Repent and Be Baptized

Acts 2:38 says "Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

On Sunday, October 31, 1976, as the piano played "The Way of the Cross Leads Home," I walked down the center aisle of a little country church and shook the preacher's hand and told him I loved Jesus and I wanted to be baptized.  My younger sister took that walk with me.  Our church didn't have a baptismal, so we went to a church in town that afternoon (the same church I was married in) and I was baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

I remember that day like it was yesterday.  I remember the song that was playing, I remember the preacher talking to me and making certain I understood what I was doing.  I remember walking into the water and going under and coming up feeling on top of the world.  And I knew from that day forward I belonged to Jesus.

Please don't misunderstand.  I do NOT believe that baptism is salvation.  I believe that baptism is an outward symbol of an inward change of heart, of a new beginning.  I believe we are to be baptized because Jesus was baptized.

I still think of that day so many years ago.  I wish I could tell you that I've lived a perfect life since that day thirty-six years ago, but I haven't.  I have failed my Savior so many times.  I have disappointed Him.  I have broken His heart.  But thank God He loves me anyway.  In spite of all my failures, He still loves me.  He still hears my prayers.  He still walks beside me and strengthens me and encourages me.  I love Him so!!

As the words of that old hymn that played on the day of my baptism say, the way of the cross does lead home.  In fact, it is the only way to get to heaven.  Jesus died on the cross for you, and for me.  His blood that was shed offers righteousness to all who ask.  Not our righteousness, we can't be righteous on our own.  We fail miserably.  But Jesus offers us HIS righteousness when we accept Him and ask Him to come into our hearts and change us. 

One of my favorite hymns, and one I've sung hundreds and hundreds of times keeps playing in my head.  "WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SIN? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS. WHAT CAN MAKE ME WHOLE AGAIN? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS.  OH, PRECIOUS IS THE FLOW, THAT MAKES ME WHITE AS SNOW.  NO OTHER FOUNT I KNOW, NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!!!!!

I know that a lot of my posts are about my kids, or about our farm, or cooking, or gas prices, or other day to day things.  But my prayer is that everyone who reads my blog knows that the most imporant thing in my life is Jesus.  All other things are secondary.  The Bible tells us to seek God FIRST!  Seek HIS kingdom, seek HIS righteousness.  Everything else is temporary.

So please, if you don't know Jesus, ask Him, right now, to come into your heart.  Believe that He is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross for you.  Ask Him to forgive you of your sins.  Find a good Bible believing church and attend faithfully.  Read your Bible and pray, pray, PRAY!!!  God loves you so much.  It is His desire that none should perish.  But the only way to heaven is through Jesus.  There is no other way.  Jesus said so. 

I am so thankful that I gave my heart to Jesus on that cold Sunday afternoon thirty-six years ago today.  It was the best decision I ever made, and it will be the best decision you ever make, too

What can wash away my sin?  NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!!  Amen and amen!!