Psalm 119: 133

Psalms 119:133
Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

Psalms 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

In the 10 plus years I have lived for the Lord I have tried to let Him direct my steps. My daily prayer is for Him to lead me where He wants me to be. When I lost my job in April, I had a peace about it because I knew He would be faithful to supply my needs.

Philippines 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus

I started serving at a restaurant about 30 miles away in a suburb to Albuquerque. Serving has been a nice change of pace. I am up and moving, I get to interact with people and best of all, men get to control my salary. You see, in Luke 6:38, I have another promise from God.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

It's been fun to be literal about that. When I get asked why my tips are consistently high I have a good opportunity to give God glory. However, for the long term, I don't have paid holidays, benefits, sick days or weekends so I have told my boss that I would need to get back to a desk job in January. I got a call a couple of days ago from an agency looking to fill a non-profit position and they were very pleased with my interview. What I pray and ask of you to pray for me is that I am sensitive to His leading for my life. More than I want riches, comfort or material goods I want to know that my life made a difference in His Kingdom. I like the non-profit sector because they are about helping those less fortunate. Pray that if this is God's will the door would open and if not it would shut tightly and the perfect one would open.

You see, I have the best promise of all:

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I know God's promises are true and real and I will stand and watch the future and hope that He delivers. As the hectic month flies by, remember that God clothed Himself in flesh to take our sins. What a Mighty God we serve!

In His Service,
For His Glory,

Deborah

Baptism

Why must we be baptized?
When we are baptized, we are buried in water into the death of Jesus Christ. This immersion in water remits or washes away our sins.

Acts 2:38
38 "Repent," Peter said to them, "and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:1-4
1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life.

1 Peter 3:20-21
20 God patiently waited in the days of Noah while an ark was being prepared; in it, a few--that is, eight people--were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:26-29
26 for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

How are we to be baptized? Baptism must be full immersion. It is hard to be buried with just a sprinkling of dirt!

John 3:23
23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. And people were coming and being baptized,

Baptism is in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:38
38 "Repent," Peter said to them, "and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:14-15
14 When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God's message, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 After they went down there, they prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet come down on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 10:47-48
47 "Can anyone withhold water and prevent these from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

This is so important, that if you have not been baptized in Jesus’ Name it is necessary to be re-baptized.

Acts 19:1-7
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" "No," they told him, "we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 "Then with what baptism were you baptized?" he asked them. "With John's baptism," they replied. 4 Paul said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One who would come after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak with other languages and to prophesy.

Other scriptures on baptism:
Paul being baptized: Acts 9:18
Paul & Silas baptizing their captors: Acts 16:25-34
Paul’s story of his conversion on the road to Damascus: Acts 22:3-21
The importance of being baptized in a name: 1 Cor. 1:10-15

In His Service,
For His Glory,

Deborah

Is Baptism Necessary?

There are those who will tell you that baptism is not necessary. That it is merely an available sacrament or the means to become a member of a church. Let’s look at what the Bible says about baptism.

Jesus was baptized to fulfill righteousness.
Matthew 3:13-15
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to stop Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?" 15 Jesus answered him, "Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him to be baptized.

Jesus’ words concerning baptism:
Mark 16:15-16
15 Then He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Who must be baptized?
Acts 8:12
12 But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Ed note this was in a time when women were considered property not people.)

Acts 8:36-38
36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's water! What would keep me from being baptized?" 37 And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart you may." And he replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38 Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. (Ed note: a eunuch was a slave)

Acts 16:14-15
14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.

Acts 18:7-8
7 So he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed the Lord, along with his whole household; and many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

So we see that baptism was considered necessary by the apostles for men, women, slaves and all adults who were ready to proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ. Tomorrow we will look at the method of baptism.

In His Service,
For His Glory,

Deborah