Outward Expression of Inward Faith: Baptism Testimony

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 

~Romans 6:4

I didn’t grow up going to church, but there was a Bible in the house that I would periodically flip through towards the end of middle school. It wasn’t until I was 15, though, that I truly believed God existed. A family friend’s daughter was in need of a liver transplant and there was a message on our answering machine asking for prayer one night in December 2003 because a donor match had been found and the transplant surgery was going to be that night. That message was left a few days after my dad had gotten back from Germany to visit his dying father, so before I went to bed, I said a little prayer for God to watch over the surgery and to have mercy on my grandfather so he didn’t have to suffer anymore. The next morning I could hear my parents talking in the kitchen saying that the transplant surgery had gone well, for which I was thankful. My dad wandered upstairs and asked me if I’d heard so I told him yeah that all was well after the surgery. His response was, “Yea and Opa died last night.” After I got past the initial shock of him passing away came the realization that God must truly exist since I had two prayers answered in one night.
Upon further exploration in the Bible and gaining an understanding of my family history, I became more aware that things didn’t just happen by chance and that God was in charge. By many accounts, I should never have been born given I had a great-grandfather buried alive in WWI and a grandmother who just so happened to leave a bunker during WWII that was bombed a week later. Also, what’s the likelihood of a mother growing up in Long Island and a father growing up in Germany and meeting at a campground in Vermont, staying in contact and getting married 8 years later?

Once I was in college, I began going to church with a friend of mine, but there was still a lot I didn’t know or understand. Also, I was still convinced that I could be in charge of my life, but that all changed in the fall of 2011. They always say you get closest to God when you hit rock bottom, and in 2011, that’s exactly what happened to me. All of my so-called success in college failed to get me a job and because of my bitterness, I watched many of my closest friendships crumble and be taken away for a season. It was at that point that I knew I needed to repent and give Jesus total control of my life.

Over the past year, because of my sporadic unemployment, I’ve been blessed with the ability to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief and have met many amazing people who have become like family to me. It was my way of living out Matthew 28:19 and going out to make “disciples of all nations” and serve Jesus. Except I slowly began to realize that I was being disobedient by trying to ignore the, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” portion of the verse by not being baptized myself, which is why I’m here today. I’ve reached that point in my life where I know that I’m a sinner just like everybody else that walks the Earth, and I can’t do anything to change God’s opinion of me or have Him love me any more or less than He already does. He’s relentlessly sought me and been knocking on the door of my heart in the hopes that I would accept the grace that He extends to everybody. Only by God’s grace am I saved, as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9. Christ died on the Cross in order to pay the ultimate price for my past, present, and future sins. There’s nothing I can do to save myself; it’s all Jesus. He loves me so much that He was willing to die for me in order to restore my relationship with God. That’s an unfathomable amount of love for the human heart and mind to comprehend, but it’s also the source of immense joy once it’s accepted!
Learning about God’s grace and mercy taught me that He’s forgiven me for my desire to control every aspect of my life and for those selfish and condemning thoughts that pop into mind when things didn’t/don’t “go my way.” There’s nothing I can do to change His opinion of me when I’m clothed in the righteousness of Christ because of the blood He shed for my sake. Along with that, I’ve finally realized that God knows what is best for my life, as much as I have tried to convince myself otherwise. This has been quite liberating for a planner such as myself, and I no longer feel that I must know what’s going to happen tomorrow because I can trust that He already does and will help me through whatever I might encounter. Putting my trust in Jesus and relying on God’s grace has helped me slowly find the peace of mind I’ve been searching for.

Applying Luke 6:28 to Lance Armstrong

"Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." ~Luke 6:28

I had no interest in watching last night's broadcast of Lance Armstrong's interview with Oprah, mainly because the crucial aspects of the interview had already been leaked and confirmed earlier in the week. Lance Armstrong finally admitted to doping and lying for over a decade. What's hard to swallow is how he thought it was okay to do that, and also sue those who were telling the truth this whole time. If I were any of those people who got thrown under the bus by Lance, I would have a bitter taste in my mouth and question the motives behind his admission now. It's easy to want to hate him, revile him, slander him, and desire revenge, but that's not what this post is about. 

