Why Be Baptized?

Acts of the Apostles tells an amazing story that has a promise for us. What changed Peter from fear and denying Jesus to being a bold Christ follower?  

Acts 2: 1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. ^2:2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ^2:3And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. ^2:4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

After receiving this, Peter stood up and gave one awesome sermon and gave the listeners a challenge action step.  

Act 2: 37-40 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? ^2:38And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ^2:39For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.

Baptism comes with a gift and the promise it to you and your children and to all.  The gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel of John



John 21:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
 ²⁵ Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

The gospel of John is such a treasure because it was written by a first hand eye witness to Jesus.   I love the verse "We know that his testimony is true."  If I had to lose every other book of the Bible, I would hold on to the Gospel of John.  The richness, the love, the images:  

"the light of the world"^[8:12]

"the gate of the sheep"^[10:7]

"the good shepherd"^[10:11]

"the resurrection and the life"^[11:25]

"the way, the truth, and the life"^[14:6]

"the real vine"^[15:1][8]

"the bread of life" 6:35

It is no wonder, the Gospel of John is often first recommended to new believers or to those who have never read the bible. 

Ask

My mom used to say the same thing over in over in conversations.  I hate to admit it, but I do the same thing.  I think sometimes we just really want to know we were heard.  More than once I have heard, "OK, I get it."  In the gospel of John, Jesus in the last night He shared with His disciples repeated some important truths.  John 14:13,  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.   And again, John 15:7, ⁷ If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. And again, John 15:16,  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  Also John 16:23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

I don't understand why some prayers aren't answered.  I think the book of John gives us keys to answered prayer.  Will the Father be glorified, verse 13?  Are we abiding in Jesus, verse 16?  And are our prayers for bearing fruit, verse 16?  I don't know all the ins and outs of prayer.  I do know that we were told to ASK, ASK, ASK.  I pray for people and ASK for Spiritual blessings, Physical blessings, Emotional blessings and for them to have God's wisdom.  I pray believing that God's Will, will be done.  I believe my prayer is what Jesus wants me to do.        

The Shortest Verse in the Bible

John 11:35  "Jesus Wept"  This is the shortest verse in the Bible and every time I read John chapter 11 the story of Jesus raising Lazarus, I tear up.  Jesus not only had his disciples, he had friends He loved.  This family Lazarus, Mary and Martha play prominent roles in the gospels.  Mary 11:2 "anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair".  Martha, Luke 10:40   But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" And finally Lazarus John 11:3 "Lord, he whom you love is ill."  We know the gospel says Jesus waited until Lazarus died "so that the Son of God may be glorified."

Why did Jesus cry?  He knew he was going to raise Lazarus.  I love verse 33.  "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved and in his spirit and greatly troubled."  Jesus was human, he was God, but he felt love and felt sadness.  Death is the consequence of a sin stained world.  Just like a loving parent, we hurt when we see the children we love hurt.  We wish we could keep them safe and from stupid mistakes and bad consequences but we can't.  The pain we feel, He understands.  This chapter is our hope.  Here is our command when we are in sorrow.  Verse 40, Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"   Believing when you are in sorrow is difficult, sometimes if feels impossible.  It hurts so bad, we have prayed and prayed and prayed and yet this has happened.  Faith is not a feeling, it is a choice.  Here is my prayer when I am buffeted with sorrow. Hear what another troubled parent said in Mark 9:24, Lord,“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 

   

The Abundant Life

John 10:7-11

Therefore Jesus said again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it  abundantly.

   ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

I struggle in my life resisting God's call. Dying to self is not easy. Like so many spiritual truths it is counter intuitive.  Jesus promises an abundant life.  There have been periods in my life of testing and sorrow where I did not feel the abundant life.  Hebrews 11:1, Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. When I struggle Lord, help me to choose to believe, to choose to believe what I do not see.  To believe that You came that I might have life and have it abundantly.  I claim and stand on what You said. Amen  

The Bread of Life

John 6:35-40 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Jesus was speaking these words the day after He feed the 5000.  After feeding the crowd, Jesus had to withdraw to the mountain because He knew they wanted to take Him and make Him their King.  He knew they were missing the point. They wanted physical bread, Magic Jesus is what some people want.  They want the outside world to be fixed. Jesus came with a message their intellect could not understand.  If it didn't make sense, they couldn't believe.  On a daily basis we accept many things we don't understand. We believe Cancer exists, yet we are not really sure why it starts in some but not in others.  We believe in life, yet we only have theories about creation but some people believe strongly in evolution.  Yet for some, believing in Jesus is foolish, yet they have never studied the possibility that this person was either a raving lunatic or really who He said he was.  The Case for Christ, was written by an atheist turned Christian.  He was the former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune who wrote the book after a two year investigation. I encourage Christians to read his book to help when non-believers struggle with such a revolutionary idea of Jesus. God who became a man, to die so that we might believe in Him and share in eternal life that starts the day they accept Him. 



Breaking The Rules

John 4 tells one of my favorites stories in revealing how Jesus broke all the rules (man made rules).  When Jesus was going to Galilee he went through a Samaritan Town.  Today that would be like going through a bad neighborhood where there was hatred on both sides.  John clearly said in verse 9, "Jews have no dealings with Samaritans".  But Jesus ignored the years of hatred and looked at the heart.  Jesus spoke, not only to a Samaritan, but to a woman!!  And what a woman!  First it says it was the 6th hour.  This is around noon, and women drew water together in the early morning, before it got hot or the cool of the evening.  This woman came alone, no friends to hang out at the water cooler!  We also find out, this woman had had 5 husbands and now with living with someone.  In her town she was a slut!  The women hated her and the men looked down upon her.  Jesus knew all of this.  Her race, her lifestyle didn't stop Jesus from His mission to spread the gospel, the good news.  To this woman, sinner, racially mixed person he shared His true identity of being the Messiah. The story continues to amaze me.  This woman had just found the Messiah!!  What joy she must have felt.  The Messiah had reached out and touched her!!  She could have ended there with happiness but she goes to the town.  She goes to the people who hate her and wants them to come to Jesus.  Verse 29 says, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.  Can this be the Christ?"  Ah, smart woman.  She already knew it was the Christ, but she knew if she told them, they would laugh and ignore her.  She played the one down and asked them to determine for her if he was the Christ. Because of this woman, with questionable moral character verse 39 says, "Many Samaritans from that town belived in Him..." And more amazing, He stayed with them TWO days!  His disciples must have been blown away!!  Jesus asks us to follow his example.  Ignore the outside trappings of lifestyle, gender, and race and look at the heart. God wants us all to be His children.        

What did Mary know?

John 2 tells us the story of Jesus's first sign at the wedding feast at Cana. We all know the story, Jesus went to a wedding with his mother and his disciples. They ran out of wine. What an embarrassment! Just like a mom who knew Her Son well, she just said, "they have no wine". They didn't have a big conversation, because Jesus knew his mother and Mary knew her son. Verses 4-5, "and Jesus said to her, Woman,what does that have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." his mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you". Remember my earlier blog, Mary treasured things in her heart? She knew better than anyone all the miracles that lead up to his birth and early life. How did she know he could somehow help their family friends out of humiliation? As believers, do we know Jesus? Do we know what to ask? Knowing Jesus and remembering things in our hearts should help our faith to ask. We know what Mary knew, her son was from God and He loves us, we are His family, just ask.

Why are you sleeping?

Last words are usually very important.  The last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before being taken into custody before his death in Luke 22:46 are "Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation".   Each of us has to do this for ourselves.  Where are we asleep spiritually?  Where is our temptation?  Most of the time, we don't know the answer.  Because of this, Jesus asks us to pray for ourselves, that we do not enter into tempation.  Jesus taught this before in the Lord's prayer, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."     Anyone? Bueler?

