Splish!! Splash!!

Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Luke 12:8-9 (New Living Translation)

8"And I assure you of this: If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I, the Son of Man, will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God's angels. 9But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before God's angels."

Holy cow! So my pastor talked about baptizing and what it means and so on. Many people look at it different ways. THere are a lot of people really embarrassed to do it (they don't like to be pulled out of a crowd), some are embarrassed cuz they're ashamed of how they might look after they've been dunked under water, or they don't like their body and don't even want to dress up in a old shirt and shorts (you don't have to be in a bathing suit). Many Christians look at it as more of what the Bible means theologically through baptizing, in that, if you've confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved, and that baptism doesn't have to happen in order to be saved, but it's just more of a symbol/tradition.

Now I don't know if the latter is really all that wrong, well, I guess I didn't until my pastor (who didn't say that was wrong) brought up many verses that is says,.."and be baptized and you will be saved." Implying that you must believe, confess, and get baptized and THEN you will be saved.

But the best part of the sermon was when Curt (my pastor) focused it all on you heart, and how great of a declaration you would make for God in front of public, in front of some of the scariest people that you know. Would you testify to God's greatness? He also....Oh, before I continue, I must really make sure that you know that I'm a really horrible paraphraser, and I get things wrong a lot, but hopefully God can still use me. Continue: Curt also was saying that many people don't get opened to all of God's blessings, getting filled with LIFE because they are NOT exactly acknowledging their Lord with the way they live.

Many people were baptized young, as in younger than say fifteen, when at that point, one really must question what good was the baptism if the baptisee(?) isn't making a public acknowledgement to God for his/her own heart. Many people were baptized very young, some even as tiny babies, and now, years later they say, "ya, sure! I'm saved! I've been baptized," all the while they're out having pre-marital sex, lying, stealing, into pornography, and doing drugs in their day to day lives. Where's God?

So while baptizing is truly a VERY public display of acknowledging your Lord God, Creator of all, your Father, does it mean anything if you're not willing to acknowledge God in all that you do? Acknowledging Him at work, with your friends, helping someone out, smiling at a homeless person, shoot, giving them food, or in the way that you talk and act?

And you know what? I made the choice to get baptized when I was probably around 12 or 13yrs old...And I can honestly tell you that my mom had a alot to do with it. Yes, I made the choice, but then I got really embarrassed and wanted to back out of it, but mom was there. Unfortunately, being in your twenties is a lot different from pre-teen, and I definately could of chosen different things, you know, in the way of acknowledging God. There were many times that I failed miserably...So I can honestly say that I NEED to show baptism of my heart! I need a lot of work. And when Curt asked if any more people wanted to be baptized today....I was too embarrassed, and instead of following most of the church family to the lake after the service today, my husband I went and returned clothes to Old Navy, went to Home Depot and to Best Buy. I still have a lot to learn. Why am I embarassed? Am I embarrassed of God? Hmmm.....that's not good. And I'm a bit bothered about my hesitation.

God,, I have a disobediant heart! For Sure!!! I need help! I've forgotten Your Word and You wisdom and Your Love. I've forgotten to invest in You and me time. I need passion. Please help!

Yours truly,

Lucky Ga

Would You Like To Hear the Good News First, Or the Bad News? The Choice is ALL Yours.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Current mood: determined
Category: Life

The BAD News: I'm Sorry.

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.

So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.

That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.

When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.~Romans 1 (NLT)


The GOOD News:

This Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus, who came as a man, born into King David's royal family line. And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit.~Romans 1

I Plead Guilty: This Is What I've Done.

Good thing God also says how much he loves us, and that he forgives us for all the stuff above and the other things we do. I've never committed adultery, I've never murdered or had un-natural relations with the same sex, and never had pre-marital sex. BUT I've lied, gossiped, hated, envied, cheated, deceived, and lied even more, was proud, boastful, didn't forgive, broke promises, dishonored my parents, lied again, and have been heartles, disobeyed, had evil thoughts, lost conrol of my tongue, faught (in 6th grade), and disrespected God. And probably lied some more.



Even I can't possibly remember all that I've done, probably cuz I didn't want to remember how horrible I am, and more than likely justified my actions many times. But the key to being freed from that guilt is asking for forgiveness. But asking forgiveness should penetrate up into the heavens as well as to your parents, family, and friends, because it is only until you ask God for forgiveness that you will not have to answer to them--freeing you from the debt of hurting God and disobeying. The debt of SIN. BUT, what god do you think you're talking to if you completely pass over and ignore Jesus all while rolling your eyes? The whole point of Jesus was so that YOU wouldn't be condemned. The the capital S. I. N. in you that condemns you to an eternity separated from God, (which man, if that whole business about God and Jesus is true, that's probably gonna suck), was taken away by Jesus in your life, assuming that you have confessed with your mouth, and believed in your heart that Jesus is Lord (not just a mere man, who was married and died of natural causes, leaving out the MIRACLE). And now that you have put faith in God (although it can be really hard at times and easier in others), the S.I.N is literally washed away, down the drain, and you merely perform minor sins that no matter how big they might seem or are, how ugly they are, no matter what kind of consequence(s) you reap from them, absolutely none of them can condemn you, cuz you believe that Jesus had truly taken care of them on the cross for your life, which means that God will say, "hey, no biggy! I'll just forgive when you want me to, and then we can keep trying. Sound good? It might be tough to stop the sins, but repent and receive my forgiveness and receive my love, cuz you're absolutely worth it every single time. Come to think of it, you are worth it for all of eternity, which by the way, you have absolutely no way of comprehending how long that is, cuz there are some things that I didn't give you the ability to understand cuz it's not worth you worrying your little heart out over 'em, but it's REALLY a long time. Oh ya, and I'm God, not you, so I know more than you ever will, but please, do ask for my wisdome, cuz I love dish'n it out." And believe me, God totally talks like that.

So for all of those peeps out there who say, "If there is a God, he has a lot of questions to answer!"

Well, if there is a God, do you think that he owes you anything? God is above ALL royalty and he is soveriegn. Ya, that means he's above you.

sovereign:
One that exercises supreme, permanent authority. Self-governing; independent: a sovereign state. Having supreme rank or power. Of superlative strength or efficacy. Unmitigated

God says he looks at the heart, and that the tongue speaks from the heart. He says that we are sinners that need to be obedient and repent to him. He says we "need" to, but doesn't say we "have" to. He gave us a choice, and tells us specifically how our eternity is affected.

If you truly believe that you have all the facts about the Bible, and yet still argue that it is made up and a conspiracy that the church used to get people to follow their rules and what not, then I suggest that you talk to unbiased experts in anthropology, history, cultural history, religion, phylosophy, science, and then talk to believers in all these areas (pastors who also know history, religion, phylosophy, ect.) and even non-believers at that. You want facts, great, they're out there by the plenty. Accomodating many specific facts are many miracles that one with faith believes. When you take out the miracle cuz someone couldn't give you any explanation other than there is a God, you take out the Mighty, All Powerful, Sovereign Creator who breathed life into you, who designed you with purpose, beauty, strength, wisdom, and with his glory.

Take caution when relying on your own wisdom. Your eternity depends on it. You could always say, "God, if you are really real, then please help me to understand you and break down my unbelieving heart, cuz I'm having trouble believing, but I realize I need to give up on what I think, and truly seek out from your Word and through those that serve you, to find out who you truly are, and what you truly say about me."

God says to ask for wisdom, but don't if your heart is filled with un-belief: "If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do."~James1