Quantum Leap #3: Water Baptism -- 062012

Tonight we continued our series: Quantum Leap, by leaping back into my past when I was baptized.  Baptism is part of the process of being a Christian (Matthew 28:19-20).  We are called to be saved and become Jesus' disciples and the next step that is mentioned is being baptized in water.  We also see discipleship/spiritual growth and evangelism as part of that process.  In other places we see God calling us to Communion and Baptism in the Holy Spirit as Well.  But Water Baptism is mentioned several times as the next step for christians to take after salvation.  It is a symbolic ritual that reminds us of Jesus' death and resurrection as well as our own spiritual journey of dying to sin and being made alive in Christ.  (Romans 6:3-4).  There are many errors when it comes to ideas of water baptism.  #1.  Don't do it becuase others are.  #2.  Don't do it because you feel guilted into it.  #3.  Baptism won't forgive your sins, it is a sign of what has already taken place in your life, the forgiveness of your sins by Jesus Christ.  #4.  Baptism won't make you perfect, you will still sin and be a mess afterwards but it is part of the process of holiness that God has called us to.  If you are saved and aren't baptized it is time to think about taking this step.  Let me know if you are interested.  We are doing baptisms at Maryhill on August 1st.

I give tonight: B-
Favorite Moment: Wait....Tera's still here?

Quantum Leap #2 -- Influence: 061312

Tonight we continued our series: Quantum Leap as we travel back through my life and use it to change your future for good.

In High School I felt called by Goid to become a pastor and ended up going to Eugene Bible College in 1998.  When I got there I was very shy and didn't know anyone, so I spent a lot of time in the dorms hanging out.  Which mean tthat I was spending time with others who hung out in the dorms.  When I got part of th eway through my sophomore year I realized that the friends I was hanging out with weren't the best influences on me.  They gamed constantly, they eat a lot, they would swear randomly, they would talk about inappropriate things, they weren't really focused on why they were at Bible College.  By spending time with them I was taking on all those same habits.  I felt convicted by God that I need to make a change in my life, but it meant that I had to start hanging out with new people, in a new place, in order to escape that influence that kept dragging me in and away from God.  I had to choose which was more important, those friends or my relationship and call with God.  It was not an easy decision, but I made the change.

Yeast is a funus that spreads under certain circumstances.  It is how we get fluffy bread, but it doesn't tkae a lot of yeast in order to leaven an entire batch of bread.  Galatians 5:7-9 talks about a church who was being influenced by a group that was trying to add works to salvation and they are told that a little yeast works through the whole batch.  We need to careful about who we spend the majority of our lives with, because they will change us to be more like them, if there is a little bad it will work through the whole group.  We need to be careful about what we spend our time watching, reading, and listening to.  They will change us to be more like what they are telling us is true and right.  Whether it is media or people, they will influence us, and if they're influence is a bad one, we will become slowly corrupted and thus turned away from our relationship with God and the destiny he has for us.  So here is my advice looking at my past: Get rid of bad influences, doing it as completely as poosible so they won't drag you back in.  Choose God over friends, his way is more important and has better things for us when we choose him.  Put good influences, both media and people, into your life.  Be a good influence to others.

I give tonight: A-
Favorite Moment: The Return of Cody

Quantum Leap #1 -- Salvation: 060612

Tonight we started a new series entitled Quantum Leap.  In the show the main character bounced through time chaning the past for good.  During this series I want to bounce through my life and use it to change the future for good.  Tonight we read from Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the prodigal son.  Some things to keep in mind when you read this passage: To ask for an inheritance before the death of your fathe would be about the same as saying, "You are useless, I don't need you, I just want your money, and I wish you were dead."  Second, pigs were considered unclean animals, they shouldn't be eatan, they shouldn't even be touched.  Third, runing for old men was conisdered disgraceful and beneath them.  Finally, fatted calves were set aside for special occasions and were very expensive.

I grew up in a Christian House, we went to church all the time, I was fine with God.  My parents liked Him and worshipped Him, so I did too.  My parents read their bibles, so I did too.  But ti was their faith, not my own.  It was June 1990, I was 9 and I lived in a small town in Oregon at the time and my parents took my borther and I to Portland to see a group called the Power Team.  The power team was a group that would break things to show God's power being used through them, at the end they presented a message from Luke 15.  At the end fo the message they asked for anyone that wanted to come forward, just as the son returned home, we were returnign to God, asking him for forgivness. I went forward and prayed, making faith in God my own, not something I did because of my parents.  I started a personal relationship with God that night and all of my sins were forgiven.  I became saved at that moemnt.  I was dead, but had been made alive again, I was lost, but had been found by God.

Do any of you find it amazing that God, represented by the Father in this story, was willing to take his son back home?  Do you find it amazing that he didn't just make his son grovel at his feet begging for forgiveness, but ran out and forgave him instantly?  do you find it amazing that God was willing to forgive everything that son had done.  God is waiting for you to come home.  He wants to forgive you and welcome you back.  All that it takes is you deciding to go to Him, a simple decision that you want to have a relatioship with your Heavenly Father.  And when you make that decision and start heading toward home, when you ask him for forgiveness, he will come running to you, loving you no matter what, forgiving you every thing you have done, not holding it over you, but instead celebrating that his sons and daughters who were dead are live again, who were lost are now found!  Are you ready to go home?

I give tonight: A+
Favorite Moment: Youth getting saved!