Reading your Bible for today December 31

December 31: Malachi 3:1-2

KJV Key Verse: Malachi 3:1
1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Devotion:
As we see out the old year and prepare for the new, think about what has happened over this past year and just how much could be achieved in the New Year! Each one of us has so much potential to go forward and tell at least one new person about Jesus Christ this year. If each one of us did that, then the potential for new Christians has just doubled... We are not the ones to go forward and tell people about how bad they are or how they are doing things wrong, we must go forward and tell people about Jesus and show them His Word. It is His Word alone which will convict people of their own sins and bring them to Christ, not our word...

John the Baptist went before Christ and told the people about Jesus. He told them they must be the ones to repent themselves before Christ. He encouraged each one who did by baptising them and making sure they continued to hear God’s Word. He was simply preparing the way for Jesus. How many people have you heard in the past year who told you the plain Gospel truth without embellishing it with the grandest of stories? How many people have simply told you that Jesus came and died for you?

The Word of God will sift out the good from the bad and allow people to see their own folly. The Word of God will allow people to be strengthened and to build up their faith. The Word of God is what needs to be taught much more this year than last. People are struggling all around the world with the sins and temptations that are now rife throughout society and need to be encouraged by God’s Word. Nobody will be able to stand up and say they are sinless when presented with Jesus Christ their Saviour! Nobody will be able to stand up and say they have done it by themselves... if only we can get them to hear this truth to start with! Make a difference in the New Year by making a plan to tell someone new about Jesus Christ.

Points to Ponder:
Have you even looked at yourself as being like John?

No matter how minor you think you are, you can make a big difference?