Key Passage
"This Scripture was written about John: 'Listen! I (God) will send my helper ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.' I tell you the truth: John the Baptizer is greater than any man that has ever lived. But even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John."
— Matthew 11:10-11 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
John the Baptist was the key bridge from the Old Testament age to the Kingdom of Heaven. He stood with the prophets, but he was more than a prophet; he was the one prophesied to bring in the age of the Messiah and his Kingdom. He broke the long silence—of God's speaking to his people through the prophets—but the focus of his communication was not himself but the coming One. He called people to repentance, but to prepare them for what was coming. We are blessed to live in the time of the Kingdom. While some enjoy the luxuries and privileges of living in a time of relative prosperity and luxury, the physical luxuries dim in comparison to the glorious blessing of living in the Kingdom of Heaven while waiting for it to dawn in all of its fullness. John was great because he bridged the gap. But we are more blessed to live on this side of the bridge.
Prayer
Thank you Father, for having me live in a time such as this. I want to serve you with passion and vigor for allowing me to share in the promise of your coming Kingdom by being born into your Kingdom by spiritual rebirth. I recognize that every blessing and everything remarkable and wonderful in my life have come from you. Thank you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
The prophets studied carefully and tried to learn about this salvation. Those prophets spoke about the grace (kindness) that was coming to you. The Spirit of Christ was in those prophets. And the Spirit was telling about the sufferings that would happen to Christ and about the glory that would come after those sufferings. Those prophets tried to learn about what the Spirit was showing them. They tried to learn when those things would happen and what the world would be like at that time. It was shown to those prophets that their service was not for themselves. The prophets were serving you. They were serving you when they told about the things that you have heard. You heard those things from the men who told you the Good News. They told you with the help of the Holy Spirit that was sent from heaven. The things you were told are things that even the angels want very much to know about.
— 1 Peter 1:10-12
All those great men continued living with faith until they died. Those men did not get the things that God promised his people. The men only saw those things coming far in the future and were glad. Those men accepted the fact that they were like visitors and strangers on earth. When people accept something like that, then those people show that they are waiting for a country that will be their own country. All these people are known for their faith. But none of these people got God's great promise. God planned to give us something better. Then those people could be made perfect, but only together with us.
— Hebrews 11:13-14, 39-40
Listen, there is a person shouting! "Prepare a way in the desert for the Lord! Make the road in the desert level for our God! Fill every valley. Make every mountain and hill flat. Make the crooked roads straight. Make the rough ground smooth. Then, the Glory of the Lord will be revealed (shown). And together, all people will see the Lord's Glory. Yes, the Lord himself said these things!"
— Isaiah 40:3-5
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
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"This Scripture was written about John: 'Listen! I (God) will send my helper ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.' I tell you the truth: John the Baptizer is greater than any man that has ever lived. But even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John."
— Matthew 11:10-11 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
John the Baptist was the key bridge from the Old Testament age to the Kingdom of Heaven. He stood with the prophets, but he was more than a prophet; he was the one prophesied to bring in the age of the Messiah and his Kingdom. He broke the long silence—of God's speaking to his people through the prophets—but the focus of his communication was not himself but the coming One. He called people to repentance, but to prepare them for what was coming. We are blessed to live in the time of the Kingdom. While some enjoy the luxuries and privileges of living in a time of relative prosperity and luxury, the physical luxuries dim in comparison to the glorious blessing of living in the Kingdom of Heaven while waiting for it to dawn in all of its fullness. John was great because he bridged the gap. But we are more blessed to live on this side of the bridge.
Prayer
Thank you Father, for having me live in a time such as this. I want to serve you with passion and vigor for allowing me to share in the promise of your coming Kingdom by being born into your Kingdom by spiritual rebirth. I recognize that every blessing and everything remarkable and wonderful in my life have come from you. Thank you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
The prophets studied carefully and tried to learn about this salvation. Those prophets spoke about the grace (kindness) that was coming to you. The Spirit of Christ was in those prophets. And the Spirit was telling about the sufferings that would happen to Christ and about the glory that would come after those sufferings. Those prophets tried to learn about what the Spirit was showing them. They tried to learn when those things would happen and what the world would be like at that time. It was shown to those prophets that their service was not for themselves. The prophets were serving you. They were serving you when they told about the things that you have heard. You heard those things from the men who told you the Good News. They told you with the help of the Holy Spirit that was sent from heaven. The things you were told are things that even the angels want very much to know about.
— 1 Peter 1:10-12
All those great men continued living with faith until they died. Those men did not get the things that God promised his people. The men only saw those things coming far in the future and were glad. Those men accepted the fact that they were like visitors and strangers on earth. When people accept something like that, then those people show that they are waiting for a country that will be their own country. All these people are known for their faith. But none of these people got God's great promise. God planned to give us something better. Then those people could be made perfect, but only together with us.
— Hebrews 11:13-14, 39-40
Listen, there is a person shouting! "Prepare a way in the desert for the Lord! Make the road in the desert level for our God! Fill every valley. Make every mountain and hill flat. Make the crooked roads straight. Make the rough ground smooth. Then, the Glory of the Lord will be revealed (shown). And together, all people will see the Lord's Glory. Yes, the Lord himself said these things!"
— Isaiah 40:3-5
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
