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I can remember in the days and weeks following the attack upon the United States on September 11, 2001, that church attendance in the U.S. enjoyed a momentary increase.  Sadly, however, that increase was short lived.  Studies have shown that within a few weeks, in most cases, church attendance quickly regressed to the pre-September 11 level (https://today.duke.edu/2016/08/after-911-short-lived-rush-church).  What happened?

What happened seems to be consistent with all of human history.  When things are bad, when we are pressed on every side, when we are struggling with adversity, then we remember that there is a God in heaven and we seek His favor.  The same was true of the Hebrews, who in a time of affliction in Egypt called out to the Lord for deliverance (Exodus 3:7-9).  Later, after settling into the Promised Land, the Israelites became satisfied and forgot their God, who had brought them out of Egypt (Judges 3:7; 1 Samuel 12:9; Psalm 106:21).  Over and over again throughout the book of Judges, there was a cycle of them forgetting God, practicing idolatry and other sorts of evil, and only turning to God when oppression came upon them.

We can look back at them in wonder, as to how they could have seen so much of the power of God, and then turned away or neglected God.  However, don’t we do the same thing?  We cry out to God and pray when times are bad.  We suddenly become more religious when under attack, but quickly forget about God when life is good.  We often treat God as if He is the genie in the bottle (break glass in case of emergency), and we neglect Him when things are good.

Let us not be those people!  Instead, let us remember the God who loves us.  Let us remember that He has not left it to us to figure Him out, but has given us an ample description and instruction through His inspired word (2 Timothy 2:16-17).  Let us come to Him both in our hour of need (Hebrews 4:16), but also when our hearts are full.  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, emphasis added).

At this time of year, as we gather together to give thanks as a nation, let us not forget our Creator, the One who gives life and sustains us all (Acts 17:28).  Let us not be so quick to forget Him during the rest of the year, but instead, let us continue to give God our thanks throughout our lives.

“Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name” (Psalm 30:4).

        How is it that a sinner can one day stand righteous before our eternal judge?  When we look into the commands of God, and most especially what is necessary for our salvation, we see that the act of baptism is essential and imperative to that endeavor.  To illustrate the awesome importance of baptism, let us take a quick look at two paramount events from the book of Acts.

            First, let us look at the event that is recorded in Acts 2 with regards to the importance of baptism.  Peter here is preaching on the Day of Pentecost to a crowd gathered in Jerusalem, many of whom were responsible for the death of Jesus on the cross.  Peter convinces these men of their sin in his sermon.  Imagine what they must have felt when they realized that it was the Son of God that they demanded be crucified by Pilate.  And yet, as heinous as their transgression was, they still have hope if they would repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38). 

            Secondly, let us look at the event of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who would become the apostle Paul.  Saul had been persecuting the church and was even complicit in the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8).  Later in Paul’s own words he will call himself the “chief” of sinners (1Timothy 1:15).  Saul, however, was not eternally lost, because he was able to have his sins washed away by the power of baptism.  After Paul saw Jesus on the way to Damascus, he was told by Ananias not to hesitate, but to “arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins” (Acts 22:16 KJV).  Even Saul could be forgiven his sins through the obedient act of baptism.

            What an important act of obedience that could allow those who had committed such sins to one day stand righteous before the throne of God.  In baptism the sins of both those who had put Christ to such shame on the cross, and the one who had been persecuting the church with such fervor were remitted!    If these men could be forgiven for their transgressions; what forgiveness awaits us at the bottom of that watery grave?  There is no denying the power and the importance of baptism in obedience to God, so that our sins may be washed away.

      Perhaps you have heard the adage or seen the commercials on TV telling us that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.  Is it true that we can fulfill all the lustful desires of our hearts and no one will ever know?  Can we cheat and not get caught simply by hopping in our car and driving to Las Vegas?

      Consider what God’s word tells us in Psalm 33:13-15.  God sees all the sons of men, all the inhabitants of the earth, and all of their works.  There is nothing that is hidden from God.  There is no place that we can go to hide from God where He will not see us, for even the darkness cannot hide from Him (Psalm 139:12).

      You see, we know that the day will come when all that we have done in this body, whether good or bad will be brought into judgment (2 Cor. 5:10).  Since God will judge all of our deeds, and since God sees everything, there is nothing that we can hide from him.  We can run to Vegas or to the four corners of the earth, but we cannot hide from the all seeing, all knowing God of heaven.