Time to Stop With the Excuses?

     I struggled with baptism. For six months I held off getting baptized. I had grown up knowing only of babies being sprinkled as baptism. The idea of a person my age getting fully immersed as a metaphor of what Jesus did for us was foreign to me. The first time I heard about it, I thought it was weird.
     Even after I started reading the Bible and seeing baptism being practiced as an immersion for adults, or people old enough to request it, even then it was a struggle. After actually reading the Bible, it became obvious to me what baptism was for early Christians. There was no doubt that every time someone was baptized that they went completely under the water. And that made sense because the Bible says that baptism is supposed to picture Jesus’ resurrection (Romans 6:4-6). I knew that sprinkling didn’t remotely symbolize a resurrection. And it also became apparent to me that every person baptized in the Bible was old enough to express their own faith in Jesus, that they believed before they were baptized (Acts 2:41). I began to look to find any instances of a baby being baptized in the Bible, and I couldn’t find even one (there aren’t any).
     So while I became convinced that baptism was an immersion in water for those old enough to express faith in Jesus, I still struggled with getting baptized myself. I didn’t want to acknowledge that there was anything wrong with what I had believed before. I also felt like getting baptized would be tantamount to turning my back on my whole religious upbringing. And I didn’t want to hurt my parents’ feelings. So I just kept putting it off.
     But Bible verses kept nagging at me. Verses such as “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ...” (Acts 2:38). And Jesus’ words, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). I finally gave in and decided to stop with the excuses and just do what Jesus told me to do.
     Still being concerned about my parents, I went to my dad to explain (my mom was not in touch with me). I said something like, “Dad, I really appreciate what you did for me as a baby. But as I’ve been reading the Bible, I’ve come to realize that being baptized is a decision I have to make for myself. I’d love for you to come and share the experience with me.”
     Guess what? My dad wound up getting baptized at the same time that I did! One of the great thrills of my life! And I stepped out of the baptistry that day with a very different outlook on everything in my life. I was so glad that I stopped making excuses and simply followed through on what I knew I should do. It was my first real step in letting Jesus take over and myself surrendering to do what he says. And that has changed my life.
     Have you obeyed him in this one little area? Or are you still making excuses?

When It Rains, It Pours

     Flooding in Des Plaines has become a fact of life. My introduction to the northwest suburbs came three weeks after we moved here in 2007. The people we bought our house from insisted it had never had water in the basement. But our first month in Des Plaines a storm knocked the power out for ten days and brought about six inches of water into our basement. Canoes were making their way down River Road (which becomes literal every time it floods).
     The flooding has repeated itself here about every two years. It has given us opportunity to work together on emptying the church basement of water (something we hope we have fixed) and helping one another and our neighbors with their basement flooding.
     And why does it flood? On occasion, we get a downpour of a half inch to an inch in an hour’s time. The ground can’t handle the torrent so it finds it’s way into our houses, sometimes by overwhelming the storm sewers. But most often, it is the result of steady, constant rain, over the course of several days. Eventually, the ground becomes saturated and it seeps through the concrete (all basement walls and floors have some cracking) and into our basements. If you have a good sump system, the pump usually keeps your basement dry. But sometimes it gets so bad that the pump can’t keep up, and sometimes the pump fails...and you get flooded.
     It just comes down to too much rain. And that’s also how adversity overwhelms us.
     We can handle a certain amount. We all know that things go wrong in life. It’s just how it is in this world. Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV).
     We know we are going to have to endure storms. It’s just how it is. And sometimes we feel overwhelmed, especially when there doesn’t seem to be sunshine in the forecast. It’s one thing to lose your job or to face a health concern. But for some of you, its a job loss, health crisis, relationship failure, all in the same week. It’s like your life becomes saturated with trouble and your spirit is flooded.
     Jesus did say, “In this world you will have trouble...” But then he added, “Take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). In other words, he’s better than having a well-working sump system. Unlike sump pumps, he won’t fail, he doesn’t need an external power source, and if you have him, you need not be overwhelmed.
     I get a little seepage into my basement whenever heavy rains come because we don’t have a sump pump. So ground saturation will inevitably lead to at least some flooding.
     But I do have Jesus. So in this world, while I know I’ll have trouble, I’m resting on him for safekeeping...he has overcome the world!

