What is Baptism?

Praise be to Jesus now and forever.
Today we'll see what the Christian Baptism actually signifies.
And talking of the Holy Baptism, i remember seeing a set of four stars, which looked very much like the Cross
You must be thinkin... "oh cmon! this guy is writin all this jlt!!! hw does he even remember wat hpnd wen he was a baby"... ryt?
well... i was baptised when i was 15... long story...
now lets get to the point...

the text you see below is from http://christianity.about.com/od/faqhelpdesk/f/whatisbaptism.htm


Christian denominations differ widely on their teachings about baptism. Some believe baptism accomplishes the washing away of sin. Others consider baptism a form of exorcism from evil spirits. Still others teach that baptism is an important step of obedience in the believer’s life, yet only an acknowledgment of the salvation experience already accomplished - baptism itself has no power to cleanse or save from sin. The following takes a look at the latter perspective called "Believer's Baptism:"

Answer: A general definition for the word baptism is “a rite of washing with water as a sign of religious purification and consecration.” This rite was practiced frequently in the Old Testament. It signified purity or cleansing from sin and devotion to God. Since baptism was first instituted in the Old Testament many have practiced it as a tradition yet have not fully understood its significance and meaning.

In the New Testament, the significance of baptism is seen more clearly. John the Baptist was sent by God to spread the news of the coming Messiah—Jesus Christ. John was directed by God (John 1:33) to baptize those who accepted his message. John’s baptizing is called “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Mark 1:4 (NIV). Those baptized by John acknowledged their sins and professed their faith that through the coming Messiah they would be forgiven. Baptism then is significant in that it represents the forgiveness and cleansing from sin that comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Purpose of Baptism:

Water Baptism identifies the believer with the Godhead – Father, Son & Holy Spirit.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

Water Baptism identifies the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.
“When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure--the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.” Colossians 2:11-12 (NLT)

“We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4 (NIV)

Water Baptism is an act of obedience for the believer. It should be preceded by repentance, which simply means “change.” It is turning from our sin and selfishness to serve the Lord. It means placing our pride, our past and all of our possessions before the Lord. It is giving the control of our lives over to Him.
"Peter replied, 'Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church--about three thousand in all.” Acts 2:38, 41 (NLT)

Water Baptism is a public testimony - the outward confession of an inward experience. In baptism, we stand before witnesses confessing our identification with the Lord.
Water Baptism is a picture representing profound spiritual truth:

Death - “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NIV)


Resurrection - “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.” Romans 6:4-5 (NIV)

“He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God." Romans 6:10-13 (NLT)

Cleansing - “And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 3:21 (NIV)

“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” I Corinthians 6:11 (NIV)

