Something In The Water

The Bible emphasizes that belief in Jesus is the fundamental requirement for water baptism. Acts 2: 41 says, “Then those who gladly received His Word were immersed. Baptism symbolizes purification, renewal, and spiritual rebirth. It represents the washing away of sin and the believer’s entry into a new life with Jesus.

The act of being immersed with water signifies participation in Jesus death and resurrection as described in Romans 6:3-4, “Don’t you know that all we who were immersed into Messiah Yeshua were immersed into His death. We were buried therefore with Him through immersion into death, that just as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.”

Baptism is linked to repentance, meaning turning away from a life of sin and a desire to follow Jesus. It is an outward expression of an inward change, a public testimony to one’s faith in Jesus.

Many churches baptize infants, but the Bible does not support infant baptism because infants cannot understand or confess their faith. Baptism needs to be a conscious choice made by the believer.

Baptism is a cleansing from sin. It has powerful and long-lasting effects. It changes the spiritual character of a person forever. It is the mark of transformation that is unforgettable. It can never be erased.

The grace of baptism is a rebirth in Jesus. It opens a channel of blessing from God to us. It grants us a share of God’s divine life and delivers spiritual energy and power which enables growth in virtue and Holiness.

Baptism makes a person an adopted son of daughter of God. Baptism consecrated a person to God. The person then belongs to God with the realization that there is an ever-growing deep longing to know, love, obey, and serve God.

Baptism clothes a person with immortality and gives them a share in the redemption that Jesus won on the cross and makes salvation, eternal life, and everlasting glory with God in heaven possible. It unites a person to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

So many people do not realize what a baptism does for us. The general message is “If you get water baptized you will be saved,” but there is so much more it does.

One Outfit

If you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?

What we wear defines our character. We tend to assume someone’s character by what they wear.

Like cowboy/cowgirl boots projects that they are bold, independent and tied to a sense of individualism.

Our clothing shapes our identity or how we are perceived by others. Our clothing acts as a visual language that shapes who we are.

It’s a blend of personal expression. Cultural signaling. It defines who we are.

The Refiners Fire

Indian Paintbrush

“ but who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like laundrer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver, He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, they may offer to award and offering and righteousness” -Malachi 3:2-3

The Lord is a master designer of people, the Creator of all He calls “very good,” and His Word proves over and over that He is a skilled restorer of broken things. God has a design and purpose for every human life, but the shaping we experience in the fallen world means God will need to reshape us in the refiners fire to make us more like him.

We all experience seasons of difficulty in our lives where it feels like we are in the refiner’s fire. Where we feel like we are being challenged, the ground we once felt stable is being shaken.

Many people struggle under the intensity of the refiner’s fire that God uses to shake them, and as a result, they walk out of it and never experience the fullness. God intended for them to have.

The refiners buyer is a process where we can become more like Him.

Isaiah 48:10 God speaks, “See, I have refined you, though not as silver, I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” silver, and gold and iron are refined with a smelting process where it is converted into Molten liquid. 

Working with these needs skilled hands of a master designer to bring out their best qualities, but their processes are very different.

In our walk-through life, we can see God working on us and purifying us versus reshaping and strengthening us. We walk through very different seasons of fire that we need for spiritual transformation.

Looking at the process of shaping iron. Once iron is forged in the fire, it must then be pounded over and over with the hammer to begin to shape it. As it begins to cool its color begins to change in order to be softened again, it must be placed back into the fire to be red again and pliable. Each time it goes back into the fire. It has a new shape. Every twist and mark shapes it. Each time it needs another reshaping, the iron goes back into the fire. Pounding, squeezing, twisting into a shape it was meant to be.

There’s iron strength in us and the Lord sees it.

We are not born strong in the Lord. We are born into sin and spiritual weakness, but the Lord is with us, and he will be our strength if we will bind ourselves to Him with faith.

God promises in Isaiah 43:2, “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not scorch you.”

Don’t fear the fire. God even uses the enemies fire to refine us and strengthen us. Genesis 50 shows that what our enemy means to causes harm, God will use it to bring good.

