Harold
Faithful Servant
I haven't posted anything for awhile, and just wanted to share some things with you that have been happening in my life. I was re-baptized last Sunday, I knew that it would be an uplifting event, but it was so much more than what I was even hoping. I'm 43 and was saved and baptized at about 8 years old. I think that was what God has been dealing with me about, I remember being baptized but I was so young and walked away for so much of my life that no one would have known that I was a professing child of God. It was laid upon my heart that if I was to rededicate my life, I should come to be baptized as a 43 year old man filled with the love of and for my Savior and be able to definately tell everyone the time and place when it took place.
I went before our church asking for re-baptism and they set the date. The Holy Spirit laid it on my heart later that although I was saved I really needed to say the prayer of salvation before others. A public proffession. Right before the baptism, the minister told me that after the baptism, he would stay in the water and preach from there for our service. I told him that I wanted to say a prayer of salvation before all the congregation and say something to my 4 sons. He smiled and said yes. I asked everyone to join me in prayer as I prayed for salvation, then I told my 4 sons that I loved them, but I had let them down so many times in their lives. I told them though that they should always remember that they have a Heavenly Father, and that His love for them is unfathomnable, and He will never forsake them or let them down, just keep holding onto His unchanging hand.
After I got out and got into some dry clothes, I walked into the sanctuary and saw the minister out of the water ready to preach. His sermon was to have been "Salvation from the baptistry." He looked at me and smiled again, and said "isn't that what we heard from the baptistry, the gospel and salvation of Jesus." The Holy Spirit had put it on my heart to pray for exactly what the minister was to preach about! I know that there were some there watching this, that God was reaching out to, calling for them to come forward and accept His salvation. I had no idea what he was going to preach about before that time, but I feel so blessed to have been led with him to share that message to others.
I just thank God for the opportunity He has given me to turn my life back over to Him and to serve Him.
I went before our church asking for re-baptism and they set the date. The Holy Spirit laid it on my heart later that although I was saved I really needed to say the prayer of salvation before others. A public proffession. Right before the baptism, the minister told me that after the baptism, he would stay in the water and preach from there for our service. I told him that I wanted to say a prayer of salvation before all the congregation and say something to my 4 sons. He smiled and said yes. I asked everyone to join me in prayer as I prayed for salvation, then I told my 4 sons that I loved them, but I had let them down so many times in their lives. I told them though that they should always remember that they have a Heavenly Father, and that His love for them is unfathomnable, and He will never forsake them or let them down, just keep holding onto His unchanging hand.
After I got out and got into some dry clothes, I walked into the sanctuary and saw the minister out of the water ready to preach. His sermon was to have been "Salvation from the baptistry." He looked at me and smiled again, and said "isn't that what we heard from the baptistry, the gospel and salvation of Jesus." The Holy Spirit had put it on my heart to pray for exactly what the minister was to preach about! I know that there were some there watching this, that God was reaching out to, calling for them to come forward and accept His salvation. I had no idea what he was going to preach about before that time, but I feel so blessed to have been led with him to share that message to others.
I just thank God for the opportunity He has given me to turn my life back over to Him and to serve Him.
