We ask then…’why do we have to be baptized and why do we baptize Christ’s new followers?’

• It is because it was part of the CHARGE (commission) Jesus gave His followers (disciples) before He departed for heaven…And we are His today’s followers!

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

• Not only did Jesus ‘Charged’ His followers to be baptized and to baptize…He himself was baptized! It was despite of John’s opposition to do so.

Jesus' Baptism!

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’

Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ Then John consented.” Matthew 3:13-15

Baptism is a wonderful way of fulfilling righteous acts the way Jesus did!

I commend to God those who have been baptized and those who are deciding to be baptized!

Then we ask the question WHY are we baptizing? And WHEN and HOW should we baptize?

First let me be clear with some points before I continue writing about baptism:

• Our church family, LifeChurch Makati, is more concern with every members’ relationship with God than establishing list of religious institution’s membership.
• We are more concern with our connection to God than particular religious practices.

With those foundations in this 1st blog about baptism let me proceed on…

• Baptism at LifeChurch Makati does not signify a practice for one to become a member of the church.
• It even doesn’t mean that only during that time a person becomes a Christian.

Let me write a little detail about baptism’s etymology (word origin)…

Baptism came from the Greek word: Baptizo.  It is a very common used word during the time of Jesus for washing or cleaning! But this process of washing and cleaning is by submerging or by plunging dip under the water the item they would like to wash. One English word to describe this common ancient Greek word for washing is IMMERSION!

Why are we baptizing? What happens during baptism? And what does it represent? I will write about it in my next three blogs on Baptism – please check this site for those other blogs. Bless you as you explore the Christian Practice of Baptism!

Putting it in my own words: God accepts us the way we are, warts and all, good and bad, our worst and our “beast” YET HE LOVES us so much that He doesn’t want us to stay the bad we are for our own good.

The Bible says, “…No one does good, not a single one.” (Romans 3:12b/Psalm 53:3b). It was because we were born not connected to Him.

...in Christ the old you is now a...new you!

He doesn’t want that and that is the main reason why He sent His Son Jesus to change that course of our lives. At the moment we connect our lives to Him, by starting a relationship with Jesus, He makes us a new person…and that is possible by the changing POWER of His Spirit. That power is available and accessible. He did that because God wants us to have a life that is full, bountiful and blessed!

It is sad that many of us give a lot of excuses for us not to change! We say it is difficult to change because of life’s terrible challenges. Challenges in relationships, work and daily financial concerns and many others. We even give the excuse that we are only human (which seems to be a legitimate reason).

But do you know that we are insulting God by giving those excuses?

Humanly speaking yes it is really impossible for us to change. Yet, didn’t Jesus say, “…with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible!” And it is possible because if we are in Him He gave us already the dynamic and explosive, POWER of His Spirit who hovered over the earth to prepare it for the creation of every creatures, who breathed life to the earthly body of Adam and who brought back life to the lifeless body of Jesus Christ! Not to mention all the miracles we read from His Words and we see in the lives of our friends and also in our lives.

That power is available and God feels hurt when we give numerous unreasonable excuses for us to continue the bad way we are…

Let us be encouraged by being changed now by availing His Powerful Spirit. Again it is not by relying on our own might and power but on the Spirit of God who is with us and is in us!

I've done fasting in the past, but it's only this year that I'm going to join in a church-wide, collective prayer and fasting campaign. So consider me a newbie on this one, too. We're joining LifeChurch.tv for a 21-day fast as we at LifeChurch Makati place God first in our calendar to seek him and put him first this year.

For newbies like me, you probably are asking a lot of things on how a typical fast works. The best way to explain this is how I'm planning to do it.

Daniel fast

There are different kinds of fasting. Others skip one meal a day, others will not eat during the day. LifeChurch.tv is promoting the "Daniel fast" based on Daniel 10. In my opinion, it's the best way to go for newbies. It basically doesn't involve skipping of meals but a change of diet. While changing of diet is as challenging as skipping meals, it can be an easier route to experience fasting without pushing yourself too hard.

Needless to say, I'm excited to start my year with this tradition. I am praying that I make it until day 21. If not, I know God is merciful Nonetheless, the idea is to fast to seek God's heart, to be in tune with his will as I start my year focused on living a life of worship of him. I encourage you to join us in this 21-day fast. 

If you have any questions, just ask below. If I know the answer, I'll try to give an answer. If I don't, I'll try to research for you

Take it even one step further—the human heart is deceitful and calloused. Sounds depressing but true. David and the prophets have so much to say on the topic. Take your most-admired saint, guru or pastor—they’re all in the same boat. As a friend of mine pointed out the other day, it’s like biting into an apple and discovering half a worm inside! The fruit looked perfect on the outside but harbored this detestable creature that even you now share. You may appear wholesome, honest, or even religious to those around you, but…surprise!

