Walking in the deception of darkness is a dangerous place to be. Paul gives us insight into the deception of spiritual darkness. 2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t …
To do God’s plan, or my plan, is an ongoing battle for every person. Perhaps you are struggling with this today and are unsure how to follow God’s will for your life. God’s plan always leads us to a closer relationship with Him, while our plan leads us away from God. When John the Baptist …
The cross changed everything when Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Think how faith in Jesus has changed your life now and in eternity. When Adam and Eve fell into sin, it did not catch the Lord by surprise. Paul says that God had a plan to redeem humanity, an extension of His …
Jesus reveals Himself through actions, showing He is the Messiah as He begins His ministry. In the Old Testament, Isaiah the prophet spoke of the signs the Messiah would do when He came. Isaiah 35:5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame …
Even John the Baptist had doubts about Jesus. John was in prison because the governor, Herod Antipas, didn’t like what John said. John had seen the Spirit descend and the Father speak at the baptism of Jesus. Yet, John seems puzzled because Jesus may not be the Messiah he expected. Luke 3: 16 John answered their …
The ministries of Jesus and John differed. This may be one reason John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was the one they were expecting. John’s mission was to call the Jewish people to repent and prepare their hearts to receive Jesus. He was uncompromising in calling out sin in his preaching. …
John the Baptist is the only person to call Jesus the lamb of God as he prepared the way for the ministry of the Messiah. This God-given discernment about the identity of the Messiah must have stirred his heart for what the Lord was unfolding. John 1:35 The following day John was again standing with two …
People were drawn to John the Baptist because they sensed a move of God. Even John’s message about the need for repentance drew people into the wilderness of Judea. Matthew 3:5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed …
Why was Jesus baptized by John the Baptist? The incredible story of Jesus’ baptism by John in the River Jordan reveals a God of love who came to earth as a human being and connected with the people He created. If our Savior offered salvation to sinners like us, He needed to identify with the …
As John the Baptist baptized people, he said Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. It would be a different baptism. At the Jordan River, John baptized with water to demonstrate a willingness to turn from sin and toward God. While John’s baptism did not give salvation, repentance was the first step in …