Last night I posted a YouTube video from our part of the service at Dodds Pentecostal Church Sunday morning. I hope you enjoy it. It has one song at the beginning and then altar singing after my preaching on "The Christian Commitment".
Buried With Him By Baptism Into Death
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Hallelujah!)
I grew up having well over 100 first cousins counting both sides of our family. I was naturally closer to some of them because we lived closer, we were close in age, went to school together or attended the same churches.
I have a cousin that is separated from me by less than one month in age. We were both raised right here in Waynesville, Ohio. He is in the middle of the picture below between Pastor Kelly Rogers and me.
Say Hello to Steve Moore!
We were close when we were growing up and we have many great memories. My life and vocation have sent me all over the country and I have not been able to keep close ties with a lot of my family. I always feel a little guilty about that, but one cousin in Kentucky helped me with that recently.
She said, we know we love one another and we do not have to be together all the time to prove it. We know it, nothing can change it and that is enough. Well said, cousin!
Steve, his wife Jenni and one of his daughters Erica.
Steve has lived right here in the county where we were raised. He married well and has raised his family and is now enjoying grandchildren. He has lived a very nice life with only one thing missing.
In his own words, he was missing living for God! He had the Gospel seed planted in his heart as a young child from two sets of Godly grandparents and that seed would not be ignored any longer.
Earlier this year, while watching a church service at home, he repented of his sin and gave his heart to the Lord. He and his precious wife have both testified to the incredible change the grace of God has made in several areas of his life. He is born again by God's grace!
When he wrote me an email a few months ago telling me all about his experience, I began to weep with joy and gladness! I can not tell you how happy I was at that moment and the happiness is still bubbling today in me and in Steve. Hallelujah!
The worldwide pandemic drove us and many others to have services online. Steve was not going to church, but his hunger for God drove him to watch those services and the exposure to God's Word and God's Spirit pulled on his heart and he surrendered!
It is another indication that God can take what the enemy meant for bad and turn it for our good!
He asked me in that first email if I would consent to baptize him in water whenever I was physically able to do it. I was honored at the request and we began making plans to get that done.
It all came together Sunday. Pastor Kelly Rogers contacted Pastor EJ Lamb and we used the baptistry at Anchor of Hope Sunday afternoon.
Several from the Dodds Church were in attendance along with others. The Lord was also there and allowed us to feel His wonderful presence throughout the service. Praise God for His help!
We have some pictures from Odie and I will have a video of the baptism portion of the service. I hope to have it up by 10:00 AM Tuesday on our YouTube Channel.
Thank you for tuning in today.
Davy