Names of God

(As seen on http://www.learntopray.org/articles/a43.htm) Also check out http://dennisschmidt.web.officelive.com/qv-pap/shama.htm ELOHIM [EL-O-’HEEM]:  CREATOR Usually translated “God;” is a plural word, meaning three or more:  “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness... [Gen. 1:26, NIV].’”  He is our Creator, who created us to love, for His glory, for His pleasure.  “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  ...I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me.  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient time, what is still to come [Is. 46:4, 9-10, NIV].’”  We turn to Elohim in our prayers when we need to sense His love and His eternal watch care.  “El” is a title, rather than a personal name. EL ELYON [EL-’EL-YAWN] :  GOD MOST HIGH, SOVEREIGN RULER             El Elyon rules over the affairs of men, and in Daniel 4, after several years of living like an animal, Nebuchadnessar ultimately acknowledged  that and blessed the Most High God [Dan. 4:34, NIV].   It is El Elyon that Satan approaches about Job [Job 1:6-12] , and it is El Elyon, our Most High God, Who protects us from Satan in Psalm 91. When we need to know He is in control, we pray to El Elyon, with the confidence David expressed in Psalm 21:  “For the king trusts in the Lord, through the unfailing love of the Most High, he will not be shaken [Psalm 21:7, NIV].”  David affirmed that even though El Elyon is the powerful, supreme Most High God, His relationship with us is still one of unfailing love. EL SHADDAI [EL-SHA-’DIE]: OUR SUFFICIENCY             This is one of the most powerful of all God’s titles, suggesting unlimited power and resource, combined with an unending willingness to give us a bountiful supply of all we need.  This is a name that God chose for Himself, deliberately revealing Himself to us as El Shaddai in Genesis 17:  “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless [Gen. 17:-2, NIV].’”  Scripture shows us that El Shaddai promised to “greatly increase” Abram’s numbers [v.2] and make him “very fruitful [v.6].”  When we call to Him as El Shaddai, we are acknowledging that we have faith that He is capable and willing to make us a blessing to others, for the sake of His Kingdom. ADONAI [ADD-EH-’NYE]:  LORD AND MASTER             This, too, is a plural Hebrew word, translated “Lord.”  If He is our Master, we are His servants.  He is responsible to tell us what to do and to provide what we need to do it, the direction and sustenance we need for daily living.  As servants, we must yield, we must obey.  When Isaiah saw God upon His throne, he saw Him as Adonai; it was Adonai who said, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” When Isaiah responded, “Here am I.  Send me!” [Is. 6:8, NIV]   Joshua prayed to Adonai when he met the Commander of the Army near Jericho: “What message does my Lord [Adonai] have for his servant [Joshua 5:14, NIV]?” -- and the Lord told him exactly what to do to bring down the walls of Jericho.  When we’re seeking guidance and direction, we can pray to Adonai. JEHOVAH [YHWH, YA’-WAY]: THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE             Jehovah is God’s personal name, one He first revealed to Moses at the burning bush:  “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am [Ex. 3:14, NIV].’”  Jehovah is usually translated LORD.  In Hebrew, Jehovah is written as “YHWH,” a name so holy it is never pronounced.  His name Jehovah has the meaning, “ever revealing,” and is used in combination with other names throughout Scripture to reveal more about Who He is and desires to be to His people.  Jehovah is eternal and never-changing -- always “I Am,” never “I Was” or “I Will Be.”  When we feel like we’re on shifting sand, we pray to Jehovah, our Rock. JEHOVAH-JIREH [JIE’-REH]:  THE LORD WILL PROVIDE             In Genesis 22, the Lord told Abraham to take his son Isaac to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him.  As Abraham’s knife was raised, the Angel of the Lord called to him and stopped him; he looked and found a ram for the sacrifice in a bush.  Because the Lord foresaw his need and provided the ram, Abraham built an altar for the “Lord Who Provides” -- Jehovah-Jireh [Gen. 22:1-18].  It’s important to note that in context, Abraham is one who loved God more than his beloved son Isaac [v.2], who was a man of worship [v.5] and who immediately obeyed God [v.18].  Those who love, worship and obey the Lord are ones who can anticipate His provision. JEHOVAH-ROPHE [RAH’-FAH]:  THE LORD WHO HEALS             God revealed this name in Exodus 15,when Moses was leading the Israelites through the desert.  They went three days without water, then came to Marah, where there was water, but it was too bitter to drink.  Moses cried out to the Lord, and He showed Moses a piece of wood to throw into the water, and the water became sweet [Ex. 15:25, NIV].  Then the Lord said, “‘If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am [Jehovah-Rophe] the Lord who heals you [Ex. 15:26].’”  Note that here it was bitter water He made sweet; perhaps His first concern for our healing is more for our heart and emotions than our physical bodies. Note, too, the condition to His healing of disease. JEHOVAH-NISSI [NEH’-SEE]:  THE LORD OUR BANNER             Nissi means “banner,” and it refers to a banner, or standard, or flag that an army might carry into battle.  It is the standard around which the soldiers gather, the banner they follow into battle.  In Exodus 17 Joshua is leading a battle against the Amalekites when this name is revealed [Ex. 17:10-15, NIV].   There is a sense in which the Amalekites represent our on-going struggle with the flesh in Scripture.  They were descendents of Esau, who sole his birthright for a bowl of stew, a fleshly desire.  Jehovah-Nissi gave Joshua and his soldiers the victory, as He will give us victory over self.  He is our Banner, our Victory. JEHOVAH-SHALOM [SHA-’LOAM] : THE LORD IS PEACE             Gideon buit an altar to [Jehovah-Shalom] the Lord Is Peace [Judges 6:24, NIV], but it wasn’t because the Lord gave Him peace when he reduced his army, it was before that.  The Israelites had spent many years disobeying the Lord.  In Gideon’s time, they had been oppressed by the Midianites for seven years, so impoverished that they finally cried out to the Lord for help.  The Lord heard them and sent His angel to Gideon, to tell him the Lord wanted to use him to save Israel.  Gideon was afraid, because he had seen the angel of the Lord face to face, and the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid [Judges 6:23, NIV].”  The Lord had come to reconcile His people to Himself once again; this name represents our Peace with God, our Prince of Peace who is the One Who reconciled us once and for all. JEHOVAH-ROHI [ROE’-HYE]: THE LORD MY SHEPHERD             Of all the personal Jehovah names of the Lord, the most tender, the most intimate, is [Jehovah-Rohi] The Lord My shepherd.  That’s because of the nature of the relationship between the helpless sheep and his shepherd -- who names him, protects him, feeds him, leads him, who keeps him from wondering from the flock, and who searches for him if he does.  In Psalm 23, David describes the Lord as my shepherd -- not our shepherd, not their shepherd, not the shepherd.  He speaks of a one-on-one relationship, Our Shepherd Who knows His sheep and they know Him [John 10:14, NIV] , Who speaks and His sheep recognize His voice and follow [John 10:27, NIV].  JEHOVAH-SABAOTH [SAH-BAH-’OATH]:  THE LORD OF HOSTS             Lord of Hosts [Jehovah-Sabaoth] is translated “Lord Almighty,” and it is the name that David used as he challenged Goliath:  “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,” David said, “but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty [1 Sam. 17:45, NIV]....”  We can call on the name and character of Jehovah-Sabaoth when we need the faith to step out to do our best, knowing the battle is more than we can handle alone.  In Jehovah-Sabaoth we can find faith to trust Him with the giants in our lives. JEHOVAH-SHAMMA [SHAH-’MAH]: THE LORD IS THERE             In the Old testament times, the Lord was in His temple, or He manifested His presence at certain times in certain places, such as with Moses in the burning bush or on top of Mount Sinai.  In Ezekiel, the Lord is saying in a vision that the New Jerusalem will be named, [Jehovah-Shamma] “The Lord Is There [Ez. 48:35].”  Not that He would be in the temple, but His presence will fill the city.  The fuller meaning of this name as it applies to us is reflected in Jesus’ parting words to His disciples before He ascended to heaven, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age [Matt. 28:20, NIV].”  We can pray that Jehovah-Shamma will manifest His presence in the lives of those we love, and that He will grant them minds and hearts willing to acknowledge Him. JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU [SID-’KEN-YOU]: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS             In Jeremiah 23 we read, “The days are coming, declares the Lord, ‘when I will raise up...a Righteous Branch....  This is the name by which he will be called:  [Jehovah-Tsidkenu] The Lord Our Righteousness [Jer. 23:6, NIV].”  Christ is our righteousness, the Lord Our Righteousness.  How might we use this Old Testament Jehovah name in our prayers?  Certainly, when we need His help in seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  And when we pray for the lost -- that He will convince them of the truth, that their righteousness can never be good enough to gain them entry to heaven; it is only through the righteousness of our Savior that we can come. JEHOVAH-M’KADDESH [EM-KAH-’DESH]: THE LORD OUR SANCTIFIER             In Exodus 31, the Lord tells Moses, “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am [Jehovah-M’Kaddesh] the Lord who sanctifies you  [Ex. 31:13, NKJV].”   This instruction came at the end of a long session Moses had with the Lord on top of Mount Sinai, where He received the ten commandments and other instructions for God’s people   It was after all these instructions and command

