January 4, 2025 Morning Devotional

Morning Devotion: Read Luke

Luke 3:15  And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16  John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 17  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 18  And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

Its just like people to be fickle in their musings over what is truth and what is not. These dear folks were wondering if John the Baptist were the Christ the one sent from God. The name Christ means the anointed one or the Messiah.

The synagog was the centre of their culture, you would think that they would know from the scriptures who John was. John even said himself who he was. He was the forerunner of Christ heralding Christ, saying “prepare ye the way.”

He John makes some very bold statements that impact the whole world and every individual in it.

He says he came to baptize with water but, there is one mightier who will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

When a person is born again, they are baptized with the Holy Ghost.

1Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Not only is the true believer baptized in the Spirit he is sealed by the Spirit of God until the Lord returns to redeem them to heaven. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

The phrase that is of utmost importance is: “he shall baptize you with the … fire:”

The word baptize means to plunge under. Not sprinkle like many churches practice today, or anointing like churches do with children. On the contrary, this word means to plug under.

Couple the word plunge with fire, it means people will be plunged under or into the fire. It is the fire of judgment. What John was preaching was a message of salvation and judgment.

John clarifies it even more in the following verse. Verse17  “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.”

The Lord will gather the wheat, the good grain, into His garner/barn and the chaff, the bad stuff will be burned with unquenchable fire. My friend, that speaks of the end time where those who are saved will enter into heaven and those who are not will be plunged into the fires of hell.

John the Baptist was preaching that Jesus Christ is the only one who saves and judges. John was the messenger, the forerunner of Jesus Christ.

You have the message, what will you do with it? Jesus is coming and coming soon.

The choice is still yours,

Pastor Cook