When God controls the fire, there is purpose, beauty, strength, protection, revelation, miracles and transformation.

Whatever is going on in our lives we should give God the glory and we will emerge from the refiner’s fire fundamentally changed, unbreakable, and shaped into a thing of beauty and He will put you to His good use.

All fire has a purpose that God uses to transform and shape us -shape us and strengthen us and design us perfectly for what He needs.

Trust God, lean on Him, and draw closer to Him. Worship Him and give thanks. He sees strength in you that you don’t see in yourself.

Spirituality

How important is spirituality in your life?

I first of all spirituality does not come from religion. It comes from the soul. We must stop confusing religion with spirituality. Religion is a set of rules, regulations, and rituals that are created by human beings and are supposed to help people spiritually. But, humans are imperfect, and religion has become corrupt, political, and a divisive tool for power struggle.

Spirituality is not theology or ideology. It is simply a way of life. Pure and original spirituality is given to us by grace from God.

 a personal relationship with God is my spirituality. Is intimate, dynamic connection between human and the divine. It’s direct communication, trust, and personal guidance. Spirituality is knowing Jesus personally, trusting in his salvation, and living guided by the Holy Spirit.

Giving To Others

Springdale Utah

Have you ever wondered what the Bible says about giving to others it turns out that it has a lot to say about this subject. There is an interval team while went throughout scripture. But the act of giving isn’t about material goods or money, although those things are certainly a be a part of it. It extends much further than that. Sharing time, love, compassion, and forgiveness with others it’s about reflecting God‘s own boundless love for us.

The Bible encourages us not to only give, but also emphasizes the importance of doing so willingly and joyfully. Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” and Jesus’s powerful words Acts 20:35 reminds us we are more blessed to give than to receive.

Giving not just about doling out money or possessions, it is more profound than that. In the Bible, the act of love and sacrifice, mirrors God’s generosity towards humanity.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” This scripture paints a vivid picture of how much value God places on selfless giving. Just as He gifted His Son to redeem mankind, we are called on to give freely for the welfare of others.

Proverbs 11 tells us “One person gives freely yet gains even more, another withholds unduly but comes to poverty.” Generosity isn’t all about loss, in fact it’s often accompanied by abundance.

There’s also clear guidance on what kind of attitude should accompany the act of giving. For example, 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly, or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Jesus also warns us against preforming righteous deeds to be seen by others and instead encourages us to give in secret so God will see what is done in secret and reward us openly.

In essence, the Bible portrays giving as an expression of love. It praises generosity and promises prosperity. It shows giving a cheerful and voluntary.

Giving go beyond me material transactions, it becomes a spiritual practice, echoing, divine love, and kindness.

Keeping Your Peace

The Uinta Mountains

I used to let things bother me more than I would like to admit. My mistakes would play on repeat if someone said or did something offensive to me.

If I argued with someone I would play scenarios of how it could have gone differently, I would let it distract me from what I should have been focused on.

If we let these things consume us, we fall into the trap of the enemy. Satan robs us of our inheritance and on of the most valuable things we can possess -peace.

Satan (the enemy) and people do and say things that cause us to walk around in frustration. I chose not to be bound by the thoughts and opinions of others but by the Word of God.

Jesus promised us peace as our inheritance and we can claim it today and walk in it.

If I was to picture peace it’s like being in the mountains sitting by a river or stream, drinking a cold drink and enjoying the sounds of nature. But that doesn’t help when the trials of life cone. True inner peace is having a sense of calmness and contentment internally despite your external environment.

Jesus as the “Prince of Peace,” is the perfect example of someone who protected His peace. I think of the Bible account in Matthew 8:23-27, where Jesus was sleeping on a boat during a terrible storm, and everyone else was running around thinking they were going to die.

He told His disciples “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the storm and the winds and the waves became calm.

Healthy Self-Care

How do you practice self-care?

Practicing self care helps us maintain or well being are helps us live a balanced life.

I grew up thinking I had to be a people pleaser. The problem with being a people pleaser is it drains your energy and leaves little time for ourselves.

It took me years to realize self care was not selfish. Taking walks, a long hot bath, sitting quietly with a glass of wine or warm tea or coffee helps reduce stress and prevents burn out.

