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b'(Is.40:1-5,9-11;\\xa0\\xa0 Ps.85:9-14;\\xa0\\xa0 2Pt.3:8-14;\\xa0\\xa0 Mk.1:1-8) \\xa0 \\u201cBehold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.\\u201d \\xa0 And so, \\u201cJohn the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.\\u201d\\xa0 And so comes \\u201cthe voice of one crying out in the desert,\\u201d in the desert that is our fallen lives: \\u201cPrepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.\\u201d Turn from your sins, brothers and sisters.\\xa0 Repent.\\xa0 It is the Lord\\u2019s will that \\u201call should come to repentance,\\u201d that all should be \\u201cfound without spot\\xa0or blemish\\u201d on the day of His coming, on the day all \\u201cthe elements will be dissolved with fire.\\u201d\\xa0 With the fire of the Holy Spirit does the Lord Jesus come now to baptize, that what John has cleansed from our souls might be gone forever \\u2013 that the new person we become by this baptism of water might be made complete, might become hardened and lasting in the furnace of His love. God \\u201cproclaims peace to His people.\\xa0 Near indeed is His salvation to those who fear Him.\\u201d\\xa0 Hear what His prophet says, for he cries \\u201cout at the top of [his] voice\\u201d that indeed all hearts might listen: \\u201cHere is your GOD!\\xa0 Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by His strong arm.\\u201d\\xa0 Yes, \\u201cthe mouth of the Lord has spoken,\\u201d and now the WORD is in our midst, walking amongst us as our shepherd and \\u201cleading the ewes with care.\\u201d\\xa0 The \\u201cjustice [that] shall walk before Him, and prepare the way of His steps,\\u201d has come, and now the level highway that leads to His kingdom we must tread \\u2013 there is no denying the road that is set before us. Christ is coming, brothers and sisters, and Christ has come.\\xa0 The Baptist has prepared His path, and He, the Son of God, has walked it.\\xa0 And now we await His return in glory.\\xa0 And \\u201cthe Lord does not delay His promise\\u201d; His return is sure.\\xa0 Already we see the \\u201cglory dwelling in our land.\\u201d\\xa0 He waits for you to come now to Him.\\xa0 In patience He looks for you to turn.\\xa0 Turn to Him now in earnest; with all your soul cry out His Name.\\xa0 \\u201cJesus Christ the Son of God\\u201d dawns on the horizon.\\xa0 Embrace His love; walk His sacred path. \\xa0 Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. \\xa0 Music: "Under God" from\\xa0The Innocent Heart, first album of\\xa0Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. \\xa0 ******* O LORD, may all souls come from this desert of sin to your holy mountain. YHWH, let us be gathered into your barn, into your reign of peace, where, the viper having been defanged, all your creatures live in harmony, glorifying you as God and Father.\\xa0 In your Son let us make our home. Jesus comes into our midst endowed with your justice and judgment, O LORD.\\xa0 And the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire, but His wheat He will draw into His heart.\\xa0 With fire shall all men be baptized \\u2013 may that fire be for us a purging light for entering your kingdom. The Spirit that was upon John shall anoint all who hear his voice, who seek your way, O LORD and God.\\xa0 And so we must make straight our paths to you, following closely in the footsteps of your Son.\\xa0 O let there be fruit upon our trees! to prove our repentance genuine. Your NAME shall be blessed forever, dear God; in peace shall all your children dwell.\\xa0 May we be covered with knowledge of you, and so live always in the light of your glory.'