God's Holy Fire: 'The Promised Gift'

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call."
— Acts 2:38-39 NIV

Key Thought

The first Pentecost after Jesus' death and resurrection was the birthday of Jesus' church. The Holy Spirit moved in Jesus' apostles; they proclaimed the good news to people from many parts of the Mediterranean area (Acts 2:8-11). Thousands were baptized, forgiven of their sins, and given the Holy Spirit as God's gift. But even in the greatness of that day, there was the promise of more great days to come. The promise of God's forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit are for all whom the Lord calls, including us and others he will call. By the power of the Holy Spirit, have you shared this message of promise, forgiveness, and power with others?

Today's Prayer

Father in heaven, I look back to the day that I confessed Jesus as Lord, called on him to be my Savior, and shared in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism. Please show me how I can thank you for this gift of grace. Please open my eyes to those around me who need to know of this promised gift! In Jesus' name, I ask this. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

44 Related Resources by Heartlight

The Gift
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"And Peter said to [the crowd on Pentecost], "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will...."
Acts 2:38
Devo: Today's Verse
"Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the..."
God's Universal Promise!
Devo: Unstoppable!
"[Peter's sermon on Pentecost led the people to ask what they should do.] Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be...."
Repent and Be Baptized!
Illustration of Acts 2:38
Inspirational illustration of Acts 2:38 -- Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children a
See All 44 Related Resources about Acts 2:38-39

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 2:38-39 NIV — "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, January 11, 2026

Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Psalms 102:13, 14
"A selfish man in trouble is exceedingly hard to comfort, because the springs of his comfort lie entirely within himself, and when he is sad all his..."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Colossians 2:9-10
"In Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Accepting False Praise' (Acts 12:20-22)
"Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon..."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Henry Ward Beecher:
"I never knew how to worship until I knew how to love."

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