John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life”.

Advent is a wonderful season as we prepare our hearts before the Lord to celebrate, once more, our dear Saviour’s birth. What does it mean to “prepare my heart”? This should be a daily action so that I am ready to move at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, otherwise I am unprepared when He speaks. Scripture says we are the temple of the Holy Ghost – thus we have a responsibility to walk in the light God has given us and consider the following:

The basic foundational principles of God never change. “As you received Him, so walk ye in Him”, Colossions 2:6. How did I first receive Jesus? He revealed Himself to me and convicted me of my need of a Saviour. I humbled myself and confessed my need of Him and received Him. This principle has to be lived out daily. When He comes to me in any given situation, I humble before Him and receive His grace and strength for daily living.

Do I recognise Him when He comes? HE OFTEN COMES IN DISGUISE….in the form of another.

John the Baptist declared, “He must increase, I must decrease”. He must increase….it always starts with God.

God’s view of my judgements is another unchanging principle. This topic is always relevant and current. Do you want a package for revival? Well, here it is: “Judgement must begin at the house of God”, 1Peter 4:17. God is not talking to unbelievers, but to the house of God, that is you and me. This judgement does not refer to our natural judgement necessary for driving, cooking, working etc. but it is referring to when my natural judgement secretly goes into another person’s life, and I judge “what” they are doing without knowing “why” they are doing it, their motive.

Romans 2:1 “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judge another, thou condemn thyself, for thou that judges doest the same things”. If we do not adhere to the principle of not judging others then our lives will be ineffective. When I judge others my heart hardens and I lose my peace and joy.

I cannot use my natural judgement in the spiritual realm. Spiritual discernment only comes when I refuse natural judgement, refuse to eat from the wrong source, that is, “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”, Genesis 2:17. It produces spiritual death. (See also for reference 1 Corinthians 4:1 – 5).

INEXCUSABLE! That is a big statement of God’s, so there is no forgiveness for it unless I repent of my judgements, and then I find favour with God again. It has to be applied to my daily walk with my fellow men and the Lord.

If I do not know how to process truth that the Holy Spirit brings to me, then I hold it in unrighteousness and hold it against others – judgement! 1Corinthians 5:7,8 “Purge out therefore the old leaven………”
“Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven………….but with sincerety and truth”. When I take what God has given me as credit to my own character instead of His, then I am in the place of judging others in comparison with me, and God says it is INEXCUSABLE. Wrong judgements are always accompanied by hard feelings and lack of grace and strength. The light and life God has given me is not to judge others with. We have all received a measure of light from God, once received, He holds us accountable to Him to walk in it, to His glory, (not ours!). Otherwise that given light becomes darknesss.

So…let us gladly repent of our judgements and reverently prepare our hearts to be channels of God’s love, grace and mercy as we celebrate again the birth of God’s greatest gift to mankind, His beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.