Watch Yourselves

Luke 21:34-36  But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day may come upon you suddenly like a trap.  For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.  In my teen years, it was widely preached Jesus would return soon.  We were told the time clock started in 1948 when Israel became a nation again after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans.  We are still waiting.  But if Jesus comes for us at the end of the world or if He comes for us at the end of our lives, the command is no different. The message of Living for Christ is one of joy. The kingdom of God is now.  Stay awake and Live For Jesus.       

Persistent Prayer

 Luke 18  The Parable of the Persistnt Widow is my favorite on prayer.  The story talks about a widow who continually goes to a judge, who neither fears God or respects man.  The judge finally gives her what she wants so that "she will not beat me down by her continual coming".  Verse 6 is our promise from Jesus, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.  And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"   This story reminds me of my mom.  Sometimes I think she is still in heaven going to Jesus for us.  My mom loved to talk and was a prayer warrior (family trait?).  Prayer is a way for us to stand in the gap for our loved ones.  We stand in faith believing what we do not see but accepting in our hearts it is done.       

The Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:24 Now Great Crowds accompanied Him and He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Wow!  True Christ followers are challenged by these words. My first marriage broke over my faith. The path afterward nearly broke me. I still have scars, but just like Job, he restored to me a double portion.  God isn't asking us to hate, he is asking us to love Him more than all of these.  Loving God more than ourselves is the true challenge. A common joke for our time is "It is all about me".  If we can put God in a nice box and bring Him out on Sunday morning, we think we have done our duty.  I have always been challenged by Revelations 3:15-16 I know your deeds, that your are neither hot nor cold, I wish you were one or the other, but because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Christianity isn't for wimps.              

Judge for yourselves what is right.

Luke 12;57 And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?  As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge and judge hand you over to the officer; and the officer put you in prison.  I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny. 

This is a very stern command from Jesus.  It puts the responsibility on us to make right judgements.  How do we make right judgements when groups either religious like the Jim Jones cult or popular opinion like a world gone politically correct attempt to alter our beliefs?  Jesus knew we would need guidance. He left us with tools that help us.  We must use them.  First he left us with our true source, The Bible.  Do my beliefs agree with the Bible?  We must read the Bible for ourselves and seek the truth.  Second, He left us with the Holy Spirit.  Luke 11:13 states., "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"  Ask for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you instead of your own wisdom.  He gave us other believers,Hebrews 10:25, "And do not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another". Many have related this to attending church, but I see this as being in community and small groups.  You can sit annonymously in church and be a taker, but being in community goes both ways. Sharing life with other Christians challenges us and it may challenge them if either of us are making poor judgements.  Revelations 12:10 tells us the accuser of the brethren has been hurled down. The devil finally shut up.  If this accuser would go to the judgement seat of God and accuse me, I want to be able to stand up and settle the manner and God say, "Well done good and faithful servant".    

Take up his cross daily and follow Me

Luke 9:23-24 and He said to all, "if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save His life will lose it, but whomever loses his life for my sake will save it". Tough words for most of us. So much of what Jesus preached was counter intuitive to our own wisdom. What am I saving my life for? What and where is my time spent? My first dent into chiseling my hard head is a commitment to spending my first fruits of my day with reading God's Word. While my spirit is willing, there are days I feel stressed or rushed and would rather skip my time in the Word. Daily, I will take up this sacrifice of MY TIME. When doing this, something amazing happens, I find LIFE! Being a Christ follower is a sacrifice of our time and of our our wisdom or how we think, to being open to changing our time, our thoughts and our behaviors to line up with God. Dear Lord, I am a sinner and so stubborn. Please help me to learn this amazing surrender to lose my life to find True Life in You.

