God's Holy Fire: 'Pride of God's Life!'

Thursday, March 12, 2026

[When John the Baptizer was proclaiming the coming of Jesus], Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God's Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."
— Mark 1:9-11 MSG

Key Thought

I hope you can look back on your baptism and remember it as a precious and powerful moment. What great joy to know that:
  1. We can share in an event similar to one Jesus experienced.
  2. God's Spirit came to us in that event to cleanse us and live in us.
  3. The Father says a similar thing about us that he said about Jesus.
  4. We are chosen and marked by his love.
What sweet grace!

Today's Prayer

O God, my righteous Father in heaven, you are holy - nothing compares to you. I pray that your rule over my life will increase and the Holy Spirit will increasingly influence my heart and my thinking. May my life be a holy praise to you! In Jesus' name, I ask this. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

10 Related Resources by Heartlight

Dear Loved by God
Devo: Spiritual Warfare
"One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens..."
Baptized
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River."
Great Joy!
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"And a voice from heaven said [to Jesus following his baptism], "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.""
Mark 1:11
Devo: Today's Verse
"And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.""
See All 10 Related Resources about Mark 1:9-11

Illustration

Illustration of Mark 1:9-11 MSG — "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, March 12, 2026

Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Hebrews 9:28
"Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are..."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Praying in the Spirit'
"Dear Disciple, Very few people have direct access to the leader of their nation. If you urgently needed to get your leader's attention, you would be...."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'Who Do You Say Jesus Is?' (Jn. 7:40-44)
"When the crowds heard [Jesus say that living water will flow from his heart], some of them declared, "Surely this man is the Prophet we've been..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'In the Presence of the Whole Assembly'
"Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly: "O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever!""

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations