Lord forgave her. She still serves the Lord to this day. Would that all professing Christians had that same heart attitude!

The Lord is not asleep. The Lord is quietly and inconspiculously building up Zion. It is a marvelous work that is hidden from the eyes of man and can only be seen in the realm of the Spirit. And one day soon He will unveil His masterpiece. Then He shall appear in His glory ... the parousia of the Lord. The question is, Whose heart is stirred up? Whose spirit is made willing? Who is looking for Him?