DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL GUIDE Monday, January 8
WATCH AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
TEXT: Matthew 3:1-12
- In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
- and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
- For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord ; Make His paths straight.’ ”
- Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
- Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6. and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
- But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
- Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9. and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
- And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
- I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 3:1-12 NKJV
The ministry of John the Baptist was the ministry of preparing people for the coming Messiah. In the course of John’s preaching, several persons yielded their lives for the baptism of repentance. The number notwithstanding, John insisted that they should bear fruit fit for the repentance they professed. That was how they were to prepare for the coming Messiah.
Like the immediate audience of John the Baptist, some people long for the visitation of God in their lives and situations. That is a good desire, but what is your disposition to the promised divine visitation? As the year begins and moves quietly, people pray and fast for the move of God, but many don’t see the gravity of holy living as a major means of hosting divine visitation in their time. How do we prepare for the move of God? By making His paths straight; by deliberate holy living we provide a straight path for God to freely move in our live. Therefore, “prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.”That is how to enjoy divine visitation.
Prayer: Lord, help me not to miss out of Your visitation in my life.