Anybody who knows me well knows that I can't stand liars. I would rather somebody punch me in the face than feel compelled to lie to my face because at least I can trust the person who punched me. I would find it hard to forgive Lance Armstrong for his lies, manipulation, deceit, and strong arming for over a decade, but forgiveness is what needs to be extended. It shouldn't occur over night, but those wronged by Lance must forgive in order to move on and get on with their lives. As hard as it is to fathom, we are called to forgive and pray for those who have wronged us. The mercy that God has extended to us is the same mercy that we should extend to others. It is my hope that those hurt by Lance Armstrong, and the list is lengthy I'm sure, can get to a point of forgiveness and will pray for him. 

Heart for the Lost

Do you ever feel drawn to certain people, but you don't know why? I've come to notice that I tend to interact with people in life and in social media who are struggling with issues and feel lost. I'm not quite sure why I'm drawn to such people. Maybe it's because I have such an intense desire to help and encourage others, even though I know that my impact on their circumstances is minimal. Maybe it's because the broken are always more honest and open about who they really are and I thrive on honesty. I'd much rather spend time with an admitted alcoholic than somebody who appears to have it all together, but is hiding part of who they really are. I don't have time for shams because I can always sense it.
I think a lot of it lies within my personality. I've taken the DISC personality test and there's no question that I represent steadiness. If I look at the list of attributes for someone with a steady personality, I come across the following: demonstrating patience, helping others, showing loyalty, being a good listener, and calming excited people. I like to think that my personality has some striking similarities to this list, which reinforces why I am drawn to those that others might not give the time to get to know. I've also taken surveys that highlight spiritual gifts, and the winners for me tend to be having mercy and encouragement. I have always noticed that I'm blessed with the ability to encourage certain individuals at just the right time, or I feel moved to send an encouraging text or email for no real reason. There are some who find this a bit odd, but I'm a firm believer in the fact that everybody needs a kind word to get through the day sometimes, so why not send something in the hopes of brightening a person's day?
My point in all of this is the fact that we all need to be sensitive to other people's needs and try our best to understand how we might be able to reach out and touch others. We are living in a difficult time where violence and unrest seem to be sprouting up and the most important thing for us to do is share the Gospel and have a heart for the lost. Proverbs 24:11 says, "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to slaughter." All around us everyday are people who meet this description. There are so many lost people out there who are caught up in greed, addiction, idolatry, and adultery that need a kind word of encouragement and deserve to hear about the Lord. Heaven is not for people who have their lives together, but for misfits who realize they need a Savior. Nobody is good enough in God's eyes, which is why we are saved by grace and it's the job of Christians to share this message with the world. It won't be easy, but take the time to consider your words when sharing with other people. They might not feel worthy or knowledgeable about God or Christianity. Try to formulate sentences to allow them to open their hearts to the possibility that they are wrong. Tell them to pray and believe in Jesus. God is the one who will save them in the end, but have a heart for the lost and be the salt and the light in somebody's life before it's too late.

Good Friday: The Crucifixion

"At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' (which means 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, 'Listen, he’s calling Elijah.' Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, 'Surely this man was the Son of God!'" ~Mark 15:33-39

The Crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans can be found in all four of the Gospels. The events leading up to it are a bit sad. Jesus was first betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane for thirty pieces of silver. Then Pilate chose to save his reputation by not deciding the fate of Jesus. Pilate sent Jesus in front of Herod as an attempt to dodge making a decision, only to have Herod send Jesus back. Then the crowd chose to have the terrorist, Barabbas released, instead of seeing Jesus go free. Jesus was eventually sentenced for insurrection and was then mocked, spit on, and beaten to within inches of His life before being forced to carry a cross while wearing a crown of thorns. Jesus was so badly beaten that another man actually had to carry His cross to the sight of the Crucifixion.

The Crucifixion is extremely significant in the Christian faith because Christ was crucified as a sacrifice for our sins. His blood was spilled so that we could be forgiven for the sins we committed and will commit. Jesus serves as our bridge of reconciliation to God. Without faith and belief in Jesus, we cannot know the Father. It is only through Him that we can receive God's grace. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Without the Christ crucified, there would be no hope.

As you enjoy your Good Friday, make sure to take time to think about the significance of Christ's sacrifice for us. Also, think about how much God must truly love you to choose to sacrifice his Son in order to save our fallen souls. He wanted to reconcile us to Himself so that we have the chance to spend eternity with Him in heaven (For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ~John 3:16). That is true love at it's finest, and nobody can deny it. Never forget that God loves you for who you are and that He demonstrated that love by having Jesus hang on a cross for your sins. And Jesus died for our sins once and for all, which Paul reminds us of in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 

Shine Brilliantly

I am not sure who wrote the following article, other than it being a woman from Sullivan County, NY. It was in the local newspaper and my mother was kind enough to pass it along to me in the mail.