The Snake that Burned the House Down

    Did you hear about the woman in Texas who lit her house on fire last month? While raking and cleaning out her yard, she encountered a snake. Her response is a bit perplexing, because hitting it over the head with the rake handle would have worked just fine. But instead, she grabbed a nearby gasoline can and doused the snake, then threw a match on it. The inflamed snake slithered into a brush pile next to the house, and before she knew it, the brush pile and the house were engulfed in flames. It was a total loss.
    Our reactions to problems are often worse than the problems themselves.
    Reading that story, we scratch our heads. Seems pretty foolish. But that woman only lost her house. We often overreact to problems and lose our families, livelihoods, kids. When you blow up in a fit of anger because you think you are being disrespected, you are setting a needless fire that is capable of destroying valuable relationships, sometimes shattering families. When you retaliate at work because you think you are being unfairly treated, you lose out on future promotions, make life at work miserable because of the atmosphere you create among your coworkers, or maybe even lose your job altogether, and thereby your livelihood.
    I talk to people all the time who light snakes on fire, burning their houses down, but still insist on it being the snake’s fault.
    Everybody faces problems. Everybody gets disrespected. Everybody is at some time mistreated. What happens in your life is more about your responses than your circumstances. Snakes are inevitable. Dousing them with gas and lighting them on fire is foolish.
    When we face those snakes, we have opportunities. If you use wisdom, control your emotional reactions, think through your choices, and act in a way that honors God and is loving to others, the very thing you think is causing all of your problems might become your greatest blessing. Because it’s not the “thing” that is usually actually causing the problems. It’s your reaction to those things that determines outcomes.
    How are you responding to life’s problems? Still blaming your husband? Your ex-wife? Your boss? Your depression? Your “stress”? Don’t let your reaction compound the issue. See the sovereignty of God in it, and let him lead you in a wise response that will honor him, love others, and in the end, turn the problem into something good.
   

You Have To Do This If You Want to Grow

    Several years ago, one of our newer office assistants complained that her computer shut down and wouldn’t turn back on. I was the resident “go-to” for tech issues, so I asked, “What happened when it shut down?”
    “I dropped my mouse,” she said.
    That normally wouldn’t turn off a computer, so I assumed something else had happened. “Check all the wires behind the computer and try turning it on again.” She did, and it didn’t respond.
    “Where did you drop your mouse?” I asked.
    “Right here, where the wires feed behind the desk.” I looked underneath, and sure enough...when she dropped the mouse it landed on the power button on the power strip. The computer wouldn’t turn on because there was no power feeding it.
    “Nice shot.”
    I guess that is the standard joke among tech support people (we have quite a few in our church). They are often called for “silly problems” that often amount to the plug not being inserted, or the power button being off. It is pretty elementary to know that there needs to be power to an electronic device for it to work, whether wired or battery.
    Are you plugged in? Do you keep your battery charged?
    I’ve been a follower of Jesus for thirty-five years. In that time, if there is one thing that I have learned about living the Christian life, it is that I need constant input from the power source. If I’m not “plugged in” and “recharged” daily, I struggle. Any growth that has ever taken place in my faith has been in some way related to my time alone with God, reading his word and applying it to my life, and talking to God, asking for his help in my life and for others. When I’m doing that...maintaining a daily personal quiet time, I’m growing spiritually. When I’m not, I’m not.
    Do you have a time like that? Do you make the time every day to read God’s Word and to pray specifically? I challenge you, make the commitment to get started. It will change your life in so many ways!
    Maybe you don’t know where to start. Here are some suggestions:

• Make an appointment with God and get it on your calendar. Same time every day (20-30 minutes)
• Pick a book and read, reread, and reread again. (Start in the New Testament, i.e. John)
• Log in a journal just a few things that you learn and can apply
• Start a prayer list for personal requests, family & friends, church

    Personal time with God is our being plugged into the power supply. Or think of it as the daily charge to your battery. Life drains us. Time with God recharges us. And when you consistently make the time to be alone with Him, it’s amazing how you sense His presence throughout the rest of the day.
    Go ahead. Get your calendar out and schedule it now!