There are a couple of takeaways from this. One is to always submit to divine authority. God always has the final say. The author of Proverbs counsels you to make plans to the best of your knowledge but leaving it up to God to change as he sees fit. You may come up with the most intelligent and rational plan for the rest of your life and yet you will still come short of what God has in mind. The other takeaway is as important and even more humbling. God accepts you in spite of your horrid condition. It’s this thing called grace. And because you have received such an awesome gift, you are to pass it on to others by accepting them as they are—shortcomings and all. Not being good enough is actually a good thing because it assures you that God’s grace is alive and well!

Ritchie Carbajal
Pastor, Crossweave Church, CA

Some of you did not complete it. And so, I heard a lot wants to have the files so they can complete it and probably be able to do this with their family and friends. Here are the files that you need.

1. Participant Guide – this is the complete 80-page participant guide that we used during the experience. Click here to download (17mb).

2. The 6-session video files. If you want to have the original files, this coming Sunday please bring a USB drive of about 2GB free space. Approach me before or after the experience and I will give you the copy.

I’m honored to have led you to the Chazown Experience. I have learned a lot myself and is now ready to charge like a bull in pursuing my God-given Chazown. I hope you are, too.

This series is based on Craig Groeschel’s book “Chazown”. This is not released here in the Philippines — at least not yet. But we’re able to grab hold of an imported copy in a source. Plus, some of you know that Kuya Prudy is in the US right now and we may ask him to bring whatever his luggage can accomodate

So, here’s the deal. Do you want to have this book? A couple of ways:

1. Complete the 3-week Chazown Experience and you’ll be part of the raffle that will receive the book. The Chazown Experience happens for 3 Sundays — October 17, 24 and 31. If you are present in all Sundays, you’ll have a chance to receive this book for free!

2. Now, here’s a sure way to get the book. If you can bring 2 friends with you starting this Sunday and all 3 of you completes the sessions for 3 weeks, you’re automatically entitled for the FREE BOOK! (And of course, your friends will be part of the raffle). That easy, eh?

BONUS: Kuya Prudy will be at LifeChurch.tv last week of October to attend the Network Summit. I’ll make sure he gets a book and have it signed by Craig himself. So, our grand price will be that Chazown book!

Take note that we’re not doing this for the sake of anything other than making sure that you’re motivated enough to do this with us. We believe that this experience will greatly help you in your journey through life and we’re making sure that we’re saying this loud and clear. Plus, we want you to share this with others, too!

So, make sure you attend this Sunday and the rest of the Chazown Experience and you’ll invite a couple of friends with you. And you’ll have this great book from our very own leader, Craig Groeschel. Let’s know God’s vision for our lives while we’re having fun with this “promo”

-Arnold

At LifeChurch Makati we have sponsored and sponsoring The Chazown Experience!

The Chazown Experience is an 8-hour, experience that walks you through God’s “chazown” or vision in your life. It’s an interactive and mentoring experience that allows you to discover your past experiences, your core values and spiritual gifts which make up your own personal chazown. It gives you an opportunity to plan ahead so that your relationship with God, with others, your work, finances and physical health play along with God’s vision and purpose for your life.

In all other LifeChurch churches all over the world, they are offering this as a special seminar. Here at LifeChurch Makati we are offering this seminar too, with the following topics:

Session 1: Finding your Chazown

Session 2: Learning from Past Experiences.

Session 3: Clarifying Your Core Values

Session 4: Writing your PURPOSE STATEMENT

Session 5: Living your Chazown

Session 6: Creating a 100 Day Plan

We promise you – finish these sessions and your life will never be the same again. If you are interested to experience Chazown – message us! We will be happy to serve your community or your corporate offices!

Moses: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” …
God: “I will be with you”.

Moses: “What if they do not believe me or listen to me…”
God: (shows him how to make miracles)… “This is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of your fathers… has appeared to you”

Moses: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow in speach and tongue”.
God: “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say”

Moses: “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else”.

I feel Moses’ hesitation because of his perceived limitations. But, at this point, I think God became irritated of the excuses because in 4:14, it says “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses…“

You want to see God burn in anger? You think he’s angry only when you sin?

Tell him you can’t do it. That you’re not capable. That you have limitations. You just cant. Then you’ll see fire go down from heaven and roast you alive.

You are made by God the way he wants you created. He gave you strengths and limitations. Nonetheless, he has great works, a purpose, a task specially fitted for you. When you sense God calling you to do something in the church, in your workplaces, in your family, in your career and feels that you can’t do it … remember Moses.