Key Thought

What right do you have to do what you do? Good question for those of us who are blessed with freedom. We take our right to do what we do for granted. Behind this question, however, stands a powerful truth: we only have the right to do what we do because God in his grace has granted us that right. John did what he did because God had called him to the task. John had the opportunities he had because God opened the doors for them. John had the effective ministry he had because he did what God wanted him to do. John's right to baptize, preach, teach, and prepare were given him by God. More than just the right to do it, he had the authority of God to do it. God has great plans for us. He calls us to his purposes. He has given us the right as his children to bring light to this dark world. Let's use those rights to our Father's glory!

Today's Prayer

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Father, thank you for giving me the right to be your child. Inspire me to bold and courageous living for the sake of the Kingdom and cause of the Gospel. Please give me a heart as fearless and true as your great servant John the Baptist. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John. The Jews sent them to ask, "Who are you?" John spoke freely. John did not refuse to answer. John said clearly, "I am not the Christ. " That is what John told people. The Jews asked John, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah ?" John answered, "No, I am not Elijah." The Jews asked, "Are you the Prophet ?" John answered, "No, I am not the Prophet." Then the Jews said, "Who are you? Tell us about yourself. Give us an answer to tell the people who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John told them the words of the prophet Isaiah: "I am the voice of a person shouting in the desert: 'Make a straight road ready for the Lord.'" These Jews were sent from the Pharisees. These men said to John: "You say you are not the Christ. You say you are not Elijah or the Prophet. Then why do you baptize people?" John answered, "I baptize people with water. But there is a person here with you that you don't know. That person is the One who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie the strings on his shoes." These things all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. This is where John was baptizing people. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, "Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world! This is the One I was talking about. I said, 'A man will come after me, but he is greater than I am, because he was living before me--{he has always lived}.' Even I did not know who he was. But I came baptizing people with water so that Israel (the Jews) could know that Jesus is {the Christ} ." Then John said, "I also did not know who the Christ was. But God sent me to baptize people with water. And God told me, 'You will see the Spirit. come down and rest on a man. That man is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. '" John said, "I have seen this happen. I saw the Spirit come down from heaven. The Spirit looked like a dove and sat on him (Jesus). So this is what I tellpeople: 'He (Jesus) is the Son of God.'"

— John 1:19-34 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.