THE BIG DAY

Today is "The BIG Day!" TODAY America will put the next President into the White House, after millions of dollars have been raised and spent, of course. After all of the campaigning, the promises, the "prophetic claims" of what would happen if "the other guy" was voted in, and the enormous amount of HYPE, it all comes down to TODAY!

But I got to thinking last night about the significance of today's decision and thought to myself, what if we took our Eternity as seriously as we have taken this Election! What if we were as passionate about where our soul will spend Eternity as we are about who goes into the White House.

There is a day coming that is way bigger than TODAY! There is a day coming when who was elected will not matter. "The BIG Day" I'm referring to is the day that Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords returns for His Church. So, my question to you TODAY is simply, are you READY?

If Jesus returned TODAY would you be ready? If all of a sudden the media broke from their Election coverage to report a strange occurrence of people everywhere disappearing, would you be one of those who disappeared or would you be catching the news as it happened? Have you been "Born Again?" (John 3:1-5) Have you "repented of your sins, been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and received the gift of the Holy Ghost?" (Acts 2:38) Have you "received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" (Acts 19:2) Are you living "righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:12-14)

The Bible warns us to be READY "for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 24:44) (Matthew 25:13) says, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

"The BIG Day" I'm talking about is going to come, and I just wonder what it would be like if we were as concerned about THAT DAY as we are about THIS DAY! Contrary to how some people are acting these days, there is an event on the horizon that will be BIGGER than any Election, and that event is the day our Eternity begins!

Think about it. What's really more important? Whether you're a Republican or Democrat OR where you'll spend your Eternity: Heaven or Hell?

Just a thought.

teach | baptize | teach

The familiar passage of scripture known among believers as The Great Commission says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20/ KJV).

This scripture text not only reveals our commission to evangelize the lost through teaching them the plan of Salvation (being Born Again: John 3:1-7, Luke 24:44-48, Acts 2:38); it also reveals the responsibility of the church to disciple the converts after conversion!

The process is clear and simple:

teach | baptize | teach

I had the opportunity two weeks ago to teach Celeste a Bible Study which explained in detail what the Bible says about being saved. It was the first "teach" found in Matthew 28:19. We talked about repentance, being baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ and receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4). The teaching was basic but Biblical, and let me just go ahead and remind those who might be wondering that the Word still works!

Then last Wednesday night, September 24th, I had the opportunity to "baptize" Celeste in the only "name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" - JESUS! (Acts 4:12)

The responsibility of the church did not end at merely teaching and baptizing (conversion), the Great Commission also included a second set of "teaching" instructions which would happen after conversion. This "teaching" is what we call Discipleship. Celeste is currently being discipled by the Moreno family in our church.

It's been said that the Gospel is only good news if it gets there in time, and I would like to add that the Great Commission will only work if we follow the whole process...

teach | baptize | teach