Wednesday, October 15, 2008

John the Baptizer

Read:
Luke 1: 1-25, 57-80, 3:4-6
Mark 1:1-8
John 1:7-23

Interesting Facts about John:
1. Born to Elizabeth and Zacharias who was not able to speak until John was born because of his doubt (Luke 3:2,  Luke 1:5-25)
2. Fulfilled words of Isaiah the Prophet (Isaiah 40:3-5, Luke 3:4-6)
3. Did not drink wine or liquor (Luke 1:15)

The time between the Old and New Testament was approximately 400 years.  What a long time for God to be silent!  Because of this absence of hearing from God, these people were living under the law of Moses and were full of religious rituals and legalism.  it was not until God called John the Baptist, son of Zacharias, in the wilderness to fulfill the words of Isaiah the prophet, that grace came into light.

John, filled with the Holy Spirit even while he was in his mother's womb (Luke 1:15), was sent by God to prepare the people for their Savior to come to earth.  John's purpose was to "turn many of the Sons of Israel back to the Lord their God" (Luke 1:16).

So, is my life leading people to the cross?  God has called me to go into my world to prepare the way for Him.  God, may I lead the way so that others may see you.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away, behold, new things have come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

A Note

My heart has recently become burdened to the fact that our students, who have grown up in church their whole life, know so little about the Bible including the VBS Bible stories all of us should know.  I started examining my own life and realized, "Amy, you don't know all that much either and you are now a pastor's wife."  So, in a effort to learn more myself and challenge whoever else might want to learn too, I am going to try to daily post a little devotional about whoever I might be studying or something neat in God's Word that might catch my eye.  May He receive the glory and speak Truth into my life.