Women accompanying Jesus

Luke 8:1-3 and the 12 were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene from whom 7 demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of theirs means. WHO PROVIDED OUT OF THEIR MEANS! We know very little about these women, but the gospel has bits and pieces about women throughout it. Women held jobs and had money, not our usual image of women of the day. What is my means? What can I provide, that Jesus needs? As we look at our lives, we are not only wanted by Jesus, but needed.

On another note, thanks to my daughter and Anthony for buying me a kindle! I LOVE reading the Bible on my kindle! As for blogging, thanks to George a friend and brother in Christ from Nashville for the IPad!

"I Will"

Luke 5:12-13 lord if you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." Every time I read when Jesus responds to us, I get choked up. Jesus is still speaking to us, I will....He will...make us clean. He will, we must ask according to his will and He Will.

Jesus prayed

Luke 5:16 But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray. The gospels often tell us about Jesus taking the time away from His disciples to pray. Oh, to be a fly on the wall to hear how Jesus prayed. We know his disciples asked him how to pray and we got The Lord's Prayer. I am a person of prayer. My mother modeled prayer. As a child, the rosary came on the radio at 2:00 every day. Sometimes, I think the tide of our country turned when this stopped. My mother was so upset. What a great role model I had of prayer and love of God. As a child, I had a long prayer list. One night, I woke up slumped but still on my knees. I had fallen asleep praying. When my mother passed away, she told me, I must now take over and pray for our family. I have not always been faithful to this commission. There have been times of dry spells, but I always came back. Each day, I start with the Lord's prayer, asking "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in My Lfe, as it is in heaven. I also bless people. I call it my SPEW prayer. I ask that God bless each person I name out loud, Spritually, Physically, Emotionally and with Wisdom. I know if we pray in accordance to God's will, it will be done. This spew prayer IS GOD'S WILL. I also pray for specific requests. Dear Jesus, give me wisdom in my prayer life. Teach your child how You prayed. When You left earth, You sent The Holy Spirit to be in us. I pray this day for His leading and collaboration in my prayers.

Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit

Right after Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, He began his ministry.  Luke 4:14 says, "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country."  First, fasting, this is a long lost practice.  being raised Catholic I remember fasting from meat on Friday's.  This was relaxed and it became only during lent.  Fasting is a way to humble ourselves before God and seek him.  I know when I am hungry, I am always thinking about food!  When we purposely fast, when we hunger we set out thoughts to God.  Last year, I started fasting on Tuesday's by having only liquids until dinner.  Not sure when, but somehow it got forgotten.  I commit to this year again, fasting on Tuesday.  My initial prayer and supplication will be part 2 of this verse.  I want to pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit.  I am so used to me being in control from dawn to dusk.  I want to learn to be led, and listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit in my life.     

Mary treasured these things in her heart

Luke 2:19 but Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Being named for Mary, and dedicated at her altar as a baby, I read about her with a special connection. She loved God even as a child. As a probable teen, she accepted God's calling on her life, and as a mother loved Jesus as her son. Simeon told her that a sword will pierce through her own soul. When I read this my eyes water. I have not felt the sword of losing a child, but have felt a knife. Mother's love their sons. Mary would have rather Jesus grow up, maybe get a good carpenter business and marry so she could play with his children and as the first son, take care of her. God's plan was different. It is a hard pill to swallow when our plans for our children don't pan out the way we envisioned when we nurtured our baby and imagined their future. I constantly bring to my pondering that God loves them MORE than we do. Hard to conceive of this truth. This is where we must stand in faith, just like Mary.

Mark 16:17-18

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; they will drink any deadly poison and it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and the will recover. This ending in Mark as I read today made me ponder. Was this a prophecy by Jesus for the early church or a prophecy for the church until His return? Lord, give me wisdom on your Word. We have all heard about crazy churches that handle snakes to prove they are followers of Jesus. They use faith like a circus act. If I pick up a snake, it isn't going to make people believe in Jesus. While I don't doubt God can still do miracles, I believe we must be led by the Holy Spirit not capricious whims. I also believe we need to be open and listening to step out in faith with baby steps to grow...