RE Verse reading–Matthew 3 (day five). John the Baptist could see the future. Not fully. Not in detail. His insight came through prayer and fellowship with God. He knew that “after me one will come” and that this coming one would “baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire”. (vs 11) If fire is a term of destruction (cleansing by removing what is corrupt), this promise was kept! In 70 AD Roman troops destroyed Jerusalem and fulfilled the promise of God. Fire! The Spirit promise was also kept. At Pentecost (Acts 2) the Spirit of God was poured out on the church as our new environment, our new LIFE. Spirit! Baptism in the Spirit is the permanent gift of God to all true believers. It is the promise of God! How thankful and careful we should all be to guard this treasure! “Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh”. (Galatians 5:16)
