Lazarus, Come Forth

Hello again! Sorry I haven't written anything in a few days. Believe me, it wasn't because there was nothing going on in my life; I haven't written because God is doing so much in my life and heart that I almost can't keep up. I am breathless with the changes that God has brought about in my life, and so excited to be able to share them with you.

The story of Lazarus is a miraculous one: dead for four days and Jesus raised him from the dead. This is not some fable or fairy tale, or even a feel good story, this is truth and reality. This is real. Can you imagine the happiness of his family as they watched him walk out of the tomb? Jesus overcame the grave over and over again, and I am happy to say Jesus has not stopped raising people from the dead, and I am the proof. Sure, I was walking around on two legs, breathing and eating and talking like a living person, but I was like a zombie: my body was going through the motions, but there was no true thought or purpose to it. Everything I did was whatever it took to feel good in that moment, with no worry for the consequences to my life or soul. But on August 4th, Jesus came to my tomb and told me to come forth, and I walked out alive and new. If you are saved, you know what I mean. If you aren't saved by the grace of Jesus, I could wish nothing more than that for you. To breathe, love, and live after being dead for so long is a feeling I will not soon forget (hopefully I never will). 

I am getting baptized! September 20th at South Side Baptist Church, I will openly commit my life to Christ. I am looking into baptism and the importance of it. I want to understand what I am doing, why I am doing it, and what it means for me. I know that it means I will truly be a member of that church, and that I am following Christ's example (internal pause: the fact that I can say I am following His example just put another big grin on my face), but what else does it mean? 

Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Acts 18:25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

So what does this all mean to me? Baptism is a way to join the church, and to follow Christ's example, but it is meant to be other things, as well. According to Mark, this is an act of repentance for my previous sins. The verse in Romans makes sense to me as well: we are emotional creatures, and God uses our emotions to try and reach us, and to help us understand His wishes. He uses this as an emotional reminder of the fact that Christ rose from the grave, to give us awe of Him that death has no power over Him, and to give us the chance to feel the same awakening that the dead feel after being raised. In the few seconds that I am dunked, and pulled back up, I get to experience in act what I felt in my heart the moment that God took over my life and reclaimed what was His. 

And Acts...well Acts is a gold mine for verses about baptism. Acts 18:25 tells me that true baptism has power to it. It is not just an act, but a powerful weapon of the spirit of God. Approached the correct way, baptism after salvation can help a person to be faithful and diligent in the ways of the Lord. Acts 2:38 tells me that baptism coupled with salvation is a way to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 22:16 tells me that, when I called on the name of the Lord my sin was washed away, and baptism is a part of that process. 

My favorite verse, though, is Galatians 3:27. The bible is clear that salvation through Christ is all that is required to go to heaven, and a few years ago, that is all I would have cared about: going to heaven, not hell. I would have wanted the reward of heaven without understanding that being a Christian is not just about going to heaven, but it is also about living for God on earth. Don't get me wrong, I definitely want heaven, but I also want God in my day to day life, and the verse in Galatians tells me that by being baptized in Christ, I will have put on Christ. To me, that doesn't mean that by being dunked in a tub of water, I will have put on Christ; what it means is that, by letting my heart, soul, and life be baptized in the love of Christ and the way of God, I can become more Christ-like. According to the bible, being baptized is a meaningful part of that process. 

And so, I am terribly excited about September 20. I am kind of glad that I am going to wait until then, because that gives me time to pray and reflect on what I am doing. I am very much the type of person to rush in to something without thinking first, but I want to be fully aware of what I am doing, and the wonderful consequences of that decision. I want to be sober in spirit about it, and give the act of my baptism the respect it deserves. 

Wow, that was longer than I thought it would be. When God starts giving me words, I just start typing and forget about the length. Better a long post that gives out the full message that God wants me to spread, then a short one that leaves something out! Just a few more very very very quick updates:

I saw War Room yesterday, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to feel some fire in their heart about prayer. I believe that God puts these movies and books in front of us for the same reason that He puts pastors and sermons in front of us: to keep us on fire for Him. 

Also, in an effort to rejoin the living after so many years of hiding out behind my sorrow, bitterness, bipolar, and depression, I am starting to exercise and take better care of myself. The bible says to do all things for the glory of God, and that should include every part of my life. I know that my heart is the most important thing, but it is not the only part of my life that should reflect God. Everything I do should be an example of living my life the way God meant for it to be lived, and that is to the fullest. 

Oh yeah, I also forgot that I promised to talk about my new bible study based on Courageous, but I promise, that is coming tomorrow. I would say scouts honor, but I was never a boy scout, so...

God bless and talk to you tomorrow!