I enjoy watching and participating in baptism.  It’s always a wonderful experience for me which never gets tired.  As people get ready to get baptized, they look nervous, but also excited at the same time.  Their family members and friends are there to support them and share that very special moment in their walk with Jesus.  After they make their public confession of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and get immersed in the water as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, their countenance looks so joyful and peaceful coming up out of the water.  Not only do the people who get baptized experience joy, but also family members and friends who are witnessing the baptism experience the same joy as well.
What’s the meaning of baptism?  It's important to understand that baptism does not guarantee anyone a ticket to heaven.  Salvation comes only through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the personal Lord and the Savior.  There's nothing we can do to earn it.  Unless true conversion comes first, then baptism is just a meaningless ceremony.  Then how is it related our salvation?   It's not something we must do in order to be saved, but it's something we do because we are saved.   There will probably be people in heaven who were never baptized because of various reasons.  The Bible mentions the thief on the cross was saved without getting baptized because Jesus promised Him eternal life.  The thief never had an opportunity to get baptized.
Oftentimes, we emphasize too much the outward act of baptism.  Yes, it is a command of Jesus Christ to the church and to the new believers.  When Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Jesus commanded Saul through Ananias, “Get up, be baptized.”  Also, it is a public declaration of our relationship to Jesus Christ.
But it's the inward change that we truly need to focus on.  Titus 3:5-6 says, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because His mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”  This "washing" is what baptism represents.  Jesus washes us from our sin.  But the next statement is more important.  As we’re washed by Jesus through baptism, our mind is also being renewed by the Holy Spirit!
Last Sunday, we baptized three of our beloved people, Justine, Kibaek and Melissa.  I could tell Melissa was feeling nervous as she stood on the stage sharing her testimony in front of many people, including her family members and friends.  But at the same time I was in awe of how deeply I could feel God’s presence within her in response to her recommitment to God.  Justine had to wait for her baptism for a long time because we had cancelled the last two scheduled baptisms.  We really felt so bad about that. But she was determined and persevered. I couldn’t hold my tears just watching her.  She was sobbing profusely and streams of tears were flowing from her eyes.  Her tears were not from sadness or stress.  Rather her tears were the songs of joy that come from the heart of God.  When I saw Kibaek’s joyful and smiley face as he came out the water, I knew in my heart that only Jesus can give anyone that kind of joyful and smiley face.
Some people might think baptism is nothing more than a public display of someone’s commitment to God: they get immersed in the water and then it’s over. However, when you’re the one getting baptized, it’s much more than that. It’s the moment of the tenderness touch of God’s fingers on the person who are getting baptized. It is an emotional time, and you’ll never forget how the mighty power of the Holy Spirit’s presence can touch not only the person who is getting baptized but also the people who are participating in it.  Have you yet to be baptized? What’s stopping you from getting baptized now?

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
August 24, 2014

The other day I almost got into a car accident because I was distracted.  No, it wasn’t because I was texting (although that is very dangerous – seriously!).  No, it wasn’t because I was dancing like a madman to my favorite Kpop song (also dangerous both for car accidents and pride).  It was because I saw a white nose hair in my rearview mirror and was trying to pull it out.
Now, I’m used to white hairs.  I’ve had a bunch, mostly in the back of my head, since I was 10.  This always led to interesting conversations on the first day of classes where inevitably, whoever was sitting behind me would tap me on the shoulder and ask, “Do you know you have white hair?”  To which I would always reply, “Your breath smells,” and turn back around.  I was quite popular in high school.
But a white nose hair was a first!  And I was so shocked at seeing it that I had to pull it out the instant I glimpsed it, in order to a) verify its existence and b) commiserate at my getting older.
I’m not a guy who gets caught up in getting older.  If I die, I die.  It’s ok, I have life insurance.  And frankly, I don’t “feel” old – I’m still “cool,” right, Timothy?  Actually, just asking that question probably precludes me from being “cool.”  Nevermind, Timothy, I don’t care what you think.  (That’s a “cool” attitude, right?)  But even though I never cared about getting older, for some reason this white nose hair was really bothering me and got me freaked out.  I started wondering if I had reached the halfway point of my life.  Would I be able to see my sons graduate college?  Would I be able to see them move into my basement after graduating college?  Would I ever have my retirement home in beautiful New Jersey?  Those are all jokes – of course I’m going to retire to New Jersey, don’t be ridiculous.
I did spend a lot of time thinking about my sons though.  Josiah is 2 and Connor is 0.  They’ve got such a long way to go and I started thinking about what kind of men they’d be when they grow up.  What they would look like (hopefully mom), what their personalities would be like (hopefully mom).  What careers they would have, who they would marry, what their OWN kids would be like.  I was getting so deep into it that I actually had to stop and remind myself that my kids still poop in their own pants.  “Slow down, David.  Before you start worrying about your grandkids, why not enjoy the time you have with them now?”
This reminded me of Dr. Shamblin’s message last year about understanding the times in our lives where we find ourselves in the spiritual desert.  How instead of focusing on the promised land, we should be focused on where we are currently at and what God is doing in our lives at THIS moment versus what may happen tomorrow.  No matter where we are or what we’re going through, God is very purposeful in the situations we find ourselves in, and there’s always a purpose for God.  Oftentimes, we focus so much on the future and worry about what could or could not be that we don’t get to enjoy or learn from what we have in front of us right now.  For me, freaking out about my kids’ futures would preclude me from enjoying their toddler years now.  Tomorrow will come, with all of its worries and stresses whether I want it or not.  But what I do know is that His grace is sufficient for me today… and it will be tomorrow, too.
All this from a white nose hair that turned out to be a booger.  Go figure.

From Pastor David’s Heart
August 17, 2014