CHRIST COMMANDS BAPTISM

Baptism doesn’t save but it is an outward showing of what has transpired in our hearts.

Matthew 28:19, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Baptism is for those who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. It’s for those who are willing to show others that they have consciously made a decision to trust Jesus with their life. While, baptism is not required for salvation, it does identify who you have chosen to love with all you heart, mind, and soul. When someone gets married, the husband and wife exchanges wedding rings, they are not necessary but the rings when worn, does show to those around that we are married.

Friend, if you have been saved and have not been baptized, what is hindering you from doing so? What’s holding you back from following the Lord’s command? What’s hindering you from taking that step of obedience? Go on, be a testimony to others! They may stop and take into consideration their standing before God and trust Him as Saviour as well.

SHINE BRIGHT

Many individuals have, like uncut diamonds, shining qualities beneath a rough exterior. - Juvenal

Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

            Sharing your testimony begins long before you open your mouth, it is on display where you go and when you walk into any room. It shines like a spotlight searching for an escaped convict. You see the light long before the light sees you.

Child of God, how is your testimony seen in the eyes of others? Is it shining as brightly as it can? Do others see Jesus in your life? Do you still have a rough exterior needing to be carved into what God wants it to be? Get into the Word of God and watch the Word pry off the crud from your exterior displaying the Grace of God in your life!

WHAT ARE YOU KNOWN FOR?

1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

How do others see you? If someone was to describe you what would your testimony be to them? More importantly how do you stand before the Lord? If we are bringing honor to our Saviour then our conversation or our testimony before others should be honorable. What are you telling your co-workers, your family, and your friends about your Saviour with your actions? 

There is an old children’s song that goes something like this, be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ears what you hear, be careful little feet where you go. Maybe we as adults, teens, and children need to get back to songs like this so that it will affect our testimony! Maybe we need to put down the remote, the game controller, the phone, and/or the computer and get back to the Word of God.

WHAT’S YOUR TESTIMONY?

Has Jesus done anything for you? How about sharing!

Psalm 66:16, Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

            Six years ago, my brother-in-law got saved. He was a heavy drinker prior to the Lord saving him. The day he got saved he went home and the Lord convicted him of the booze in the refrigerator. He dumped it all down the drain. You see, when a person repents of their sin, confesses their need of Jesus as Saviour, and trusts Jesus to save their wretched souls, Jesus saves them! He makes them a new creation! From that point on, he has had a testimony of God’s grace in his life.

            When someone says they are saved, I encourage them to follow the Lord. However, what I want to see is them a few years later. I want to see how they are serving the Lord in the future because actions speak louder than words!

            Six years later, my brother-in-law is still saved, in church, and serving the Lord faithfully. How about you? Do you have a testimony? If not, why not GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH learning what Jesus has done for you and allowing Him to work in your heart?  

            Oh, if you see Phil Coty, ask him to share his testimony. He will and it will be a blessing to yah!

HOW IS YOUR WALK WITH CHRIST?

Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter. -Spurgeon

Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 3 John 1:6-7

            When I was growing up we had baseball tryouts. This is when any young man trying out for the team would compete for an opportunity to play ball. Every young man would give it his best shot but there were more guys than spots on the team so someone had to get cut. What made the difference? What cause one fella to stand out more than another? What caused the coach to cut one boy and allow another to be on the team? Two words come to my mind; faithfulness and fruitfulness.

            Notice what the John tells Gaius, “…thou shalt do well”. John didn’t commend Gaius on his social status, his economic wealth, or anything else. What John commended Gaius for was his walk with Jesus. It was a faithful and fruitful walk. Anything less would have caused John not to mention Gaius at all.

            How is your walk with the Lord? Is it faithful and fruitful? Will you hear Him say, “Well done?”

WHAT DOES YOUR REPUTATION LOOK LIKE?

The mark of a saint is not perfection, but consecration.  A saint is not a man without faults, but a man who has given himself without reserve to God. –W.T Richardson

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. Psalm 37:37

A testimony or a reputation; they both describe a little bit of who we are. Let me give you an example, if we were to ask a co-worker to tell something about you, how would they describe you? What would stick out to them the most? Would it be, you are a good person? Would they say, you love God? Or would they say, you’re a gossiper, always late, never having anything positive to say. You see you’ve left your mark on them, a testimony, a reputation.

No, Child of God, we are not perfect but that in no way relieves us of the responsibility of the position we hold. We are ambassadors of the King of kings and Lord of lords. We represent Him and His way. How good of a mark have you left on the ones God has given you to be a witness to? What is your testimony and reputation before others? Or better yet, what does God know about your life?