"I have read that the most precious and expensive jewels are displayed against a backdrop of black material so that when light shines upon them they appear to shine most brilliantly. They are best showcased in darkness.
Many times we may feel plunged into darkness as we experience the trials and tribulations, the sorrows and suffering and pain of life. I'm sure that's how Job must have felt. He was a very wealthy man who was God-fearing, upright and blameless. He suddenly lost everything he had - his ten children, his numerous herds, and finally his health. His wealth was reduced to nothing, and as he sat in the ash heap nursing his wounds, the darkness was closing in.
But Job knew God would never forsake him, and he continued to talk to Him about what was happening. He says in Job 23:17, 'Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.'
He came to the conclusion that, 'when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.' (Job 23:10).
When precious jewels are displayed in darkness, a light shines above them, causing them to shine and sparkle more brightly. When we find ourselves enveloped in darkness, we must keep our focus on the Lord, our source of light. If we look away, all will remain dark. But as we look to the light, we shine more brightly as God's light is reflected in us.
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts...we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:6-9).
The darkness that God allows in our lives to showcase us in not an evil that will ultimately destroy us, but a darkness in which we may draw attention to the light within and let God shine through us. When the darkness has finished its work, we will come forth as gold. If we do not fight against the darkness, but learn from it and let God work in and through us, it will be removed when it has completed its purpose.
Job remained faithful to the Lord during this time of great darkness, even defending God to others. When the time was complete, Job had a better understanding of who God was and God removed the darkness.
All was restored to Job, and even multiplied. He had ten more children, and his herds and wealth were doubled. 'The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first' (Job 42:12). Never give up on God, no matter how dark things look. He is faithful to see us through."

Why Are You Trying to Escape?

Runners always get asked why they run. Some do it for good health. Others do it to maintain their stress and sanity. But there are plenty of runners who admit that they run as a form of escape. They want to either escape their job, their home, or even their own reality. Instead of meeting issues head on and trying to determine the best course in life, they choose to escape and avoid making any worthwhile decisions. I'm not saying that this is necessarily bad or that I myself have not done it in the past, but there comes a time when you have to stop trying to escape and actually face the music. For example, I have had to confront the reality of my depression instead of living in denial that I deal with it. Once I accepted that it is a part of who I am, I was able to focus on how I can overcome situations where I become depressed. Instead of outrunning the problem, I admitted that I had one, which gave me the strength to ensure it does not rule my life and define my existence.
I believe that many people desperately try to outrun their past and feel unworthy of Christ's love. This is very unfortunate because the truth of the matter is that Jesus and the Father will love you no matter what. They just want you to trust in them to control your life so that you rely on them instead of your own instincts. "No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength...We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield." ~Psalm 33:16, 20. This verse directs us to putting our hope in God because we cannot do anything without Him in order to save ourselves. There is no sense trying to outrun our past when God knows all and is the only one who can truly bring us comfort and help. No matter what you have done in life, Christ is the great intercessor between you and God and as long as you love Jesus and go to him for help, you are never alone. This hope can be found in Hebrews 7:25, which clearly states, "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
My hope is that people will find encouragement through the love of Jesus so that they do not feel the need to run away and hide. It is very difficult going through life feeling unworthy and alone, but we must not forget that God is always their by our side. He wants to bring us comfort and he should be the one that we go to with all of our problems; nobody else truly knows what is best for us. In the face of difficult life decisions, instead of trying to run away and escape, we must always pray and ask for guidance because that is the only way through it all. I prayed a lot when it came to deciding to run my marathon. Some may not feel that this would be a major life decision, but given the mental obstacles it involves me to overcome, it was quite necessary in my mind to ask for guidance.
So the next time you find yourself trying to run away from life for some reason, try to remember that God is merciful and loves you for you. Take Ephesians 2:4-5 ~ "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." I find this very encouraging to know that no matter how much I screw up, I will always be loved. I am going to leave you with lyrics from the song that inspired this post. It is the song "Come Home" by Luminate.

There's power in the blood of Jesus

Your father's screaming just come home

And He's reaching out His hands

I know you been running, searching for something

But you're looking in a place you don't belong

Well, it's never too late, you can't outrun grace

No, mercy doesn't care what you've done

So come home