Cast your cares on the LORD 

   and he will sustain you; 

he will never let 

   the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55:22

A hiker with two heavy holdalls  was walking down a road in 90-degree heat.

A truck driver stopped and told him to hop on.

Later when the driver looked in his rearview mirror, the hiker was standing in the truck-bed still holding his bags!

We smile,  but as Jon Walker points out, many of us 'stand in the truck of faith carrying our burdens, thinking they're independent of the ride we're taking.

We think God can carry us but not our burdens...

The Psalmist said, "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you."

Rest in His power and grace... confident He's looking out for your best interests.

Rest requires dependence, and one sign that you're not resting in God... is worry... the need to control...

********

Next time you feel overwhelmed... settle into a chair, "Be still, and know that [He is] God..." (Psalm 46:10).'

In this instance, the command to 'be still' here comes from the word 'rapha', which means...'to let go... release... and give up'.

You've struggled long enough; give your burden to the Burden Bearer. Set it down! In order to do that you must do two things.

First: Practice saying no. If you're constantly available you'll end up stretched so thin you'll be no good to anybody. Jesus didn't try to please everybody. He prayed, got God's agenda and stuck to it. God will give you the grace to do only what He has commanded, not what you think or what others would like.

Second, value solitude. Turn off your pager and mobile phone. The sign of a well-ordered mind is the ability to sit quietly in one place and linger in your own company

Check out http://www.discoverynews.us/DISCOVERY%20MUSEUM/BibleLandsDisplay/Red_Sea_Chariot_Wheels/Red_Sea_Chariot_Wheels_1.html

Have you lost your peace of mind?

When life overwhelms us we usually look for one of two things. We may look for somebody with all the answers. The trouble is, when you look to someone for that which only God can provide, you set that person up to fail and yourself up to be disappointed.

Alternatively, we may look for somewhere with fewer problems.

Paul Harvey wrote, 'After Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida, Patricia Christy vowed she was going to leave on the first plane. She was determined to get as far away from the horror of hurricane damage as she possibly could and have a restful vacation.' Harvey said, 'I just heard from Patricia Christy. She was standing in line for fresh water on the Hawaiian Island Kauai, having just gone through Hurricane!'

Sheep get anxious when storms come, predators roar, or they're forced to move to unfamiliar territory. How do they handle such times?

By moving closer to the shepherd! Have you lost your peace of mind today? Read the following Scriptures; they'll help you move closer to your Shepherd:

v  'But let all those rejoice who put their trust in you; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them...' (Psalm 5:11).

v  'The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms...' (Deuteronomy 33:27).

v  'You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You' (Isaiah 26:3).

v  'The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him' (Nahum 1:7).

v  For 'The Lord remembers us and will bless us...' (Psalm 115:12).

Cool signs in front of Churches

Happy New Year all of you!

Praise be to Jesus now and always.

Let us all thank Jesus for His Love, Mercy and Forgiveness, without which we have no life.

Also, let us thank Him for being with us and for all His Blessings, for all these wonderful years of our lives.

Jesus, we beg You to be with us and help us everyday like You always have.

Lord, we pray to you, be with us and protect us all the time and help us become better and more righteous human beings. Lord, come into our hearts and make us perfect. May we be able to serve You and Glorify Your Name, with all our heart, O Lord. Glory be Yours forever. Amen.

Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done,

in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

Here's wishing you and your family a happy new year

May the Lord Jesus bless you all... :)