Tuesday, July 14, 2015

FOR THOSE WHO THINK ABOUT BEING BAPTIZED

There is something about God that is mysterious; even uncanny.  Some who don't know for sure if they even believe in Him find themselves (at least secretly) wondering if this faith thing might have a substance of reality.

I understand any who doubt.  I am sympathetic to all of us who labor over trying to get this spirit side of life to take form.  I've been in this long enough that I should have more answers.  But God is so "God" that the more I learn of Him the behinder I get; He's just so immeasurably immeasurable.

One of the elements of Christianity which seems to begin to creep into one's mind is the question of baptism.  I can't explain why this goes on; nor how.  It just does.

Baptism is a big deal to God.  It, however, is not God to the extent that baptism is where we concentrate to the point once immersed then done with commitment to the Kingdom.  It is highly significant.  In Jesus' command for the disciples to go into all of the world, he stressed that the hearers were to be taught and baptized.

When Peter delivered the first sermon in Acts, repentance followed by baptism was the message.

Two things go on when one is buried in a grave of water.  Sins are washed away and we receive the Holy Spirit of God to help us get done the powerful things of life which the flesh is too weak to carry out.  See, the love, joy, peace, patience, etc., that the Spirit bears in us does so because--on our own--we give up out of weariness.

No one is too bad to consider being baptized.  Some don't believe they are good enough.  None of us are....and that's the point.  We finally have to acknowledge that our efforts of being good enough to go to Heaven when we die is not going to happen. Only Jesus was good enough.

He, therefore, makes us right with God by taking on all of our wrongs...II Cor. 5:21. This is for you.  This is for me.  This is for us.

I believe that the famous and the non, the rich and the poor, are called by God to one day end our lives of self-sufficiency and begin all over.  This is one of the greatest, strongest blessings for mankind,  We can actually begin life again while still being us. This is mysterious if not profoundly magic!

Who should be baptized?  One who is tired, tired of trying to get this life to produce.  It won't.  It will have leeches of draining failure connected to every accomplishment.  We can be set free from this pattern.  To be buried in Jesus is to start life over.

Many reading this want it.  Contact me privately, if you want.  No one will know.  You may have much closer friends who can encourage you.  Email me at trush@memorialdrive.org if I could cheer you on.  Your spirit will give you the nudge to do something about moving to the heart of God.

Be encouraged.  There is new life abundant for each.  May we experience what we are each designed to walk...a whole new life!

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