Why I Got Re-Baptized

It's quite simple really, the Lord put it on my heart and I'm seeking to be obedient.

OK, the longer answer...

About a year ago God used a crisis in our family to reveal how far I was from Him.  I was the guy out on the beach building my sandcastle (Matthew 7:24-27) when, finally, a hurricane blew through and completely wiped out everything.  I was left devastated, and confused.  My initial reaction was.... embarrassing to say the least.  I was all over the place.  I actually made my situation worse as I flopped and flailed like a fish out of water.

"The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall." -- Matthew 7:27

Then, slowly, as weeks and months went by God began to move toward me in a way unlike anything I've ever experienced.  And the most amazing thing is that He pursued me with such patience and love even as I continued to try to "fix" my problems under my own power.  Eventually, I tired out and "tapped out" to God.

I began reading my Bible every day.  I all of the sudden had this hunger for God's Word that I couldn't get enough of it.  I had always viewed the Bible as "important", but never really had the desire to read it.  It was more like the fire extinguisher in our house, rather than the food pantry.

"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." -- Matthew 4:4

I still had the problem of not knowing where to start.  I think we all struggle with "OK, I have my Bible, where do I start"?  I mean, do you just start reading front to back?  Should I go for concepts?  New Testament vs Old Testament?  I was a little overwhelmed.  So I started in Acts.  Figured this was where the church Jesus was building all started, it records all of Paul's missionary journeys, seemed like a good place...

So as I'm getting into reading my Bible, God provided direction through the ministries of people like Francis Chan, James MacDonald, David Jeremiah.

I began to learn what it meant to be a Man of God.  I read a book called "Tender Warrior" by Stu Weber.

So, to make a long story short...er.  I had some growing up to do.  God was cleaning house in my life.  Here's some of the trash He tossed to the curb:

1. XBOX - SOLD (what a waste of time)
2. Work life - Inverted.  Enlarged focus on family.  Better management of time at the office/career.
3. Personal distractions (anything other than God and my Family) - Cleared out.  My responsibility is to God and to serve my family.  To lay my life down for them as Christ did for us.

This list is much longer (some of it too personal), but the point is...I saw myself for the childish boy I was...

"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things." - 1 Corinthians 13:11

Then God showed up and said "ENOUGH OF THIS.  Here's my plan.  It's a perfect plan.  It's going to bring you peace, and joy only I can give.  It's what I MADE YOU FOR."  

"'For I know the plans that I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." -- Jeremiah 29:11

I'm learning what it means to be a Man, a true Man (society has it completely backwards).  A man who fears the Lord, adores His Son, loves His Word, and honors my own family as a servant leader answerable to Almighty God.

"Men who face the worst hell has to throw at them and stay and stay and stay...It's every man's purpose...every woman's dream...and every child's hope.  It's the definition of a man." -- Tender Warrior (Stu Weber)

My baptism today is my public affirmation that from here on out, I'm seeking to follow the Ultimate Man, Jesus Christ.