My Baptism - 26th Jul 2008

b.a.p.t.i.s.m

The importance of identifying with Christ Through Water Baptism
1. A response deep gratitude for what Christ has done
2. A demonstration of loyalty and allegiance to Christ
3. An outward expression of an inward conviction and reality

2 Major Modes Of Baptism
1. Sprinkling
2. Immersion

Reasons for immersion being the scriptural mode
1. The original Greek word "baptizo" means plugging / submerging
2. Scriptural support: (1) Mark 1:9-10, (2) Acts 8:38-39
3. A perfect symbolic act of our identification of Christ's death

2 Extreme views
1. If you are not baptised, you are not saved
2. You need not be baptised because the dying thief wasn't baptised

Balanced view
Our faith in Christ has saved us. Public declaration of our faith through baptism

Scriptural reference for water baptism
1. Mark 16:15-16
2. Acts 2:38
3. Acts 8:12
4. Acts 8:36
5. Acts 22:16
6. Acts 10:47
7. Acts 16:15
8. Acts 16:33
9. Acts 18:8
10. Matthew 3:13

- taken from Baptism Class in Lighthouse Evangelism


My baptism photos

Christian - The Lion

LONDON — The “Christian the lion” video,which shows a full-grown lion hugging andkissing his former caretakers in a heartwarmingreunion, has become an Internetsensation, logging more than 4 millionviews on YouTube by Thursday afternoon.

According to the Los Angeles Times, thevideo has all the right ingredients of a smashhit: The lion’s menacing slink towards thecamera, then the look of recognition on itsface as it lunges towards the young men toembrace them, with Whitney Houston’s IWill Always Love You playing in the backgroundfor full sentimental effect.But the video is attracting even moreattention because of its back story, whichfirst appeared in the Daily Mail last year.The two men in the clip are Anthony“Ace” Bourke and John Rendall who lived inLondon in 1969.

They bought the lion, thena 16-kilogramme cub, from Harrod’s whichthen sold exotic animals. The departmentstore had acquired the cub from a zoo butwanted to get rid of it after it broke out ofits cage one night and wreaked havoc on adisplay of imported goatskin rugs.The men named the cub Christian andkept it in their living room. They became localcelebrities of sorts, the Daily Mail said, paradingthe cub around London, taking it to restaurantsand even playing football with it.But Christian soon grew to 84 kg and hisfood bills became exorbitant, so they wereforced to move him to a wildlife sanctuary in Kenya.

After visiting him periodically forseveral years, they found out that he hadalready adapted to his new environment andwanted to return for a last good-bye.The men were told the lion would probablynot recognise his old caretakers. But as thevideo shows, Christian not only recognisedthem, but ran to them and hugged them.“Christian stared at us in a very intenseway,” Mr Rendall was quoted by the DailyMail as saying. “Then, as if he became convinced it was us, he ran towards us, threwhimself on to us, knocked us over, knockedGeorge over and hugged us, like he used to,with his paws on our shoulders.

The next day, Christian walked backinto the bush, where his lionesses and cubswere waiting. He was never seen again— but the power of the Internet guaranteesthat he will never be forgotten.

From: www.youtube.com (Christian the lion)

Only Trust Him | O the Blood of Jesus | At the Cross

A thorough cleansing (Part 1 +2)

A thorough cleansing (Part 1)

Scriptural reference: Ecclesiastes 3:4 (New International Version)
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance

Scriptural reference: Ecclesiastes 3:2 (New International Version)
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot

Heart of matter è Relationship

2 types of relationship:
1. Vertical
2. Horizontal

3 States of Relationship

Trust & Allegiance

Indifference & Neglect

Distrust & Disloyalty


Happiness – is only real and real when shared

The battle between truth & lies

3 Deceptive Steps:
1. Disarm all reservation and caution
2. Present yourself as your benefactor
3. Instill distrust by lying

Struggle of sin:
Scriptural reference: 1 John 1:8-9 (New International Version)
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Grace of God (2 extremes view)
1. You don’t even have to repent
2. You have to repent every minor detail

Scriptural reference: Romans 7:19-24 (New International Version)
19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Scriptural reference: Hebrews 4:14-16 (New International Version)
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Examples of Saints who sought the Lord:
1. King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:3-4)
2. Job (Job 5:8-9)
3. Daniel (Daniel 9:3)
4. King David (Psalm 63:1 & Psalm 27:4-5)


A thorough cleansing (Part 2)

Scriptural reference: 1 John 1:5-10 (New King James Version)
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

3 Basic Points about Sins:
1. All of us have sins
2. To be forgiven and cleanse, we must confess them to God
3. To be in fellowship with Jesus, we must deal with our sins accordingly and regularly

There are consequences of sins. The 5 effects of sins and consequences:
1. Every sin carries with it some consequences
2. The longer the sin stays the graver the consequences
3. The more sins one allows, the more consequences one has to face
4. A combination of multiple consequences can ruin the rest of one’s life
5. A so-called small sin can multiply itself many times
2 deadly and extreme views about repentance:
1. You must repent every minor detail of your sins
2. You don’t have to repent anymore because at conversion, your past, present and future sins are forgiven