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Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Fire!
"I baptize you with water to show that you changed your
hearts and lives. But there is a person coming later that is
greater than I am. I am not good enough to take off his shoes
for him. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with
fire. He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate
the good grain from the straw. He will put the good part of
the grain into his barn. And he will burn the part that is
not good. He will burn it with a fire that cannot be
stopped."
-- Matthew 3:11-12 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
So much of the discussion of this passage focuses on whether fire means
judgment or purification. All sorts of interpretative clues are
examined. Scholarship is divided. So which do you think it is? My
answer is "Yes! He both judges and purifies." From this passage and its
parallels, I believe John the Baptist probably intended for us to hear
both points. We will be judged based on what we decide about Jesus.
When we choose to believe Jesus and trust in him, the Holy Spirit will
also cleanse us. Jesus calls us to purity, but more than that, he
cleanses and purifies us through and through as he pours out his Spirit
upon us. (Cf. Titus 3:3-7.)
TODAY'S PRAYER:
O precious Father, please forgive me of all that I have done wrong, and
cleanse me thoroughly by the sanctifying power of your Holy Spirit. In
addition, dear Father, I trust in the Spirit's power to help me triumph
over the temptation to sin. Thank you for not only cleansing me, but
also sustaining me by the power of your Spirit. In the name of Jesus
Christ I pray. Amen.
>> NEW: Phil's What Jesus Did devotional is now
>> available as a book. Click below to order!
http://images.ultracart.com/aff/ACU9/1414/108/185/575/0/index.html
>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/0121-wjd.html
>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Matthew+3:11-12&sr=1&t=erv
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