Daily Devotional
By Pastor Jerry Teboe
A Closer Walk with Christ in 2026
A Walk with the Master series
The Baptizer’s Message
Mark 1:6-8
Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. Mar 1:7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. Mar 1:8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Today, we continue our theme of “A Walk with the Master.” John the Baptist is still the focus as he prepared the way for Jesus to come.
It is interesting that Mark took time to consider John’s clothing and diet. Nothing in the Scriptures is an oversight, and this was done to point out that John was there to fulfill a prophesy from the Old Testament. Two verses stand out when we observe the clothing. The first is found in 2 Kings 1:8, They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” This is the reference to John who was to fulfill the promise of the coming of Elijah to make a way for the Messiah. The second verse is found in Malachi 4:5-6, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction. John was that messenger promised to appear before the Lord Jesus came, and his message was there to turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord.
It had been over 400 years between Malichi and the New Testament announcing the arrival of Christ. The people had lost their passion for the Lord and His Word, so John was sent to restore what had been lost. Jesus Himself validated this prophesy when he declared it to the disciples in Matthew 17:10-13. And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
This was the reason for John’s message seen in today’s portion. He was telling the listeners to look for the coming of Jesus.
We must also be looking forward to the coming of the Lord. Jesus will return a second time to call His children, the church, home at the rapture. Let’s be faithful in our walk with the Master and make Him known as John the Baptist did with his message while we await His return.
Bible Reading for the Year
February 20th, Numbers 3-4; Mark 3-22-35
Prayer Needs
Please pray for the cousin of Sarah Crandall, Margo Fields, who is doing chemo now for color cancer.
Pray for Dr. Joe Jordan who has an MRI on Monday the 23rd. Pray for good results! And pray for him as he teaches the book of Revelation to students in Greece.
Please continue to pray for Jennifer Teboe Buchamer. Praise the Lord! Her pain is better. Pray for her healing.
Please pray for Madison Bowers Millwee who is having difficulties with her pregnancy. She seems to be some better.
Please continue to pray for Jackson Broome. The transplant took place on February 11th. He came through it well.
Please pray for Phil Corey in his continual dialysis treatments.
Please continue to pray for Marvin Silverthorne for his eyesight to improve.
Please continue to pray for Beth Buchta that her hip will completely heal soon, and that she can do a little more each day.
Please pray for Ricky Hill, a coworker of Jeremy Hewitt, who has a tumor on his kidneys which is cancerous. He had surgery on Feb 16th at Duke to remove the tumor. The doctor was able to save the kidney. He is now home in recovery. He is thankful for all the prayers.
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Pray for our Missionaries!
Sue Singleton and the mission in Cambodia
Dr. Joe Jordan and the CBM (Cross and Bible Ministries)
Travis and Caroline Fennessy – IBM missionaries to Southeast Asia