Thursday 25 Sep 2014

September 26: Matthew 3:11-12

Key Verse: Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’

Devotion:
John the Baptist did not mince his words out in the desert; he told the people exactly how it was and that God alone is in charge and needs to be worshipped accordingly. He did not try to dress up to impress others nor did he go out of his way to make people happy or comfortable. John gave people what they needed to hear, the truth as God exposed it to him.

He knew that Jesus would be coming and that He would be baptising people in the Spirit rather than the symbolic dunking that he was giving people. He would no doubt explain to the people that he was showing them how they should give die to their old ways and be born to rise and live with Christ as teacher and King. But still people got hung up with what he was saying and what he was doing, still they looked at the world instead of looking at God!

How do we go about teaching people about God nowadays? How do we make sure people do not follow what we are doing and follow Christ for who He is? We tell them the truth just as John told people. We open up the truth before their very eyes and allow them to make the choice as to whether they take up the truth or reject it. We do have to remind people just how important it is to make the choice before it is too late. We do have to tell them that there will be a time when it will be too late… but unless God calls us to go into the desert, dress up in camel skins and eat grass-hoppers and honey, we don’t have to behave like John the Baptist!

God wants us to share the truth and encourage people to seek Him. We should be doing that non-stop through the way that we live and not thinking of it as a extra job that we have to do for someone. We should be looking at the people around us and thinking of them as friends who are not going to enjoy their futures unless they know the truth like we do. Take a bold step forward and love someone today!

Points to Ponder:
Are you ready to show someone you care?

Are you ready to say the truth?