Self care isn’t a detour it’s a path. It gives us a chance to nurture ourselves that creates space to grow and thrive will sacrificing our well-being

Wasting Time Every Day

How do you waste the most time every day?

There are many ways to waste time, but it depends on your perspective.

I think I waste time watching television. It is basically a distraction of what I think I should be doing. From my perspective if I am not learning or doing things for friends and family it is a waste of time.

The world is so full of distractions it’s hard not to get away from something that we should be doing and focus on the things that are important.

Victory In Defeat

Bob Wright Canyon

If you’ve looked at the news today or even scrolled social media you may find yourself thinking… we live in depressing times.

Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised at the depressing news and the depressing state of affairs in our world today. 2 Timothy 3:1 tells us that “in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” So, we should expect t troubling times in the world around us.

But what about if we look at “our world?” Not something coming from the outside, but something that’s coming from the inside as a result of circumstances or crises in our life.

We might get depressed or struggle every day it might feel like burnout. A Tiredness that we can’t describe. No one is exempt, and depression is nothing new but we can look to God for help.

Moses dealt with depression. Jonah dealt with depression and even Elijah dealt with depression. Elijah was depressed, afraid, and anxious but he recovered.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is to always give it time, trust God and He will make a way. The Bible tells us not to worry about tomorrow, it has enough trouble for today. Focus on today. This is sometimes hard to do because worry is like a locomotive of the mind. It picks up speed and flies off far from its original track. I’ve spent many years tossing and turning, not able to sleep because of dread and worry, only having it work out fine in the end.

God wants our minds occupied with Him. When the cares of this life, even our legitimate concerns remove our focus from the One who cares for us, worry tends to fill that attention hole. God is in control of every moment in our lives.

Worry divides our minds and hearts that is not a part of our Spirit. Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 1:4 that God “comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

God’s grace carries us through the dark valley of depression. We are better with God as our comforter, counselor, and encourager than stressing ourselves out every day. God is the Father of compassion, He comforts us in times of worry and trouble we just have to give Him a chance. God’s plan can transform defeat into triumph.

The Power Of Keeping Your Mouth Shut

Knowing when to say, silent is a superpower. It’s about self-control, avoiding unnecessary conflict, and letting actions speak, louder than words. People often reveal more by what they don’t say -strategic silence can be a shield or a weapon, depending on the situation.

Think about holding your cards post in a high stakes game, you don’t always need to show your hand to win. keeping your mouth shut it’s mastering restraint. It’s choosing silence or saying something you regret, or avoiding pointless arguments. It protects our peace.

It’s powerful because it gives you control over your emotions, your image, and the situation. Sometimes saying nothing says everything. Think about a chess game often the best move is the one you don’t take prematurely.

Silence helps you maintain emotional control, avoiding impulsive reactions that could escalate complex or reveals too much.

Staying quiet allows you to actively listen, gathering insights into others, intentions, weaknesses, or motivation without interrupting, or tipping your hand.

Silence can unsettled others, prompting them to fill the void and reveal more than they intended. It’s often a subtle way to gain control of negotiations or tense situations.

Holding back prevent saying things in the heat of the moment that could damage relationships or reputations. It’s a safeguard against irreversible mistakes.

Choosing when to speak, makes your words carry more weight. Silence builds anticipation, making your impact more powerful.

The Bible emphasizes the value of silence in many contexts. it, highlight the raw of wisdom, restraint, and reverence.

“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from trouble” – Proverbs 21:23

“He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction” -Proverbs 13:3

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” -Proverbs 10:19

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.

These verses highlight the importance of controlling our mouths to avoid trouble, promote peace, and reflect godliness.

Food That Tranports

Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?

I don’t have many good memories of my childhood. But every time my Nagy mama from Hungary would come she would bring her palacsinta with her.

The best way to describe them would be they are like crepes. Thin, delicate pancakes with sweetened cottage cheese and then dusted with powdered sugar.

My Nagy mama was always happy. I remember her always wearing dresses and a shawl with white sandals whether it was summer or winter and she always smelled like lily of the valley.