Deep Faith 201

For a day or more like two I have been fighting with myself or it could be more like debating what I am suppose to write about .. what I wanted to write since Sunday was about my second week in Deep Faith class at church .. but the feeling, the drive, the inspiration just was not there along with a little writers block .. just for mentioning purpose and so I don't forget and so that you also will know what week 2 in the deep faith class was about .. so I will touch on the subject a little and then I will if I have to or feel the need will write what ever it is that I am suppose or will be poise to write .. (Baptism) by water and the Holy Spirit .. what it's not .. and what it is ..

I had been baptist at around the age of thirteen or fourteen years old .. in water that is .. baptism class had to be taken prior to being able to go in the water .. our church would all make a day of it and go to one of the larger church in The Bronx that had a baptism pool in it .. John 3:16 was the name of the church .. it had balconies where you could really watch the people being baptise .. it was like watching angels walking down one of the church go through and enter one side of the alter .. you would loose site of that person or of a few people for a short while and then when it was their turn you would see them again going into the water .. I remember as a kid when it was me .. it is something you never forget .. after walking for so many years not in the way that God expected me to .. loving the world and forgetting that God created us for His purpose .. I asked a few people who are good grounded Christians if one is suppose to get baptise again and their answers was no .. in fact one of the answers to what baptism is not was that it is not repetitive .. I understood that just as Christ died once and rose back on the third day that we must be baptise once .. that we don't have to keep getting baptise .. I still remember getting baptise and that has been many .. many years ago ..

I will share and experience I had about two and a half years ago .. which first I will say as I have in the past that once you have a personal experience with God it is hard to stay grounded in the faith that is Jesus Christ .. I was at that time staying with a friend during a dark but enlighten time of my live and the only time in thirty years that I spent away from my beloved wife but that is another story I will tell sometime in the near future .. one early morning at around 4:20 in the morning I was woken and in those day I doubt I was asleep for more the an hour or so .. I walk out to the pool area in my buddy's house a beautiful 4000 sq.ft. home and as I sat out side in the dark of night a small and soft voice asked me to enter to the pool and swim over to the other side .. I knew it was God talking to me and I answered and said Lord I have not swam in many years years .. I would have to take off my glasses and not be able to see where I am going .. the water is cold Lord and that is after I had touched the water .. I said no and went back in the house .. the following night or should I say early morning around that exact time .. back out to the pool area and again .. yes you've guessed it that voice with all His patience was waiting for me .. I go touch the water and He says to me .. always testing the waters .. always testing the water .. huh .. come .. trust me .. this time I jumped right out of my PJ's and step into the pool .. under to the other side .. the pool is about twenty five to thirty feet across .. when I arrived at the other side and came up .. I will say I have never felt so clean in my entire live .. so new .. so full .. I imagine it is some what how I must of felt back at thirteen at John 3:16 I do remember feeling good .. but this time it was for real .. as an adult with a conscience ..

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
1 Corinthians 15

Two other things were part of the what baptism is not .. Redemptive .. or in more words you are not redeemed because you have been baptise .. you are redeemed because Jesus died for your sins and you have to accept Him as you Lord and savior .. and last it is not a ritual .. it is an acclamation of your faith and something that God has asked every Christian to do .. it is going under water so you leave your old man or your old self under and come up a new person ..

Six things we were told that baptism is or .. what it is .. Symbolic .. of death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3)
.. Identification .. with Jesus .. Submission .. to God (John 15: 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.) it is what God has asked of us .. Expectation .. of God's power .. Sacrament .. and is ordained by Jesus for us to practice (Matthew 28: 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,) .. Surrender .. that is that when get baptise we are surrendering the old man .. the person we use to be .. the worldly person by which we lived .. we also do this for the repentance of our sins (Mark 1:1-8) so we may also have a good conscience and be able to identify our self with Christ in death and in resurrection .. as we were told these are the reason for water baptism .. now the reason for the baptism of the Holy Spirit is so that God may empower us with the power of the Holy Spirit or in other words with His spirit .. the power of God through His His Holy Spirit is what all Christians need to fight off the enemy in our daily walk with God.

It always amazes me when I think I have not much to say or to write ..the minute I start .. then God dose the rest and for me HE will finish what I but an effort to start .. thank you Lord for without you we are not much .. but with Your Spirit we are more then conquers.

Today I leave you with

Atone Till Zion

Atonement 4 ones sin must B a true Affirmation
Baptize 2 death N revive alive to our Beloved
Christ, One God, Father and Creator
Devine only is He in who we can Depend
Edification is a result of our Exalting
Faith which produces humility N Forgiveness
Grace follows whom so ever is Grateful
Humble N who's thoughts R kept Heavenly
Individual is our salvation N God's Indignation
Justification 4 our sins, is a promise of Jah's
kindness 4 all mankind 2 enter the Kingdom
Loved N rewarded 4 devotion 2 the Lord
Morning N night we ought 2 pray N Be Meek
Noble in all deeds with hope, He'll replenish our Needs
Obedient N steadfast is mans duty N ones Objective
Pleases God 2 grant us a life tranquil N Peace
Quality 2 live long N clean, so 4 eternity we Qualify
Reverent 2 N 4 a God that is Almighty N Righteous
Spirit that saves a fool from his buried Soul
Truth man will find, when in Jah he looks N Trust
Ultimate wisdom from God is not 4 man 2 Undermind
Victory is yours, as the wine is from good Vine
Worship N thank God if you Serve N not the World
Xtra a blessing when Jah name U hold as Xtreme
Yearn 4 His love N His mercy will break whatever Yolk
Zealous I am N you also should be, 4 the God of Zion

written by Blues N Tbone / atw JAH
09.01-09.09.2007